Thailand Elite Visa flaws my review!

[flyingsaucersarereal]

So since my divorce I had no other easy visa option but to switch to a Thailand Elite visa I am too young can't get a retirement visa yet. 

 

500,000 baht you pay for a 5 year visa. 

 

Some of the benefits that they give you is fast access through the airport and the ability to renew the visa from inside Thailand every year without leaving the country.

 

Okay now let me tell you some of the things they need to work on.

 

1. You have to do a 90 day report just like everyone else there is no fast track system for this unless you happen to live in Bangkok. (Guess what I don't live in Bangkok)

 

2. I had previously had a 5 year drivers license when I went to get it renewed they would only give me a 2 year license because I don't have a non- immigrant visa. (thought I had a better visa the Thailand Elite "Hi SO" visa. Guess Not!)

 

3. Every year when you go to your local immigration to get your new 1 year stamp you have to pay 1900 baht. (I just paid you guys 500,000 and that isn't included LAME!

 

So in my humble opinion once you leave the airport you can kiss that Thailand Elite feeling goodby because you are no longer special just a guy that spent a lot of cash.

 

Sincerely,

 

Annoyed Thailand Elite customer!

 

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by flyingsaucersarereal

[Mavideol]

why the surprise, it's all explained on their site.... Since when (regardless of the visa type)  we (foreigners) had special treatment in Thailand, did you forgot it's all about money, we are still mobile ATM's

[ThomasThBKK]

Don't get the fuss about the 1900thb, do u never travel out of thailand? 

 

That's what its mainly uses for tho... The airport transfer is quite useless without traveling. 

 

20 year visa for 1 mio thb is better value for money but doesn't include aot limousine service if someone just wants to stay here... 

 

 

Also u can do 90 day reporting online or send the line man over there... No need to waste ur time in immigration. 

[krey]

1. If you are in Bangkok Chiang Mai and I believe Phuket you can give the 90 day report to a visa service company in the city, talk to Thai Elite which one, they will take care of the whole thing for you and there is no charge at all.   If you are not in a major city like that then yes you have to do your 90 day report but you could also do that via online

2. Yes the yearly you have to pay the 1900 if you do not leave for a full year, if you leave during the year it resets every time you enter the country.  That 1900 baht year report can also be done by the visa service company (not free this time, still need the 1900) if you are in one of the bigger cities mentioned

3. You also get a free taxi ride when you come back to Thailand via an international flight, though surely it has its limits, they will drive you to your hotel, home etc if it is somewhat close by, no 10 hour taxi drives etc

 

The best thing about the 5 year visa if you are under 50 years old is the no worrying.  No need to go to schools, get tested at immigration, go back and forth on tourist visas to other countries praying that you will not get rejected at the border, no shady ED visas where you do not know every 90 day if this will be your last etc... 

 

It is pricey and you got to pay it all up front which is the tough part.  Not everyone wants to drop 500 000 Baht at one go and you also need to think are you going to stay here for 5 years as well.

[fforest1]

The original elite visa was 1 million for life I believe,which was a really good deal....500,000 for 5 years? Is only a good deal to some one under 50 with a lot of cash who just must be in Thailand....At the end of 5 years you have nothing.... 

[Date Masamune]

The original elite visa was 1 million for life I believe,which was a really good deal....500,000 for 5 years? Is only a good deal to some one under 50 with a lot of cash who just must be in Thailand....At the end of 5 years you have nothing.... 

If you are below 50 don’t work in Thailand and are not married to a Thai, after 5 year not only did you not have to consider a ED visa and it’s hassles. You did not have to traipse around Southeast Asia waiting in long lines to get ever elusive tourist visas. You did not line up at 0 dark thirty at immigration to extend these tourist visas, again and again and again. You were not denied entry to Thailand for false reasons like not having money or coming too many times, even if you held a valid tourist visa. Then detained in a cockroach infested holding room overnight, at your own expense, to be sent to wherever? with a DENIAL of entry stamp in your passport, a black mark that will effect you forever in Thailand for the life of the passport for third countries. At the end that is what you have not “nothing”.   

 

 

 

[fforest1]

3 minutes ago, Date Masamune said:

If you are below 50 don’t work in Thailand and are not married to a Thai, after 5 year not did have to consider a ED visa and it’s hassles. You did have to traipse around Asia waiting in long lines to get ever elusive tourist visas. You did not line up at 0 dark thirty to at immigration to extend these tourist visas, again and again and again. You were not denied entry to Thailand for false reasons like not having money or coming too many times, even if you held a valid tourist visa.

At the end of 5 years that is what you have, not
“nothing”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fair point.....But still its a lot of money to be paying out to most people...

