Thailand Elite Card is pleased to announce the release of four new membership programs

[DUS]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Has anyone been refused their extra guess through the Priority lane ?

 

I travel internationally 3-4 times per year with my Wife and Son and have never had an issue with this in the past, my Wife and son simply accompany me through the Priority lane without any issues from Thai Elite. I'm not sure if this has changed in the last couple of months.

 

It hasn't changed as of yet. Due to be changed as of February, I believe. I posted the exact date a while ago...

[James2020]

9 hours ago, MartinBKK said:

A 2 year visa with Thailand Elite. That can't be true surely? Did you use the concierge service to obtain the license?

 

1 hour ago, Mover1 said:

 

I emailed TE about getting a Thai driving license after joining last month on the 5 year PE visa, and was told i can only get a 1 year driving license with the option to renew for another year when it expires. Not sure what happens after that, i guess you keep renewing every year..?

 

I'm not a member of Thailand Elite, but considering it  My Thai wife and I went to the Office of Land Transportation (District 3), which is one of the half dozen or so driving license offices in BKK.  My understanding is that everyone is issued a 2 year temporary DL at first, regardless of whether you are a TE member, and at the end of two years, you are then eligible to apply for the permanent 5 year DL.   The temporary DL used to be for 1 year, and many people do not know about the recent change to 2 years.  There are only 2 types of DL available to anyone, either a temporary 2 year DL or a permanent 5 year DL.  The problem is that you cannot get a 5 year DL with a TE Visa.  They require a "long stay" visa, and the TL Visa is a type of Tourist Visa.  Mover1 asked TE about this and they answered that he could only get another temporary DL, which unfortunately for me, does not allow an International Driving Permit.  Just FYI,  to obtain a temporary DL, I needed a medical certificate (1 hour at Bumrungrad, 650 B), an Affidavit of Residence from the US Embassy (1 hour, 1750 , Passport with long term visa and copies of both, valid State DL with copies of front and back, a 305 B fee for the Office of Land Transportation, and watch a safety video with English subtitles for an hour.  I assume a TE member would have to go through this procedure every 2 years to maintain a DL in Thailand, even if you used one of their support people.  The Office of Land Transportation is quite efficient, but it still takes about 2 hours to get a temporary DL.  I strongly recommend taking someone who speaks Thai fluently.

[James2020]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Has anyone been refused their extra guess through the Priority lane ?

 

I travel internationally 3-4 times per year with my Wife and Son and have never had an issue with this in the past, my Wife and son simply accompany me through the Priority lane without any issues from Thai Elite. I'm not sure if this has changed in the last couple of months.

 

Please see Post # 387 in this thread, and note that the "new" policy starts 1 Feb 2017.

[anotheruser]

On 1/14/2017 at 11:23 AM, James2020 said:

 

 

I'm not a member of Thailand Elite, but considering it  My Thai wife and I went to the Office of Land Transportation (District 3), which is one of the half dozen or so driving license offices in BKK.  My understanding is that everyone is issued a 2 year temporary DL at first, regardless of whether you are a TE member, and at the end of two years, you are then eligible to apply for the permanent 5 year DL.   The temporary DL used to be for 1 year, and many people do not know about the recent change to 2 years.  There are only 2 types of DL available to anyone, either a temporary 2 year DL or a permanent 5 year DL.  The problem is that you cannot get a 5 year DL with a TE Visa.  They require a "long stay" visa, and the TL Visa is a type of Tourist Visa.  Mover1 asked TE about this and they answered that he could only get another temporary DL, which unfortunately for me, does not allow an International Driving Permit.  Just FYI,  to obtain a temporary DL, I needed a medical certificate (1 hour at Bumrungrad, 650 B), an Affidavit of Residence from the US Embassy (1 hour, 1750 , Passport with long term visa and copies of both, valid State DL with copies of front and back, a 305 B fee for the Office of Land Transportation, and watch a safety video with English subtitles for an hour.  I assume a TE member would have to go through this procedure every 2 years to maintain a DL in Thailand, even if you used one of their support people.  The Office of Land Transportation is quite efficient, but it still takes about 2 hours to get a temporary DL.  I strongly recommend taking someone who speaks Thai fluently.

