What are the downsides or risks of the Thai Elite visa compared to other visa options for long-term stays in Thailand?

Indeed. The facts speak for themselves. If it was a commercial business it would have gone into liquidation a long time ago

@Adrien *****

Was it not Thaksin himself who predicted 100,000 members in the first year of its launch ??. lets not forget that Thailand Privilege Card Company Limited suffered cumulative losses of THB800 million forcing it to halt operations. The entire operations, including its debts, were eventually handed over to the Tourism Authority of Thailand to conduct a salvage operation and put it back on a firm footing.

@Rob***

IIRC the stated goal for the first year of the programme was 100,000 members.

I know Thai Elite pretty well a 4000+ ratio since inception proves my point entirely

Then do not join Adrien, but 4000+ members would probably disagree :-)

Experience counts

@Rob***

. When you do the maths involving the process. It's a clear waste of money

You boys seem seriously upset about this missed opportunity...too bad :-)

@Rob***

your "experience" is of an offer that no longer exists, so it is of limited relevance. The ONLY relevant bit of your "experience" is that it suggests there is a good chance that future Thai governments will probably honour the terms of a 5 or 20 year visa you buy today... which is sort of the minimum you'd expect.

@Robert ***********

I have lived here for 36 years and am intimately aware of the program you describe, i will see if i can find an original advert for the program and you tell me just how much you still get from it now compared with thaksins launch.

Richard, I need not debate the pros and cons with someone such as yourself lacking the knowledge and first-hand experience that I as a member have enjoyed for 10+ years. The O/P asked for information, which I provided. If you disagree, that is your right, but at least get your facts straight...

Ivan, we already had this conversation earlier and yes, while the new program is not the same as the original, the 2MB for 20 years is still worth consideration for some...but not all.

@Robert ***********

But not at the same level as was advertised with the original package back when it was first launched. I have no problem with you promoting it, and i am sure you are happy with it, but for anyone else, i would suggest you spend a little time googling the program and its history, and you will see that many people were discouraged simply by the complete lack of transparency and information provided as it went through many stages, and almost was completely closed. There are massive threads on thaivisa and other forums about this.

Certain perks were placed "on hold" while they re-organized the membership and then they reinstated everything. However, the some of the new membership categories do not receive the same daily privileges as before.

@Rob***

someone looking at the visa now does not all this stuff, for life, for 1m THB. It's not terribly relevant to someone looking at the scheme now what you got when you got in in the early days. You used be able to get an investment visa for only 3m THB as well you know, but that's not relevant to someone looking today.

Yes, I get free daily spa and golf, plus R/T airport transportation when traveling and much much more...

On top of that there was serious attempts to completely scrap the system in .

@Richard ******

Ubon Ratchathani is the best place for Golf. Golfers paradise

@Robert ***********

So the free golf courses, limo pickups, and club memberships were all a figment of my imagination ??, Robert i was living here then and was given detailed descriptions of these things.

Richard, what you have stated is completely incorrect. The only "perk" that was misstated (in the beginning) was the possibility of allowing foreigners to buy land and that was eventually clarified as being incorrect. In the 10+ years I have been a member, the perks have not changed.

Thaksin is a great Entrepreneur Thailand will miss him

I actually looked closely at the Thai elite program when it first appeared, but then Thaksin went, and a lot of the 'perks' went also (actually i think all of the perks). If it had been simply marketed as an easy visa in the first place i believe they would have had more success in enrolees.

As I stated earlier, 1MB for 20 year visa + benefits is a visa worth some serious consideration ;-) BUT it is not for everyone.

"I have far better uses for my capital." Like handing it over as an application fee? This is the point, the direct comparison is between giving away entirely 500k and putting 800k in a your own bank account for a few months... purely financially there is no way you are going to come out ahead with the former. And "capital", I mean it's 800k, not exactly Warren Buffet levels of potential investment there, even if you look at the "opportunity cost" of having 800k "tied up" in a Thai bank account, you are looking at a few hundred bucks, so look at that as part of the "fee" for the retirement visa if you like but it's still a lot lower than the $15-30k you are handing over and never going to see again for the TE.

Ivan, as I mentioned in the opening on this string, yes I joined early have lifetime membership, but (if I did not) paying the 1 MB for 20 years and not having to worry about any renewal and enjoying the added benefits, I would not hesitate either. It certainly beats depositing XYZ funds in a local bank for however many months are required. I have far better uses for my capital.

