you get a 1 year permission to stay - not a 1 year visa - but never mind. A visa is used for entering Thailand and is replaced with a permission to stay as soon as it is shown to immi at the airport
ok - thanks for the reply - I think that mentioning the elite visa as the only option could discourage the person asking when he finds out the quite expensive costs - and there are in fact many other much cheaper options - but if you have the money it is of course the easiest 😊 I think he was triggered because of the many other options available but of course I don't know