I can get a TR visa giving me 60 + 30 for much less than the Elite. And that is a tourist visa in case you hadn't noticed. And the Thai Government knows the longer farangs are in the country, the more they spend. Simple really.
how many million Thai tourists would travel to each of Australia, the UK and the EU countries and are those countries reliant on tourism for 20% of their GDP ?
Most ATM machines in Thailand charge a fee regardless of which card you use. Is the card issuer offering rebates on fees charged or just no added fees ? I'm not aware of having seen AMEX accepted at businesses outside Bangkok (maybe at large hotels they will accept but not at local businesses)
Also Pattaya isnt where i would take my kids for a year unless work forced me to. Our 2 bedroom luxury condo in Hua hin with pool gym and 24 hr security that is walking distance to restaurants and bars and about half a mile from a shopping centre with western supermarket and is only $1000 USD a month