The Thailand Elite Visa program ends on September 15, 2023. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll no longer be able to enjoy the benefits that come with it.
In fact, Thailand Privilege Card Company, the organization behind the Thailand Elite Visa, is preparing to release the Thailand Privilege card program on October 1, 2023.
In summary, the Thailand Privilege card program comes with more benefits than the Elite Visa. But it’s also going to cost nearly two times as much.
So, if you want to lock in the current price, it’s best to submit your application before September 15, 2023, 4:30 PM Thailand time. You can do so by filling out this form.
That said, let’s look into the details that have been released so far.
Note: We will continue to update this article as more information becomes available.
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Contents
- Why the Thailand Elite Visa is being Phased Out
- The New Thailand Privilege Card Program Benefits
- The New Thailand Privilege Card Points Program
- The New Thailand Privilege Membership Cards
- Membership Card Comparison
- Who is the Thailand Privilege Card Program for?
- Is the Thailand Privilege Card Program Tailored to Remote Workers and Digital Nomads?
- Is 90-Day Reporting Still Mandatory with a Thailand Privilege Card?
- Can I Get Permanent Residency or Thai Citizenship with It?
- When Does the Thailand Privilege Card Program Launch?
- What is the Thailand Privilege Card Company?
- Applying for the Thailand Privilege Card Program
Why the Thailand Elite Visa is being Phased Out
The Thailand Elite Visa has been available to expats in Thailand for many years.
However, the Thailand Privilege Card Company responsible for the Thailand Elite Visa wants to revamp the program by offering more attractive benefits to its members.
The New Thailand Privilege Card Program Benefits
The Thailand Privilege Card Company aims to redefine the concept of luxury while shifting away from its traditional focus of golf, spa treatments, and airport services.
Through partnerships with over 300 entities, the Thailand Privilege Card Company will offer a more luxurious lifestyle to its members. In turn, members will be able to enhance every aspect of their lives in Thailand, including accommodations, travel, leisure, health, personal finances, and well-being.
Let’s take a closer look at each area.
- Accommodations: Enjoy complimentary nights at luxurious hotels throughout Thailand, plus more.
- Travel: Access to yachts trips, supercar test drives, and more.
- Leisure: Experience renowned restaurants, shopping malls, and entertainment industries and “buy one, get one” deals, private chefs at home, visits to aquariums, Muay Thai experiences, movie tickets, and more.
- Health and Well-Being: Members receive exclusive discounts on golf, spa services, fitness facilities, annual health checkups, dental care, and more.
- Wealth: Collaborations with leading financial institutions in Thailand offer access to wealth advisors, special insurance products, and more.
These benefits are in addition to the existing perks that came with the Thai Elite Visa, such as:
- airport services
- fast-track access at airports
- lounge access
- personal assistance
- 90-day notification assistance
- a dedicated member contact center
The New Thailand Privilege Card Points Program
At the core of the new Thailand Privilege card program is the idea that you, as an expat, will be able to enjoy endless possibilities in the country.
In fact, you’ll have the freedom to choose from a number of exclusive privileges. One of them is the new Thailand Privilege card points program. You can redeem these points for a variety of services, which means you can tailor your benefits to your personal preferences.
Points can be exchanged for a free hotel stay, concert tickets, flights, and more. Here’s how it works.
- One point: Buy-one, get-one movie tickets, fitness center access, complimentary diving, airport transfers, lounge access.
- Two points: Golf course packages, luxury car airport transfers, dental care packages.
- Three points or more: Round-trip domestic airline tickets, world-class concerts, private tours, health checkups, and wellness program packages.
The New Thailand Privilege Membership Cards
Starting on October 1, 2023, the Thailand Privilege Card Company is going to release four new membership cards. They are the:
- Reserve Card
- Diamond Card
- Platinum Card
- Gold Card
While each card works the same as the previous Thailand Elite Visa card, they offer more benefits, albeit at varying price points.
Let’s take a closer look at each card.
Reserve Card
The Reserve Card is the top-tier of all cards. The membership fees are THB5,000,000, and the card lets you stay in Thailand for 20 years or more.
Members can extend their stay by an additional five years or more after the initial 20-year period by paying an extra 10 percent of the membership fees.
In addition to all the other benefits of the Thailand Privilege card program, the Reserve Card comes with:
- networking opportunities at the Reserve Club
- personal concierge service
- priority airport services
- free domestic flights
- supercar rentals
Additionally, this card gets you 120 privilege points per year.
