Thailand launches unique residence programme

[Lovethailandelite]

11 minutes ago, Maggusoil said:

One wonders if any of these "high end" visitors, will want high end attractions like transparent governance, freedom of speech, democracy, lack of high end corruption in government, a transparent court system, juries in courts and so on and so forth. Or is it just a free loading froth up of financial floss making? Desperate for investment perhaps? 

There will always be an excuse for those that cannot afford it not to buy in to the program. I take it you did read the news yesterday where the ex head of the Thailand Tourist Board received 50 years imprisonment with her daughter likely to get the same for taking bribes in order to bring the National film festival and awards to Bangkok? Maybe your getting your wish. 

[oldlakey]

Just now, whatawonderfulday said:

Total crap. According to the Nation on the 7th Feb this year,  the membership at end of 2016 was only 4037

 

Last year, Thailand Elite Card had a total of 4,037 members

Optimism, possible misplaced but hey

[oldlakey]

4 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

There will always be an excuse for those that cannot afford it not to buy in to the program. I take it you did read the news yesterday where the ex head of the Thailand Tourist Board received 50 years imprisonment with her daughter likely to get the same for taking bribes in order to bring the National film festival and awards to Bangkok? Maybe your getting your wish. 

Would that be corruption then or just importing the lifestyle from the UK and USA

[whatawonderfulday]

1 minute ago, oldlakey said:

Would that be corruption then or just importing the lifestyle from the UK and USA

So are you trying to link an entirely different off topic issue of corruption to that of Thai elite program ?

[Lovethailandelite]

3 minutes ago, oldlakey said:

Would that be corruption then or just importing the lifestyle from the UK and USA

No doubt they look towards the corruption in the West and think they fancy the same. Difference here now is slowly but surely they are not going to get away with it anymore. It's not going to happen over night but generally it's moving in the right direction.

[muzmurray]

7 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

This may not be of interest to western pensioners, but is of interest to those people with excess money and a need to use it. In particular, Asians (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong & China) and  Russia.

1 million baht is nothing to some of these people, particularly some of the Russians engaged in certain businesses.  As the  forum is skewed to older  caucasian males, opinions stated reflect that demographic.

 

Russians? Thought the Ruble went south?

 

Forum skewed to older caucasians? Any data to back that up?

[Lovethailandelite]

Just now, muzmurray said:

 

Russians? Thought the Ruble went south?

 

Forum skewed to older caucasians? Any data to back that up?

Plenty of Russians back in town although mostly family's which don't cause any problems in the main. Off topic but most financial annalists see the Ruble under valued and the next currency to take a surge upwards due to the Russian economy being in pretty good shape. Could be a good time to buy in if you was brave enough? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Lovethailandelite said:

This country is more stable now than it has been in years. The Thailand Elite programme has been through more Military coups and governments than I care to mention and is still not only going but growing rapidly. This particular military government has put vast somes in to promoting the programme so what makes you think you would be wasting your money or the people in charge are unreliable? I along with Thai people I associate with, think this government is doing a decent job against the odds stacked against them.

Do you work for or with Thailand Elite, or what?

 

Because in reading your extraordinarily rose-colored glass (biased) view of things,  it certainly seems that way. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[DrTuner]

Must be decent kickbacks from selling Elite visas.

[4MyEgo]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

If you have got to ask the price, it's too much.

regards worgeordie

Way too much I heard recently 555

[Lovethailandelite]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Do you work for or with Thailand Elite, or what?

 

Because in reading your extraordinarily rose-colored glass (biased) view of things,  it certainly seems that way. 

Or what.

[SiSePuede419]

Most Farang I see in LOS, I wouldn't bet they will be alive 20 years from now.  Great moneymaker for Thailand. ?

[jayboy]

2 hours ago, Lovethailandelite said:

This country is more stable now than it has been in years. The Thailand Elite programme has been through more Military coups and governments than I care to mention and is still not only going but growing rapidly. This particular military government has put vast somes in to promoting the programme so what makes you think you would be wasting your money or the people in charge are unreliable? I along with Thai people I associate with, think this government is doing a decent job against the odds stacked against them.

Is this guy for real? So many absurd statements and assumptions that I suspect he is having a laugh.Otherwise he is living in some kind of bizarro alternative universe.

 

Anyway on to the subject at hand.Some points in no particular order.

 

1.The cash required is surprisingly modest.

2.What exactly is the government trying to achieve? The expected profit will not  be statistically material.

3.Very few real wealthy foreigners would be interested.Thailand's not on their map.

4.More of interest to mid level randy Asian businessmen and perhaps off shore guys with a "wife" in Ubon etc.

5.Business plan unfathomable especially as government has to share dosh with foreign partner.

6.Rich hiso foreigners might have villas in Phuket or houses in Chiangmai - but only spend  say 20% time here, so don't need this scheme.

7.Thailand is no longer a classy destination for well educated well off Western professionals.Their  gap yah kids might come here though.

8.The people who really need this are the usual middle aged reformed sex tourists with ugly regional accents and now settled down and well appreciating Thai culture, innit.

 

 

[Lovethailandelite]

8 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Is this guy for real? So many absurd statements and assumptions that I suspect he is having a laugh.Otherwise he is living in some kind of bizarro alternative universe.

 

Anyway on to the subject at hand.Some points in no particular order.

 

1.The cash required is surprisingly modest.

2.What exactly is the government trying to achieve? The expected profit will not  be statistically material.

3.Very few real wealthy foreigners would be interested.Thailand's not on their map.

4.More of interest to mid level randy Asian businessmen and perhaps off shore guys with a "wife" in Ubon etc.

5.Business plan unfathomable especially as government has to share dosh with foreign partner.