[Date Masamune]

It is a lot of money up front.
The way I look at it after the 6 years it works out to 228 baht per day, not a lot of money. I have been looking at it for this year and done my sums so prior to becoming “an elite guest of Thailand” I am going to go for the O-A visa from my own country at least for one year. The reason is to get the elusive Yellow Book for my condo. I don’t care 5 year driving licenses either but not allowed for Elite.

[Peterw42]

19 hours ago, flyingsaucersarereal said:

2. I had previously had a 5 year drivers license when I went to get it renewed they would only give me a 2 year license because I don't have a non- immigrant visa. (thought I had a better visa the Thailand Elite "Hi SO" visa. Guess Not!)

This would be the DLT you use wouldn't it ? I cant recall needing to show a non-imm or immigration status to get or renew a license, guys get licenses and renew licenses on visa exempt.

[sampson]

20 minutes ago, quandow said:

The elite visa is for people with too much money and too little brains.

If you're under 50 the options to stay are pretty limited though

 

I'm considering it as I don't see a better option but would certainly be open to how I could engage my brains more to stay in Thailand full time without marrying a Thai, starting businesses or running the ED gauntlet 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

Several off topic inflammatory and nonsensical posts and replies to them have been removed.

[khunPer]

23 hours ago, flyingsaucersarereal said:

So in my humble opinion once you leave the airport you can kiss that Thailand Elite feeling goodby because you are no longer special just a guy that spent a lot of cash.

You are under 50 years old and they let you stay on same favorit conditions as if you were retired, even without the hassle of a 800k baht bank deposit, or proof of 65k baht in monthly overseas income. What are your alternatives..?
????

[dcnx]

The 5 year is a horrible deal unless you have money to burn. And when it’s over, you’re right back where you started.

[Odysseus123]

5 minutes ago, dcnx said:

The 5 year is a horrible deal unless you have money to burn. And when it’s over, you’re right back where you started.

Indeed..

 

No gold stars..no paracute wings..at the end of the period.

[marke985]

9 hours ago, Date Masamune said:

Then detained in a cockroach infested holding room overnight, at your own expense, to be sent to wherever? with a DENIAL of entry stamp in your passport, a black mark that will effect you forever in Thailand for the life of the passport for third countries. At the end that is what you have not “nothing”.   

I didn't see any cockroach's in the detention room last Sunday when they denied me entry for having too many tourist visas.  But the requirement having to fly out via Airasia (the airline I used to fly from the Philippines) was annoying as I had very limited options as I arrived in Bangkok around midnight.  Paid 11,000 for a one way to Kuala Lumpur.  That was the worst part for me.  But I only had to share the detention room with 1 other I think from Singapore.  

 

[kekalot]

1) everyone does the 90 days report (i heard they were trying to get rid of them soon)
2) The Elite visa is a tourist visa, you don't get 5 years DL, you get 2 years

3) you paid Thailand Elite which is a private company, not immigration.

 

all three of the above things were clear if you bothered to read the site and paperwork, I did.

 

500,000 for 5 years, is 100k per year, there was an option to pay 1m for 20 years which goes to 50% of that

[kmw]

I'm on the edge of purchasing the PE visa, as I'm 35 and don't qualify for any other visa, been on the metv back to back for the last 4 years, and after doing the maths it works out much cheaper, I am an expat that recieves a salary from an Australian company, I earn a bit over the median income based in Australia, 120k aud so about 2.7 million thb per hwar, so not that much, i have colleagues that earn almost double in my line of work, but that then is a desk job, an unable to work remotely,

 

500k thb for the PE visa is about 22,200 aud for 5 years, so about $4400 aud per year, that alone aud $4400 is about the cost of a return flight to Sydney and back in business,

 

I plan on aquiring the PE visa later this year, as I'm honestly tired of traveling back to Australia every year to obtain another metv

[JackThompson]

40 minutes ago, kmw said:

...

500k thb for the PE visa is about 22,200 aud for 5 years, so about $4400 aud per year, that alone aud $4400 is about the cost of a return flight to Sydney and back in business,

 

I plan on aquiring the PE visa later this year, as I'm honestly tired of traveling back to Australia every year to obtain another metv

Looks like about 10K Baht R-T to Sydney and back on google-flights (booked months ahead) - so about 50K Baht for 5 trips.  Of course, you'll need to spend a night there, also.   But, in any case, maybe the other ~420K Baht, is worth paying them off to "be allowed" to continue to spend your money into their country / economy.

Edited March 19, 2019 by JackThompson

[Date Masamune]

I didn't see any cockroach's in the detention room last Sunday when they denied me entry for having too many tourist visas.  But the requirement having to fly out via Airasia (the airline I used to fly from the Philippines) was annoying as I had very limited options as I arrived in Bangkok around midnight.  Paid 11,000 for a one way to Kuala Lumpur.  That was the worst part for me.  But I only had to share the detention room with 1 other I think from Singapore.  
 