 

Well if you pay 2,000 Baht you can bring a member of TE. I don't think that is too bad of a value.

[James2020]

4 hours ago, anotheruser said:

 

Well if you pay 2,000 Baht you can bring a member of TE. I don't think that is too bad of a value.

Probably OK, if you have no one else who can read signs (they are all in Thai) and converse with staff.  I don't know if they can save you going through everything else.  I forgot to mention the "physical tests" including depth perception, color vision, and side vision.  Maybe they are just for communication and hand holding?  I don't know.  Everything was pretty efficient, including at the US Embassy and at Bumrungrad (I included an average of 20 min. travel time in my estimates above), but just to get everything done takes time.  It will pretty much blow a whole day.

 

BTW, the Office of Land Transportation (District 3) has moved - the US Embassy web site is out of date.  It's not on Soi 62 anymore, it's on the other side of Sukhumvit.  To get there, go to the Bang Chak BTS station, Exit 3.  The office is on the BTS map - it's right off Sukhumvit, but the sign is in Thai.  A motorcycle taxi will save you the long walk  in the sun down the driveway to the building.

[anotheruser]

19 hours ago, James2020 said:

Probably OK, if you have no one else who can read signs (they are all in Thai) and converse with staff.  I don't know if they can save you going through everything else.  I forgot to mention the "physical tests" including depth perception, color vision, and side vision.  Maybe they are just for communication and hand holding?  I don't know.  Everything was pretty efficient, including at the US Embassy and at Bumrungrad (I included an average of 20 min. travel time in my estimates above), but just to get everything done takes time.  It will pretty much blow a whole day.

 

BTW, the Office of Land Transportation (District 3) has moved - the US Embassy web site is out of date.  It's not on Soi 62 anymore, it's on the other side of Sukhumvit.  To get there, go to the Bang Chak BTS station, Exit 3.  The office is on the BTS map - it's right off Sukhumvit, but the sign is in Thai.  A motorcycle taxi will save you the long walk  in the sun down the driveway to the building.

 

I am going to guess that gets you to the front of the line as well.

[Lovethailandelite]

I have found it easier and cheaper to use an agent. 3000Bt and they will pick up your paperwork, do your pictures, go and collect everything that is needed. Next day send a car and take you to the test center where you watch a video, collect your licence and get dropped home.
How bad is that, no running around and an hour out of your day?

[James2020]

6 hours ago, Lovethailandelite said:

I have found it easier and cheaper to use an agent. 3000Bt and they will pick up your paperwork, do your pictures, go and collect everything that is needed. Next day send a car and take you to the test center where you watch a video, collect your licence and get dropped home.
How bad is that, no running around and an hour out of your day?

I've never used an agent.  It would seem that you still had to go to the US Embassy and get the affidavit, still had to go to a hospital or clinic and have a physical, still need to get the physical tests done at the DL center, still need to watch the video, still need to have copies of documents, (no pictures needed now though), etc.  At the time we went, there were no queues - it may save a little time going with someone who's been through it before, but I don't see how it could save much?

[Lovethailandelite]

5 hours ago, James2020 said:

I've never used an agent.  It would seem that you still had to go to the US Embassy and get the affidavit, still had to go to a hospital or clinic and have a physical, still need to get the physical tests done at the DL center, still need to watch the video, still need to have copies of documents, (no pictures needed now though), etc.  At the time we went, there were no queues - it may save a little time going with someone who's been through it before, but I don't see how it could save much?

