Elite Card Could Face Closure

[richard10365]

I would be laughing about this if it wasn't for the fact that some people invested their own money into this. That part kinda kinda takes the joy out of laughing at the rich trying to be better than the rest. Or does it???

[dave111223]

It would blow my mind if anyone actually bought one of these things now.

I could understanding being a sucker and buying one when the program first came out. But to buy one now, its like 99% sure you will lose your $$. And for what? A couple of rounds of golf and an aiport lounge?

But you never know; one born everyday.

[sriracha john]

UPDATE....with a change of benefits

Fast Track Cancellation for Guest

Dear Valued Members,

Due to changes in our country’s security policy, Thailand Elite has no longer been able to offer the fast track immigration service to guests of our members as from the 1st July 2007.

Thailand Elite, a state enterprise, is also required to follow its regulations which are considered as Thai laws. Therefore, please be informed that the fast track immigration in fact is an exclusive privilege for our members only. From now on, your guests may be requested to pass the normal immigration process whereas you will be assisted by our Elite Personal Assistant for fast track immigration.

However, with some flexibility from the Immigration Bureau, your immediate family (wife or husband and children) may still be treated for the fast track immigration together with you only when traveling on the same flight. If there is any change on the service in the future, we ensure that we will inform our Members accordingly.

Thank you for your trust in our service and look forward to servicing you through our Member Contact Centre soon.

Best regards,

Thailand Elite Member Service Team

http://www.thailandelite.com/news_detail.p...from=press_room

[sriracha john]

Higher fees.... less benefits.... well done, Elite....

Elite Card fee could rise to 1.5 Million Baht

Benefits are also being reduced

Thailand Privilege Card Co, the operator of the Elite Card programme, is considering raising its lifetime membership fee by 50% to 1.5 million baht. The new rate would be applied starting next year and could be gradually increased to three million baht within 10 years, according to president Rapee Moungnont. Lifetime fees are currently one million baht. The company also planned to cut its card privileges, with golf and spa services limited to 24 visits per year for new members, instead of the unlimited-use privileges. He acknowledged that the restrictions could reduce the attractiveness of the programme. The Elite Card programme was launched by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2003 as a high-end loyalty programme to draw wealthy tourists and businessmen. The programme, which promised fast-track immigration privileges, long-term property leases and discounts at luxury spas, golf courses and hotels, originally aimed to attract one million cardholders by 2008. But the Elite Card programme has been a spectacular bust, with only 2,185 members as of June 30, and the state-owned company posting hundreds of millions of baht in annual losses.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/09Jul2007_biz30.php

[vermin on arrival]

The whole thing has smacked of unbelievable stupidity from start to finish. It's a bust and they try to charge people more and give them less in order to make it work. The whole operation should be shut down, but instead they take the typical Thai response to too few customers and loss of money- raise prices!

I remember when Thaksin was spouting off about he would bring in 1,000,000 members. It's funny to read that only 2,000+ have joined.

It was stupid to buy the first one, but with the changes, you would have to be an absolute cretin to join.

[sriracha john]

The whole thing has smacked of unbelievable stupidity from start to finish. It's a bust and they try to charge people more and give them less in order to make it work. The whole operation should be shut down, but instead they take the typical Thai response to too few customers and loss of money- raise prices!

I remember when Thaksin was spouting off about he would bring in 1,000,000 members. It's funny to read that only 2,000+ have joined.

It was stupid to buy the first one, but with the changes, you would have to be an absolute cretin to join.

Ahhhh yes....

He was a true visionary.... 1,000,000 members meant One Trillion Baht...

it was going to solve all of Thailand's economic problems with one simple-to-achieve program.....

and then the effects from the mushrooms wore off...

Edited July 9, 2007 by sriracha john

[Kerryd]

Last time I looked at their site, I couldn't find any mention about land ownership at all.

Remember when this first came out, every member would be able to buy 1 rai in their own name.

Then it became that you could buy it, but it would be in the Company's name.

Now it seems to have disappeared completely.

Now they've limited the Fast Track service, reduced other services, and raised the price !

Not sure what they teach in business schools in Thailand, but they may want to rethink it.

If they dropped the price dramatically, they may actually get some people interested in it. At least then, they would have some money coming in, not all going out.