I’ll bet your DENIAL of entry stamp is for not having money (even if you did) as there is no law stating the max number of tourist visa entries. Thailand Elite program provides a tourist visa. No reports of their members denied for coming too many times.

[myshem]

So when a wife wants to divorce you just accept and then have to pay 500k to stay ?

What about trying to become a man before blaming the system ?!

I divorce when I want, not when any other persons wants !

 

[myshem]

3 hours ago, marke985 said:

I didn't see any cockroach's in the detention room last Sunday when they denied me entry for having too many tourist visas.  But the requirement having to fly out via Airasia (the airline I used to fly from the Philippines) was annoying as I had very limited options as I arrived in Bangkok around midnight.  Paid 11,000 for a one way to Kuala Lumpur.  That was the worst part for me.  But I only had to share the detention room with 1 other I think from Singapore.  

 

 

And then you were able to come back by land ?

 

 

[NoshowJones]

On 3/18/2019 at 1:27 PM, Mavideol said:

why the surprise, it's all explained on their site.... Since when (regardless of the visa type)  we (foreigners) had special treatment in Thailand, did you forgot it's all about money, we are still mobile ATM's

The surprise is that people are stupid enough to give out 500.000 to stay in Thailand for 5 years while still contributing to the Thai economy and get nothing back in return.

[bkk6060]

If I were about 40 and inherited a fair amount of money, I would consider it.

Otherwise, seems like a huge waste of money...

[humbug]

500k for nearly 5-6 years is 80-100k baht a year

1 million for nearly 20-24 years is 40-50k baht a year

 

if these nationalists stay in for a few more years, lawyers fees will cost more annually for a 12 month stay on many other long stay visas

 

forget trying to DIY a visa if they stay in power, it will become just less hassle to pay extra for 'others' to try to handle it 

 

nothing is cheap anymore, money stagnate in accounts etc, the days of getting by on peanuts for a stay of life on this land has been over for a while, thanks illegal nationalists, thanks alot

[Lacessit]

My thanks to the OP for confirming the Elite Visa is for those people with more money than sense.

[Jingthing]

I'm considering it. Currently on retirement extensions. Sick of their onerous rules. Combo method pretty much dead or too convoluted to risk attempting. 800k under immigration's prying eyes all year. I would happily fly out just to avoid extensions with Elite. Address reports I can handle. 5 minutes.
Do the elite limos from BKK go as far as Pattaya?
If not deal breaker!

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Jingthing]

My thanks to the OP for confirming the Elite Visa is for those people with more money than sense.

No. It's a valid option for some. I am concerned they promised time terms will fully be honored. Does the contract allow them to back out of that later without grounds such as criminal convictions? What about health insurance requirements? Isn't that a risk too that the Elite people will be required if when all long stayers are?

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Peterw42]

2 hours ago, kmw said:

I'm on the edge of purchasing the PE visa, as I'm 35 and don't qualify for any other visa, been on the metv back to back for the last 4 years, and after doing the maths it works out much cheaper, I am an expat that recieves a salary from an Australian company, I earn a bit over the median income based in Australia, 120k aud so about 2.7 million thb per hwar, so not that much, i have colleagues that earn almost double in my line of work, but that then is a desk job, an unable to work remotely,

 

500k thb for the PE visa is about 22,200 aud for 5 years, so about $4400 aud per year, that alone aud $4400 is about the cost of a return flight to Sydney and back in business,

 

I plan on aquiring the PE visa later this year, as I'm honestly tired of traveling back to Australia every year to obtain another metv

It makes complete sense in your situation. 5 years of out/in every 90 days would add up to more than the price an Elite. Even if you were just going to KL etc, it would still cost 20-30k per trip, 

[kmw]

Only issue that I know of if the applicant has overstayed, when I enquired they asked me only issues where if I ever overstayed a visa, I have once by one day and copped a 500thb fine, and they said it won't be an issue,

 

Also on another note another poster said the PE visa was a waste of money, however I need to disagree, I myself am single and 35 years old and don't qualify for any other visa, at aud 4400 this is cheaper for an Australian company per year to sponsor an employee on a work visa and also much less for PR

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

Looks like about 10K Baht R-T to Sydney and back on google-flights (booked months ahead) - so about 50K Baht for 5 trips.  Of course, you'll need to spend a night there, also.   But, in any case, maybe the other ~420K Baht, is worth paying them off to "be allowed" to continue to spend your money into their country / economy.

10k would be scoot via Singapore with only carry on, Qantas or Thai, the only direct flights, would be 20-30k. The taxis at either end would probably be 5-10k