As a UK  Citizen all that is needed is your licence, your Passport and visa, a copy of the front page of your chanote and 2 passport sized photos. The agent deals with the rest of it regarding a medical certificate and a Residence Permit. No need for an Embassy visit for us. They take you too the test center where you do the color blindness test, the side vision test and watch a video for an hour. You then get issued a 2 year temporary licence and they bring you home. That's it.
Somebody posted that you cannot get the 5 year Licence on a PE visa. That's not true. Any visa or extension that has an original issue date for a year or more is acceptable to get the 5 year licence once the first 2 year temporary licence is due for renewal. A PE visa is valid for 5 years so not an issue.

[James2020]

38 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

As a UK  Citizen all that is needed is your licence, your Passport and visa, a copy of the front page of your chanote and 2 passport sized photos. The agent deals with the rest of it regarding a medical certificate and a Residence Permit. No need for an Embassy visit for us. They take you too the test center where you do the color blindness test, the side vision test and watch a video for an hour. You then get issued a 2 year temporary licence and they bring you home. That's it.
Somebody posted that you cannot get the 5 year Licence on a PE visa. That's not true. Any visa or extension that has an original issue date for a year or more is acceptable to get the 5 year licence once the first 2 year temporary licence is due for renewal. A PE visa is valid for 5 years so not an issue.

Hmmm... time to ask TE directly about the 5 year DL - I'll post the result here. 

It does seem that there were fewer hoops to jump through with an agent - maybe your situation had something to do with it.   Anyway, I may try an agent in 2 years when my renewal is due.

[Lovethailandelite]

32 minutes ago, James2020 said:

Hmmm... time to ask TE directly about the 5 year DL - I'll post the result here. 

It does seem that there were fewer hoops to jump through with an agent - maybe your situation had something to do with it.   Anyway, I may try an agent in 2 years when my renewal is due.

I believe TE maybe looking at the list of requirements which has no mention of a PE Visa and giving you best advice according to the information in front of them. Like the majority of things in Thailand, not everything is the way it seems. The only other thing I can think of, is that a US licence holder needs to work under is different set of rules much like you needing to get an affidavit of your licence when UK citizens don't need it.
I don't see much more available for a 'Long stay' visa than a PE. 

Edited January 18, 2017 by Lovethailandelite

[James2020]

On 1/18/2017 at 10:47 PM, Lovethailandelite said:

I believe TE maybe looking at the list of requirements which has no mention of a PE Visa and giving you best advice according to the information in front of them. Like the majority of things in Thailand, not everything is the way it seems. The only other thing I can think of, is that a US licence holder needs to work under is different set of rules much like you needing to get an affidavit of your licence when UK citizens don't need it.
I don't see much more available for a 'Long stay' visa than a PE. 

I received the following response from TE Visa:

 

"Greetings from Thailand Elite…
 
Regarding your enquiry about the info on International driving license application and Thai driving license renewal, please be advised that when we first established the company and introduced the visa, our visa’s purpose is for foreigners who want to visit Thailand often and want to enjoy their life in Thailand more and more.  Our Thailand Elite visa was then at the time categorized as a kind of tourist visa, but a very special stand-alone kind of one.  We have to admit that our previous early management did not foresee this point so that was why our visa is only applicable to renew for a two-year Thai driver’s license at a time.  We understand that it seems unreasonable when the visa is five years term but you can’t renew for a five years driving license. Moreover, please be noted that under Department of Land transport regulation a 5 year Thai driving license is required to use for applying IDP in Thailand."

 

So, it seems clear that I should not be able to renew my 2 year DL for a 5 year DL with a PE Visa in my passport, which does not qualify me for an IDP.  I suspect that as more Offices of Land Transportation become familiar with the PE Visa, getting a 5 year DL becomes a roll of the dice at best.  For those who can maintain a DL in their home country, a TE Visa may work, but not for me.

[MartinBKK]

Well I have the 20 year membership and this response makes me feel very misled. Assistance with driving license was a selling point I never thought I would be getting a two year temporary license.

[DUS]

17 hours ago, MartinBKK said:

Well I have the 20 year membership and this response makes me feel very misled. Assistance with driving license was a selling point I never thought I would be getting a two year temporary license.