6.Rich hiso foreigners might have villas in Phuket or houses in Chiangmai - but only spend  say 20% time here, so don't need this scheme.

7.Thailand is no longer a classy destination for well educated well off Western professionals.Their  gap yah kids might come here though.

8.The people who really need this are the usual middle aged reformed sex tourists with ugly regional accents and now settled down and well appreciating Thai culture, innit.

 

 

You do make a lot of assumptions? Probably best to have another '2 for 1' offer as happy hour is about to end in that bar with the rice farmers daughter hanging on your neck telling you your 'A very handsome man'. 

[kannot]

2 hours ago, Lovethailandelite said:

The latest set of figures released in December showed the scheme to be growing at an average of 60 memberships a month. At the lowest priced memberships, that's a growth of 30 million baht a month. The spend figure for new members was I think put in the region of 200 million baht a year in to the economy after the purchase of a membership. I cannot find the spend figures at the moment so it may well have been more.The total membership was in the region of 7000 at the time the figures were released. I would expect the worldwide roadshows to increase membership take up significantly by people not aware of the scheme.

launched 2003 = 500 members a  year but included in that will be the "free members" when they gave cards away and the more recent buy a condo get a membership card in certain condos.

[Destiny1990]

How about offer us a simple one year visa instead of some new visa membership program.

[Stargeezr]

The wealthy may enjoy this new offer, and go buy a condo. I still think though that the wealthy, enjoy the hotels

and a break from one of their properties in other parts of the world.  Thanks Thailand for giving the wealthy, some other

perk, and forget the common traveller, and the rest of the expats. Just one more story of the rich, helping the rich

Geezer

[oldlakey]

12 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

So are you trying to link an entirely different off topic issue of corruption to that of Thai elite program ?

Well I am not a librarian Sir, so far be it from me to suggest any reading material for you, such as ALL the posts in a thread you are commenting on 555555555555555

I could suggest you have a butchers at Post 82 in the vain hope it will help, but i wont be holding my breath

 

[muzmurray]

10 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

How about offer us a simple one year visa instead of some new visa membership program.

 

Plenty of options for that already.

[KIWIBATCH]

..and they will want the 20 year visa fee paid in full on application...and then change the rules/law relating to it a month later....

.

[muzmurray]

1 hour ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

The wealthy may enjoy this new offer, and go buy a condo. I still think though that the wealthy, enjoy the hotels

and a break from one of their properties in other parts of the world.  Thanks Thailand for giving the wealthy, some other

perk, and forget the common traveller, and the rest of the expats. Just one more story of the rich, helping the rich

Geezer

 

They have not forgotten anyone, in fact, this visa helps include a demographic that previously was unable to easily stay in the country. It has taken nothing from you, so why complain?

[muzmurray]

Just now, KIWIBATCH said:

..and they will want the 20 year visa fee paid in full on application...and then change the rules/law relating to it a month later....

.

 

Been going for over a decade so far, and I have yet to see a single complaint.

[LannaGuy]

I await details but it might be more attractive if the 800,000 is not needed (dead money?) and it really IS 20 years with no annual nonsense and, hopefully, no 90 days. IF that's the case then it's only 200,000 and, frankly, I'll probably die before the 20 year expires.

[the guest]

... meanwhile in Malaysia you can get a 10 year visa (free of course and renewable) for you and your whole family, provided you have a skill that is in demand (like a qualified Teacher). 

[steven100]

19 minutes ago, the guest said:

... meanwhile in Malaysia you can get a 10 year visa (free of course and renewable) for you and your whole family, provided you have a skill that is in demand (like a qualified Teacher). 

(like a qualified Teacher).    ....   well there's plenty of them around,  just go into any bar and look for the most unprofessional looking teachers there.

[Ricardo]

52 minutes ago, KIWIBATCH said:

..and they will want the 20 year visa fee paid in full on application...and then change the rules/law relating to it a month later....

.

 

Quite, the right-to-own-land being the classic example, from the original 2003-scheme.

[muzmurray]

34 minutes ago, the guest said:

... meanwhile in Malaysia you can get a 10 year visa (free of course and renewable) for you and your whole family, provided you have a skill that is in demand (like a qualified Teacher). 

You seem to have forgotten to mention some of the criteria for the above visa - the ones that make it totally different to the Elite scheme;

 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Foreign skilled talent who wish to be considered for the Resident Pass-Talent must first fulfill the following criteria: 

• Has worked in Malaysia for at least 3 years minimum.  
• Holds a valid Employment Pass at the time of application.
• Earns a basic monthly salary of RM15,000. 
• Has a Malaysian income tax file number and has paid income tax for at least 2 years.  
• Holds a PhD/Master's/Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in any discipline from a recognised university or a professional/competency certificate from a recognised professional institute.  
• Possesses at least 5 years of total work experience.  

[thhMan]

This is amazing...

We can all be on parole for 20 years... without having to go to the parole officer... (or is that still part of the deal)

[amjamj]

4 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

The wealthy may enjoy this new offer, and go buy a condo. I still think though that the wealthy, enjoy the hotels

and a break from one of their properties in other parts of the world.  Thanks Thailand for giving the wealthy, some other

perk, and forget the common traveller, and the rest of the expats. Just one more story of the rich, helping the rich

Geezer

 

 

Who is talking about wealthy here ???????

 

You need to be wealthy to spend 1 million baht ?????????

 

This is actually the contrary, you need to be very very low so if you are not able to spend 1MB !!!

 

 

 

 

[amjamj]

3 hours ago, the guest said:

... meanwhile in Malaysia you can get a 10 year visa (free of course and renewable) for you and your whole family, provided you have a skill that is in demand (like a qualified Teacher). 

 

 

Who wants to live where beheading is part of the culture ?????