Guest Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 http://www.thaivisa.com/index.php?514&backPID=514&tt_news=618 18-11-03 Thailand targets well-heeled tourists BANGKOK: The tourism authority of Thailand has persuaded more than 80 wealthy foreigners to pay $25,000 (1m baht) each for the right to be classified as "elite tourists". In return for the fee, the tourists get a selection of life-time privileges including fast-track access through immigration, discounts at luxury resorts and the right to buy property in Thailand. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who came up with the idea, said he hoped the initiative would promote Thailand as a destination for wealthy tourists and improve the economy. The scheme is targeting potential tourists from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as those from the United States and the United Kingdom. "In the old days we opened our country to almost everyone," Paisit Kaenchan, director of the Thailand Privilege Card Co, which is marketing the card, told reporters. "Right now we have to concentrate on people who spend more money," he said. Prime Minister Thaksin will give each of the VIP travellers who have signed up far a black and gold "Thailand Elite" card at a ceremony on Wednesday. Nearly half of the inaugural cardholders are reportedly Chinese. They include executives from the Bank of New York and the Mitsubishi Corporation. The Thai tourist authority is said to want to invite more than 100,000 people to join the scheme. Tourism is a lynchpin of the Thai economy, but the number of tourists have fallen this year due to an outbreak of the Sars virus in the region and the threat of terror attacks. Source: BBC News The Nation reports: Thaksin to handover first 80 Elite Cards Published on Nov 19, 2003 Eighty millionaires and eminent persons from around the world will today receive the first batch of Thailand Elite Cards from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at a ceremony at Government House. The Thailand Elite Card programme is the government?s latest project to attract the highend tourist segment. Each of the 80 VIPs will be given a gold Thailand Elite Card and a ceremonial palmleaf fan. Such fans are often associated with the Royal Family and high society. Under the scheme, travellers pay US$25,000 (nearly Bt1 million) for the card in exchange for lifelong status as elite tourists, giving them access to privileges like fasttrack immigration processing, discounts at luxury resorts and the right to buy property in Thailand. Among those to receive cards are Japan External Trade Organisation chairman and chief executive officer Osamu Watanabe, Domonick Company AG chairman Peter M Kennedy, Melbourne Airport Undercoverparking director Alfred Paul Barisch, Horizon Motor Group director and chairman Colin Ross Shape, Concord Energy president Nasrat Muzuyyin, and Bank of New York president James McLoughlin. Paisit Kaenchan, the director of Thailand Privilege Card Co, which is marketing the card, said the scheme was aimed at executives, celebrities and wealthy tourists, particularly from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, the United States and Britain. The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects to sell 1,000 cards by the year end and has set a target of 10,000 for next year, he said. Applicants will be checked against international criminal watch lists for security. ?Don?t worry about terrorists or blacklisted people using the project to enter Thailand because we have a serious customers creening system,? Thaksin said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 For the ones interested: - http://www.thailandelite.com/ However, I am not sure about the benefits for USD 25,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbaron Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I'm sure I've read about this somewhere before... a few months ago maybe? (On this board). From memory, it was generally agreed it was a ripoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Hi, While the website is beautiful, I find the idea behind this pretty disgusting. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Hi, I don't know why this reminds me about Green Cards? elef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvarpala Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 The way I see it, most of us are already "elite tourists". After all, most of the money we spend goes to help those in poorest communities... Maybe we should be re-classified as aid workers ! Seriously though, there is a valid point hidden in the above flippant remark. That being that a good part of the money we hand over in the morning "goes north", to support families with few other options. ( Yeah, I know, I'm being naive here...... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.