 

I understand your frustration but in the end they never claimed that you are entitled to a "5 year temporary license" (or the 2 year version). In the end, it was you who interpreted it in a way you wanted the program to work for you. But I fully agree with you and possibly others that given the period the TE visa is valid for it should enable you to get the 5 year license. Very much doubt though that the current arrangement will ever change so I guess the only hope will be that on the day one applies for the license renewal that the officer (for whatever reason) hands out a 5 year version of the DL. I wouldn´t hold my breath though.....

[pearlofqatar]

You guy's make me laugh, always looking for an "angle." Now it's about privileges and drivers licenses no wonder the authorities have cracked down on visas. For what it's worth I paid for the 20 year x 1 million baht membership (limited perks) and happy as pig in s.... that equates to 137 B a day for the next 20 years for the "PRIVILEGE" of living here and if I want, I never have to leave this fair land as within the terms of said membership/visa. Try that in a western country. On the RV I think 99% of the commentators seem to have collective memory loss as I am sure that you have to lock in 800.000 baht into a TIT bank for the term of stay + the usual add on's and what you're really forgetting, rather than whether or not the E.P membership/visa stays liquid, but can the bank of your choice in TIT stay liquid. I would suggest you check how much in Baht the TIT banks are covering/insuring your hard earn't, or how much you are at risk within the TIT banking system. I know my investment will be safe as it's in the form of a VISA....don't need the perks only a hassle free visa. 

[tgeezer]

Twenty years at a million a year is 2700 plus per day, I would expect someone paying that sort of money to employ a driver.


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[pearlofqatar]

 I'll rephrase that i paid 1 million Baht for a 20 year "visa" (one payment) = less than 137 baht per day if my math is correct 

[tgeezer]

Oh, it really has gone down market. It used to be advertised for wealthy individuals with deals at all the most expensive hotels, restaurants, limo service to the airport because naturally one is travelling at least club class, probably first. Unless you were living that life already there was nothing to be gained by it except the visa.


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[JayBird]

12 hours ago, tgeezer said:

Oh, it really has gone down market. It used to be advertised for wealthy individuals with deals at all the most expensive hotels, restaurants, limo service to the airport because naturally one is travelling at least club class, probably first. Unless you were living that life already there was nothing to be gained by it except the visa.


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If you were living that life already, I'm not sure you would need more than the 30-day visa on arrival, or the 60-day SETV.  The cross-section of those who need to stay a long time in Thailand but are affluent enough to be constantly travelling is not very large (which is perhaps why they are also now focusing more on their 20-Year Visa for 1M offer).

 

Although nice to have easy entry for Thailand (or any country), I'm unsure just how many people actually *need* it.  Perhaps if it was an all-ASEAN access pass it might be a lot more lucrative.

 

 

[pearlofqatar]

4 hours ago, JayBird said:

Although nice to have easy entry for Thailand (or any country), I'm unsure just how many people actually *need* it

Jaybird it is NOT about easy entry but about the ease of long term stay and my refusal to place large sums of Baht in a TIT banking system. I have been here a long time, and for myself this is the less problematic route for LONG term stay without leaving the country as I will never marry a local, hell I have never been married why start now as I said for me this works fine....

[pearlofqatar]

21 hours ago, tgeezer said:

It used to be advertised for wealthy individuals with deals at all the most expensive hotels, restaurants, limo service to the airport because naturally one is travelling at least club class

Mate, I'm from Oz, have you not seen my country folk in the bars' of Bali, Phuket or Pattaya upmarket we don't do. Yes your right in my case it is ONLY about the visa

[JayBird]

4 hours ago, pearlofqatar said:

Jaybird it is NOT about easy entry but about the ease of long term stay and my refusal to place large sums of Baht in a TIT banking system. I have been here a long time, and for myself this is the less problematic route for LONG term stay without leaving the country as I will never marry a local, hell I have never been married why start now as I said for me this works fine....