Membership for the Reserve Card is by invitation only, limited to 1 percent of the total amount of Thailand Privilege members per year.
Diamond Card
The Diamond Card is the second-highest tier card. It’s membership fees are THB2,500,000, and the card gives you 15 years in Thailand.
Diamond Card holders enjoy:
- complimentary domestic flights
- an annual health checkup worth up to THB14,000
- birthday gifts
- free nights at hotels
This card gets you 55 privilege points per year.
Platinum Card
Positioned as the third-highest tier card, the Platinum Card comes with a membership fee of THB1,500,000 and lets you stay in Thailand for 10 years.
Cardholders get access to:
- seasonal events within the Thailand Privilege card program
- exclusive discounts on golf courses
- spa services
This card comes with 35 privilege points per year.
Gold Card
The Gold Card is the fourth card on offer by the Thailand Privilege Card Company. This card, priced at THB900,000, let’s you stay in Thailand for five years.
Gold Card benefits include:
- airport transfers
- discounts on golf courses
- spa services
- free VIP seating at cinemas
- complimentary hotel buffets
The Gold Card nets you 20 privilege points per year.
The main disadvantage of the Gold Card is that you cannot add additional family members to the main plan like you could with other cards.
Membership Card Comparison
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of each Thailand Privilege card program membership tier.
| Card | Validity | Fee | Additional Card Fees Per Member | Points Per Year | Additional Perks |
| Reserve | 20 years ++ | THB5,000,000 (invitation only) | THB2,000,000 | 120 | Reserve Club, personal concierge service, supercar rental, and more |
| Diamond | 15 years | THB2,500,000 | THB1,500,000 | 55 | Free flights, free hotel stays, annual health checkups, and more |
| Platinum | 10 years | THB1,500,000 | THB1,000,000 | 35 | Seasonal events, discount at golf courses and spas, and more |
| Gold | 5 years | THB900,000 | NA | 20 | Airport transfers, cinema VIP seats, free hotel buffets, and more |
Who is the Thailand Privilege Card Program for?
The Thailand Privilege card program is for those who either already have the Elite Visa card and want to switch to the new program or those who want to apply for the first time. Applicants usually fall in one of these four categories.
- investors
- digital nomads
- Thailand expats
- retirees
Is the Thailand Privilege Card Program Tailored to Remote Workers and Digital Nomads?
For years, remote workers and digital nomads have used the Thailand Elite Visa to avoid visa-related issues and stay in the country long term.
However, challenges with income tax and Thai work permits remain.
Legally, you need a work permit to work in Thailand. And it’s still challenging to obtain a work permit with the Elite Visa.
Now, the Thailand Privilege Card Company explicitly states that digital nomads are one of their targeted groups. However, they can’t provide any advice when it comes to working in Thailand while being a member of the program.
Broadly speaking, it should still be okay to operate an overseas business in Thailand. But the business must be conducted abroad and can’t take away employment opportunities from Thai workers.
So, if your clients originate from outside of Thailand, the new Thailand Privilege card program could be an option for digital nomads. But it’s still a good idea to get official confirmation in writing with a Thailand Privilege Card Company agent before applying.
Hopefully we’ll here some more news about this in the coming months. For now, if you work in Thailand for a Thai company, it’s better to apply for a Thailand business visa.
Is 90-Day Reporting Still Mandatory with a Thailand Privilege Card?
Unfortunately, it appears that you still have to report to Thai immigration every 90 days under the new Thailand Privilege card program.
The silver lining is that members can get help with their 90-day reporting through the Thailand Privilege card program.
Can I Get Permanent Residency or Thai Citizenship with It?
The Thailand Privilege cards are considered tourist visas. As a result, you can’t apply for permanent residence or obtain Thai citizenship with it, regardless of how long you’ve been in Thailand.
When Does the Thailand Privilege Card Program Launch?
The Thailand Privilege card program is scheduled to start on October 1, 2023.
What is the Thailand Privilege Card Company?
Founded in 2003 under the supervision of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Thailand Privilege Card Company was established with the goal of attracting influential tourists to Thailand, thereby contributing to the country’s sustainable development and revenue generation.
Since its establishment, the company has channeled over 30 billion Thai Baht in revenue to Thailand.
Applying for the Thailand Privilege Card Program
Everything above is what we know about the Thailand Privilege card program in Thailand so far. If you’re interested in applying for the program, please leave your email below.
Once more information becomes available, we’ll send you a private email.
