The troubled Thailand Elite Card initiated by the Thaksin Shinawatra administration and running at a huge loss is to be abandoned.
"To curb further losses, the cabinet sees it as imperative that the Elite Card programme be scrapped," deputy government spokesman Puttipong Punnakan said yesterday.
Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had instructed his ministry to work out compensation for the small number of members or find other ways to take care of them.
Its proposals are to be sent to the cabinet within the next two weeks.
Thailand Elite Card was launched by then prime minister Thaksin in 2003 as a high-class programme to attract wealthy tourists and business people.
It promised fast-track immigration privileges, long-term property leases and discounts at luxury spas, golf courses and hotels. Thaksin confidently predicted it would attract one million cardholders by 2008, but to date has drawn just 2,570.
The state-owned Thailand Privilege Card, which issues the cards and runs the scheme, posted accumulated losses of up to 1.14 billion baht as of 2006. Operating results for 2007 and last year have yet to be reported.
Source: Bangkok Post
Thaksins Elite Card is scrapped
Thaksins Elite Card is scrapped
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
-
Wanderlust
- Legend
- Posts: 2862
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:27 pm
- Location: Hua Hin
I think everyone except Taksin and his cronies knew this was doomed from the start - see this newspaper article from 2004...
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/ ... 3Wd02.html
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/ ... 3Wd02.html
hmmm.... it's interesting to see what Thai officials are meaning, if they speak about "lifetime"...that are about 5 years in their eyes, right?
That sounds not very optimistically...
Let's face the truth...this elite-card was just another idea to rip-off credulously Farangs...
Not very unusual in this country, isn't it?
That sounds not very optimistically...
Let's face the truth...this elite-card was just another idea to rip-off credulously Farangs...
Not very unusual in this country, isn't it?
-
The understudy
- Ace
- Posts: 1293
- Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2003 12:16 pm
- Location: Hua Hin, Bangkok, Berlin, L. A. rotating
The understudy does Hodus.I have the Feeling that Physically Thais are in the 21st Century but Mindwise we are still stuck In the Ayuthaya Kingdom Ages or even further back!
Your's The understudy!
In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
It was a scam from the start. Set up with taxpayer money and administered by Toxin cronies who would cream off the revenues they missed out on by not getting elected.
It gave nothing and promised little more. Sorry, you were supposed to get shorter wait time at the airport. Wow.
Their notions of the falang mindset is pathetic. These klowns actually thought falangs would bite at this cardboard fraud attempt. Similarly, another set of klowns actually think waiving visa fees will repair the damage done to the tourism sector when the vast majority of visitors come in on VOA package tours.
It gave nothing and promised little more. Sorry, you were supposed to get shorter wait time at the airport. Wow.
Their notions of the falang mindset is pathetic. These klowns actually thought falangs would bite at this cardboard fraud attempt. Similarly, another set of klowns actually think waiving visa fees will repair the damage done to the tourism sector when the vast majority of visitors come in on VOA package tours.