Yes, I agree its a great way to stay here for a long period of time (esp. if you don't want to get married or are over 50 or want to deal with that).  I don't question its ease... I only question how many people need it :)

 

Of course my position has always been and ever shall be: Everyone on the planet should be allowed to live anywhere on the planet they want if they don't use / abuse the social system there.

[JayBird]

1 minute ago, pearlofqatar said:

Mate, I'm from Oz, have you not seen my country folk in the bars' of Bali, Phuket or Pattaya upmarket we don't do. Yes your right in my case it is ONLY about the visa

This is one of the reasons I really wish that TE would look a little more closer at their potential customer base and adjust the program.  They aim at affluent world travelers, who I do not believe need/care about this privilege that much.

 

Now, if they made it so that you could buy Fosters at half price everywhere I'm sure Assies would be all over it (I kid I kid!)  But stuff like 50% off on starbucks *cough*, VAT refunds without having to leave the country (ooh!), no customs/import tax when purchasing items from overseas (O.O!!), guaranteed legal thai price with Motobikes in Pattaya (as if).....

 

 

[pearlofqatar]

Listen I hear all the arguments both fore and against  the TEVC, and yes it is not cheap in one lump sum, but I am in a the situation where it is for ME the only option in the way I want to conduct myself here, now and in the future. I even looked at the MM2MH but that ain't cheap either. "JayBird," again I am only in it for the 20 year visa the perks are of no issue to myself  that is a fallacy about Fosters, we don't drink it and to my Ozzy cousins hopefully I have not offended anyone by lumping everyone together  

[tgeezer]

I think that a retirement or over fifty extension is better especially in Bangkok. One million is very cheap after a few years. As I find after all these years buying property and giving it away whilst retaining occupation rights is as good as renting if in the right place.


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[DUS]

5 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

I think that a retirement or over fifty extension is better especially in Bangkok. One million is very cheap after a few years. 

 

What do you mean by that? Why is an EoS "better". "Cheaper", I could understand, but "better"? Why?

Edited February 8, 2017 by DUS

[pearlofqatar]

19 hours ago, tgeezer said:

One million is very cheap after a few years.

Thanks for the nod.....my final comment on this subject, is that I have negated inflation over 20 yrs.....as well as the baht value and finally what is the cost of any visa going to be in 20 yrs time...nobody knows, but I will always be paying less than 137 baht a day in other words, whatever is going on in 2036 I will always be paying 2016 prices.... as I say to my friends there is more than one way to skin a cat and everyone has their own way of doing things here. This is my take on the TIT system and how it suites me. Anyhow thanks for the conversation and enjoy yourself..I live in the south, don't like anywhere above 9° 46' 23.39" N.. 

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, pearlofqatar said:

Thanks for the nod.....my final comment on this subject, is that I have negated inflation over 20 yrs.....as well as the baht value and finally what is the cost of any visa going to be in 20 yrs time...nobody knows, but I will always be paying less than 137 baht a day in other words, whatever is going on in 2036 I will always be paying 2016 prices.... as I say to my friends there is more than one way to skin a cat and everyone has their own way of doing things here. This is my take on the TIT system and how it suites me. Anyhow thanks for the conversation and enjoy yourself..I live in the south, don't like anywhere above 9° 46' 23.39" N.. 

It all depends upon a persons situation as to what is best for them. I can see the value in the 20 year or even the 5 year option.

If it had been available about 20 years ago it would of been something I would of considered. But since it did not start until 2003 it came to late for me. By then I was over 50 and and married to my reason for the 9th extension of stay I am on now. A once a year trip to immigration is good for me.

[pearlofqatar]

Yes, as I said mate, this is my slant of achieving what I want out of this country or my take on it (visa wise) and everyone has their own. I commented many posts ago that I don't do hoop jumping well in TIT so for myself this is the best suited course for my needs. Cheers

[pattayalover]

Must be very hard to get a visa in Lao. I do it every 3 months and for me it s like going on holiday. Do you really want pay the immigration to go on holiday for you. Get serious guys, I prefer keep 500k bahts and go around to get my usual tourist visa and in same time I lose weight.