@Rob***

I am presuming you paid 1m for the lifetime visa many years ago when THB was worth less too boot and presumably you were also at an age at that point where you didn't qualify for the retirement... I think what you got sounds like a far better deal, I'm just not sure what is *currently* on offer makes sense for someone who is eligible for the retirement visa.

ivan, over my nearly 20 years living here the requirements for retirement and marriage visas have changed. But I joined early have the Elite visa for life and am not subject to the factors you described :-)

@Rob***

if you just took the TE membership fee and stuck it in the bank rather than giving it to TE, you'd also be set. I mean the requirements for the retirement visa are only 800,000B in capital OR 65,000 in monthly income. And you can combine those. So if you have $1,000 monthly income plus capital of only $10,000 you can qualify for the retirement visa. And frankly if that is all you have to your name you cannot afford a visa that costs $15-60k just for the application.

The Financial requirements for a "Retirement" or "Marriage" Visa haven't changed for years. If you can't afford either you should not be living in Thailand. You are living in a Foreign Country at the end of the day and you always should have reserves. If you can't complete simple forms you shouldn't be here either. A Thai Elite Visa is easily financially obtainable if you've had a "Retirement" or "Marriage Visa" because of the Financial requirements that are required to obtain one. It's a Paid for Visa at the end of the day. Personally it's a complete waste of money. But I can see the point of view of those that want one.

@Ivan ***********

, which visa are you using?

Not necessarily Ian as the financial requirements for some visas must be proven upon annual renewal which is not the case for TE. Once the TE membership fee is paid, you are all set.

Robert anyone who has difficulties with the financial requirements for the retirement visa is not going to be able to afford Thai Elite.

"If you buy a Ferrari outright, you'll never have problems with your Honda Scoopy repayments"

I have friends who are on the retirement or marriage visas and they have found changing financial requirements at the time of renewal to be burdensome. But as the name suggests, it is an Elite visa and not designed for everyone ;-)

Anyway up to you Tom , I guess your trying to do this here in Thailand , so easy from the UK , but good luck anyway 👍🏻

Martin, he's talking about pension income, not the 800k, 2.2 here:

Letter from the bank certified the current account in the bank of not less than 800,000 Baht; or

2.2 In case of having any other income from abroad such as pension, social welfare

- Letter from the applicant’s Embassy or consulate in Thailand verifying their pension or other income of the applicant which must not be less than 65,000 Baht per month.

If your applying in the uk , there is NO uk Embassy ,

No , you just need a copy of your bank statements ( 3 or 6 months ) when you apply ( at THAI embassy ) .

Tom , what's it got to do with the British Embassy ?

Thanks I'll take a look, although I'm quite happy with what I've got .. you never know .

1 million bht ( which you pay out ) not get back .. 20 years ? ..

really ? .....plus ALL what benefits ? ... serious question Robert .

Up to you

@T**

but I honestly don't understand why someone would prefer to just give away 500k rather than just lodge 800k into your own bank account which you keep.

Also bear in mind that you only NEED the 800k in the bank in the first place if you have ZERO income. If you have pension income you can offset that against the capital requirement. If you can show 65k monthly pension income you need nothing in the bank. If you can show 33k pension income you only need 400k in the bank, and so on.

Additionally the 500k only gets you five years, if 500k got you 20 years for sure I could see the security point but I don't see how if you are comparing to the five year visa there is this great increase in security of tenure either.

Tom , I have a pension visa 3rd year now , as I say 800k , 3 months prior from the 1st extension, ( first full year which could last up to nearly two years if you time it right ) .. get a multi entry as I do every time you renew you go away as many times as you like every week if you want , ( plus the 90 day report starts again every time you leave / return )

you don't have to have 800,000 tied up all year , just 3 months prior to extending plus get a multi as I have for example and you can still come and go as you please

Plus somebody can do your report for you too 👍🏻

@T**

what advantages do you see to the TE visa over retirement, if you are eligible for that? Both visas you have to renew once a year and both visas you have to do 90 day reporting, but the latter I believe can be done by mail anyway you don't even have to show up.

skimmed down version is 1m for 20 years now...getting better...

Yeah sorry , I just noticed that , hence I deleted my post 👍🏻