China’s initial coronavirus outbreak and the current resurgence in Beijing have driven many Chinese to apply for the the Thailand Elite Card.
The Elite card offers long-term residency in Thailand for 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years.
Thailand Privilege Card, operator of the Thailand Elite Card, has seen a surge in Chinese applicants since February. Especially in recent weeks, three agents told Nikkei.
The card offers a re-entry visa renewable for up to 20 years and other perks for those who can afford it.
“We have received many queries after China saw a potential resurgence of COVID-19 cases” starting in mid-June, said Bobby He, an Elite Card agent based in Bangkok.
The agent said he received seven applications on one day this week.
“It’s strange that some people have never even been to Thailand,” he said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred many Chinese into looking for a second home overseas.”
Thousands of Beijing residents have seen their homes go under lockdown since a locally transmitted infection was found June. The first in nearly two months.
Within a week, the number of cases surged in the hundreds.
Residents of higher-risk areas are not permitted to leave Beijing. Others must show a negative COVID-19 test result to visit other Chinese provinces.
Thailand, by contrast, has reported no local transmissions for 34 consecutive days through Monday. The Southeast Asian country has logged just over 3,162 confirmed cases thus far.
Thailand Elite Card membership
Thailand Elite Card visa members totaled 9,578 as of Feb. 29,2020. With Chinese making up 20%; British members totaled 6%; Japanese and Americans made up 5% each. Membership has risen from 6,495 at the end of 2018.
Thailand Privilege Card President Somchai Soongswang told the Bangkok Post in April that the company still aimed to sell another 2,500 cards. With 1.5 billion baht ($48.6 million) in revenue, for 2020.
The elite visas, which debuted in 2003 also attracts high spenders. Offering residency in Thailand to members for five to 20 years.
Agents said the application threshold is low as long as the individual’s passport is not blacklisted by the government.
But the program, in which members pay a one-time upfront fee of 500,000 baht to 2 million baht, is definitely not for everyone.
The visa’s perks include; free limousine pickup at airports; VIP lanes at airport immigration and help from officers to handle the 90-day reporting to authorities; as well as free golfing and spas.
“More and more Chinese are looking for a backup plan after being hit by SARS in 2003 and the Sichuan earthquake in 2008,” said Allen Chen, founder of Summer Star Thailand, a real estate agency based in Chiang Mai.
“With more information accessible on the internet, they want to explore their immigration options. Just in case something like COVID-19 hits again in the future.”
SARS refers to severe acute respiratory syndrome.
Thailand Elite Card makes a comeback
Chen, who lives in the northern Thailand with his wife on elite visas, said some Chinese decided to stay in Thailand to ride out the pandemic. They have approached him for Thailand Elite Card visa consultations.
Presently Thailand is allowing tourists who overstayed their visas remain in the country until July 31.
The Thailand Elite Card visa program was revamped in 2014, after years of losses led to its closure in 2009.
At the time, it offered only a single package — 2 million baht for 20-year visas — deemed too expensive for many. After the revamp, the cards made a strong comeback.
