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As the title of this video suggests we are discussing a topic which has probably been discussed in the Expat community a little bit at this point but it is the possibility of a Work Permit on a Thai Elite Card, that is the Thailand Elite program, for those who are unaware. It is possible to join this program and thereby be granted substantial immigration benefits. That is not the sole reason for the program, it is just one of the benefits.

Recently, and we have been discussing this going on about nine months now, there have been a lot of proposals raised, a lot only in principle, discussed here and there about possible new privileges associated with Thailand Elite status and one of those is Work Permit status. To go ahead and quote from recent article in Hua Hin Today, that is huahintoday.com, the article is titled: New Elite Card allows holders to work in Thailand (and here is the catch) - for 32 million Baht. Quoting directly: "Thailand Privilege Card Co. Ltd, the company that operates the Elite Card, has launched a new program that will allow new and some existing members to legally work in Thailand. Under the Elite Card's new Flexible Plus program, applicants will be able to obtain a Work Permit. Previously, Elite Card holders were prohibited from working in Thailand.” Quoting further: ”But now new applicants to the Flexible Plus program, as well as existing members of the Thailand Elite Card, Elite Ultimate Privilege, Elite Superiority Extension, and Elite Privilege Access will be granted the right to work in Thailand. That's providing they invest at least a million US dollars, approximately 32 million Baht into Thailand within one year of being granted the card." So yeah there is a major catch associated with work authorization here in Thailand and it is a million US dollars.

We have discussed this kind of at length. I think a lot of these proposed programs that are out there to entice wealthy retirees, the so called call it Bleisure, whatever you want to call it, digital nomads and things some of this stuff as I have said previously, I think it is only going to apply to a very narrow subset of prospective travelers. For those not already aware, one can go ahead and set up a relatively small company here in Thailand and go ahead and have themselves set up with a Business Visa and a Work Permit for far less than a million dollars invested in Thailand. In fact substantially I would say it is a fraction of a fraction of what it would cost in terms of this million dollar program. 

So interesting. There is some discussion on whether or not this is going to be investment in property, investment in the markets here, investment in a specific company. Not all of that seems to be hammered out but I think it is pretty safe to say that for many folks this million dollar threshold provides a lot of clarification regarding eligibility for this type of Visa, specifically this type of Visa with work authorization and whether or not they really want to look at that as an option if they want to work in Thailand because as noted there are a number of other options far less expensive associated with work authorization here in the Kingdom of Thailand.