Boggles the mind at times.

[Dupont]

The whole thing has smacked of unbelievable stupidity from start to finish. It's a bust and they try to charge people more and give them less in order to make it work. The whole operation should be shut down, but instead they take the typical Thai response to too few customers and loss of money- raise prices!

I remember when Thaksin was spouting off about he would bring in 1,000,000 members. It's funny to read that only 2,000+ have joined.

It was stupid to buy the first one, but with the changes, you would have to be an absolute cretin to join.

I'm sure that most of the 2,000 members received them as gifts! I'll try and find the article I read last year.

Surely, they are not going to sell a single membership at the new price... are they?

Perhaps if a village idiot managed to fill in a lottery form in the west, win a large chunk of wedge.... Could happen I suppose, but not likely enough to be following this tack.

[gerry1011]

One more round

You know what guys?

I just bought a car for 11.000.000b.

By signing the order form I instantly lost a few millions. But it is a real great car, I love it and don't care about the price.

Among many other (rather expensive) things, I also bought a TE card 4 years ago.

As with my new car, I think I made a cool deal with the TE membership, and it is a real great product... I love it. Far cheaper than my new car though... but still not suitable for cheap people who c

[THAILIBAN]

The whole thing has smacked of unbelievable stupidity from start to finish. It's a bust and they try to charge people more and give them less in order to make it work. The whole operation should be shut down, but instead they take the typical Thai response to too few customers and loss of money- raise prices!

I remember when Thaksin was spouting off about he would bring in 1,000,000 members. It's funny to read that only 2,000+ have joined.

It was stupid to buy the first one, but with the changes, you would have to be an absolute cretin to join.

actually no other country in this region gives you the chance to buy a de-facto lifetime-Visa.

for the not-married under 50ies with no work-permit, its still an option to consider, if u can afford it. I know people who joined this program and none of them regrets it as it gives them a security about being able to stay in Thailand for a very long time. Oh, and none of them cares about GOLF or SPA.... they just bought a lifetime-VISA.

they are smart people with both feet on the ground, certainly no cretins....

[vermin on arrival]

Among many other (rather expensive) things, I also bought a TE card 4 years ago.

As with my new car, I think I made a cool deal with the TE membership, and it is a real great product... I love it. Far cheaper than my new car though... but still not suitable for cheap people who c

Not suitable for cheap people who have a brain?

Yes, this card was a great deal. Enjoy your wonderful card and all the wonderful benefits it gets you

What will you do when they cancel this failed program and don't grandfather you in? I guess this doesn't matter as it is a drop in the bucket to you, huh?

In the end though, the only people who will buy this card have money to burn. So, enjoy your bonfire.

Edited July 9, 2007 by vermin on arrival

[gerry1011]

And again, one more round

You know what guys?

I just bought a car for 11.000.000b.

By signing the order form I instantly lost a few millions. But it is a real great car, I love it and don't care about the price.

Among many other (rather expensive) things, I also bought a TE card 4 years ago.

As with my new car, I think I made a cool deal with the TE membership, and it is a real great product... I love it. Far cheaper than my new car though... but still not suitable for cheap people who can't afford it.

I love TE and the lovely service it provides. I do recommend it to all my friends. The wealthy ones only, of course. The ones who don't need a "return" on every baht they spend.

While I surely lost money by buying my new car, I can't say that I lost money by buying the TE card, like everyone here would love to hear.

Indeed, for example, everytime I go to Europe I can offer a companion ticket to anyone for free (complementary of TE) (I do fly First Class). Quite a serious saving, if you look at it from the point of view of a greedy person And I don't have to travel alone either

I am, of course, together with over 2000 previous members and the 168 new ones of this year, a big "idiot". In the eyes of many TV (not TE) members at least.

But I guess that my life, as a "stupid TE member", is much more enjoyable than the life of those "poor, envious, sarcastic and frustrated TV members" who don't miss an occasion to critisize a product which they don't want (and can't afford) to buy.

[vermin on arrival]

Ahhh, I was wondering where the rest of your post was. it seemed to end abruptly.

How many free tickets have you made use of?

[gerry1011]

Ahhh, I was wondering where the rest of your post was. it seemed to end abruptly.

How many free tickets have you made use of?

7 or 8 companion tickets in the last four years. But I guess that someone married with children, or with a girlfriend, would take much more advantage of the companion tickets than me.

[vermin on arrival]

Ahhh, I was wondering where the rest of your post was. it seemed to end abruptly.

How many free tickets have you made use of?

7 or 8 companion tickets in the last four years. But I guess that someone married with children, or with a girlfriend, would take much more advantage of the companion tickets than me.

I guess you have probably made back you investment then if the tickets were 1st class, correct?

[gerry1011]

Ahhh, I was wondering where the rest of your post was. it seemed to end abruptly.

How many free tickets have you made use of?

7 or 8 companion tickets in the last four years. But I guess that someone married with children, or with a girlfriend, would take much more advantage of the companion tickets than me.

I guess you have probably made back you investment then if the tickets were 1st class, correct?

If I was thinking of the TE card as an investment I could say so. I offered my friends First Class tickets for an amount superior to the price of the card.

But the TE card is not something to invest in. There is a service and a convenience provided to those who want to buy this product. You buy a product, you do not invest in anything. I would most certainly not distribute free 1st class tickets to my friends if I didn't have the companions tickets of TE.

But the convenience provided by TE on many levels is really good. As it was said before, only the special entry visa is worth a lot for those who are too young to be considered as retired.

[jcowle]

I am one of those recently joined TE members. The reason for joining was the payback will be after 5/6 flights on TG First Class which I take about 4/5 times a year from the UK, it means my partner now travels free. Plus we get the fast track services etc and the life time visa. It has certainly worked for me.

Regards

JOHN

[p_brownstone]

I would suggest that the only real advantage of the Thai Elite Card is the Visa privilege - and possibly the special service at Immigration.

Anyone who buys the Card for the free flights is really not thinking it through. Using an Amex Platinum Card (cost Baht 25,000.- per year) one gets free "companion" tickets in First Class on virtually every Airline - not just Thai which is all the TE Card offers.

Also, I can't really see these "free" Tickets being continued indefinitely - or, at least, without them putting a limit on the number of tickets a TE member can receive each year. They already plan to limit the number of "free" Spa visits and Golf Green Fees members can claim - and that's a very small amount of money they will save. One only has to look at the basic Economics - these tickets and other benefits are NOT "free", they are free to Members but the Thai Elite company has to recompense the Service Provider. With 1st Class travel to Europe now costing well in excess of Baht 100,000.- per ticket and a VERY small number of Cards sold - and no other source of income for the TE Company - someone there will eventually realise that some Members are recouping their "investment" very rapidly and take steps to limit it.

Patrick

Edited July 10, 2007 by p_brownstone

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It is taking an indecent amount of time to die.

[jbowman1993]

Amen. This is one program that should be taken out behind the barn and put out of its misery. Costing taxpayers a fortune, with no tangible return on the investment. Another of Thaksin's brilliant PR moves, that in the end, will help put the final nails in his coffin.

[Hampstead]

It is taking an indecent amount of time to die.

Always Interesting to see how many negative whinning posters exist on this forum!!!

As the Elite Card has a long term future in the eyes of the TAT, then surely those negative posters on this subject can have the balls to admit that their past opinions on this subject were just a load of $#%%!!!

And surley this thread has the wrong title as its subject now that the Elite card DOES NOT face Closure!!!

[bendix]

i don't know why TE always elicits such controversy. Let's face it. It's way beyond the means of most TV members, so those guys are at their happiest trashing it or laughing at those who can afford it, secretly hoping it all turns to crap.

The members who have bought it, on the other hand, seem generally satisfied with it.

Free first class flights and limitless golf, added to enhanced visa rights seems a pretty good deal to me for 1.5m. I won't buy one because I don't especially need one, but I can see the attraction.

[jbowman1993]

I don't care if they continue the program or not, as it doesn't affect me, but when it loses millions each and every year, and the taxpayers (including me) have to foot the bill, then it is time to get rid of it, or restructure it and make it cost effective.

[Soju]

They've sold a lot of cards to Koreans who fly regularly to Thailand to play golf. I've met a number of them on my flights between Korean and Thailand. They seem very pleased with the card and with the kind of money they spend just to fly in to play golf all the time, the price of the card isn't that much for the benefits it gives them.

[Hampstead]

The Controversy has been at the hands of the Bangkok Post earlier this year printing such lies and propaganda on this subject, using press releases of the last 3 years, amalgamating the stories together and printing them in a way to elude the public the real truth on this subject and create another piece of thai journalism @#%$% propaganda which fills slots in the business pages.

I laugh at those posters who continued the lies and propaganda on this forum, pasting on a monthly basis on this subject hoping their opinions will matter, thinking that papers like the Bangkok Post only print the truth and would never print such @@#@, when all the time, the real story they should have printed was that the elite card NEVER faced closure

And yet when the Programme is here to stay, i see not one negative poster from the past 12 months and beyond on this subject admitting defeat.

Edited July 10, 2007 by Hampstead

[sriracha john]

I am one of those recently joined TE members. The reason for joining was the payback will be after 5/6 flights on TG First Class which I take about 4/5 times a year from the UK, it means my partner now travels free. Plus we get the fast track services etc and the life time visa. It has certainly worked for me.

Regards

JOHN

Can we assume it was very recently that you joined as you were just last month considering a retirement visa later this year. I hope for your sake, the Elite card program lasts long enough for you to recoup your costs from the companion travel benefit....and if the Card does last, I also hope that the companion travel benefit lasts too, as they seem to be chipping away at the benefits.

For example, the fast track service you mention for your partner was cancelled as of July 1st. (Post #63 of this thread)....

as for the "lifetime visa"..... at your age of 49, you are very likely to be looking at a lot more "lifetime" than the program will....

as for "It has certainly worked for me".... it's just been a month you've had it... give it some more time and let us know how things are in a year.

Edited July 10, 2007 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

It is taking an indecent amount of time to die.

[gerry1011]

TE has been losing money as a company. This is a fact that must be corrected for sure.

But you might want to think a little bit about how much the country has gained from the TE members.

TE could be seen as a fidelity program which aims at making its members spend their money in Thailand rather than other places.

I always say that "one TE member is worth much more than a lousy million" (By the way, I am one of those who think that the price should be raised).

Most of the people don't think further than the tip of their nose.

Without the card, I personaly would be in Mexico at this time. This is another story, but in the meantime I am spending money here and not there.

Because of the card, I already brought many millions into the country (apart from the one I gave to buy the card at the beginning of the program).

I spent quite an amount on a property, cars, luxury hotels in Bangkok, restaurants, etc...

I don't play golf and never go to the spa, but because of the card I now fly Thai Airways instead of foreign airlines.

Without overpaying them, I employ several persons since several years. I regularly buy local art, which helps sustain the art scene of my region.

Besides many other projects, I involve myself in important charity events, building the future of the disadvantaged children, trying to bring my knowledge in business to create successful micro-businesses for hill tribes youngsters and send the brightest to school in Europe.

All this because TE is a product that makes my life in Thailand very nice and easy.

This is why I say that everyone should look at the real value of a TE member, as well as hidden value of the TE program.

The benefit for the country is not only one million in exchange of a plastic card and a few discounts, it is much (much...) more than that.

It is a win-win situation where the members are happy (we are, no doubt about it) and the country benefits of their financial means.

The TE members are certainly far more educated than many of the frustrated people who make negative comments about the card here.

Each TE member has a different "value" for Thailand, but most certainly they are beneficial to this country.

When a foreign CEO of one of the biggest company in this country acquires the TE card, he is certainly to be considered less "idiot" or "cretin" than the guys who use these words on this forum.

I wish that the sour souls of this forum would be less narrow minded.

[sriracha john]

It is taking an indecent amount of time to die.

Always Interesting to see how many negative whining posters exist on this forum!!!

:D

[Naam]

Using an Amex Platinum Card (cost Baht 25,000.- per year) one gets free "companion" tickets in First Class on virtually every Airline - not just Thai which is all the TE Card offers.

not on virtually all airlines but on (presently 16 selected) airlines wich (i admit) cover nearly all flight needs.

the small catch remains that a FULL IATA FARE ticket has to be purchased which is considerably more expensive than the first class fares offered by travel agents.

example:

BKK-FRA-BKK on LH First €UR 3,555 = THB 165,000 bought through AMEX Travel

same LH ticket bought through Travel Agency THB 118,000 (still considerable savings of THB 71,000).