The government-owned Thai Privilege Card Company (TPC) is offering a new five-year visa for a non-refundable 650,000 baht or US$19,000. To be known as Elite Bronze, the cost is a good deal lower than the previous Elite Gold five-year permit for 900,000 baht or US$26,000. In return, Bronze has fewer perks than Gold although fast track at major Thai airports is still offered and there’s a helpline in English, Mandarin, Korean and Japanese as well as shopping discounts. By comparison, DTV has a processing fee of only about 12,000 baht or US$350.
There can be little doubt that TPC has become alarmed at the success of DTV which was introduced only in July 2024. Embassies round the world, but particularly in Asia, have so far issued at least 50,000 DTV five-year visas and probably many more. In comparison, Elite (which has several options within the TPC framework) has issued just under 40,000 permits since 2003: 21 years of Elite contrasted with four months of DTV.
Elite Bronze publicity tackles its DTV rival head-on. TPC stresses that the Bronze allows a five-year stay without ever having to leave the kingdom although its status is multiple entry to allow coming and going as members wish. By comparison TPC says “DTV only allows a stay of 180 days”, studiously ignoring the possibility of a further 180 days extension at local immigration.
TPC thus promotes Elite Bronze by claiming it bridges the gap between a bare bones DTV visa and the more luxurious and convenient Elite family. Significantly, TPC also stresses that Bronze is suitable for those coming to Thailand on business – though it is not a work permit – and can be used by those who work for “foreign employers and clients”. That appears to be the Bronze tongue-in-cheek response to digital nomads and remote workers currently attracted to DTV.
Information provided by TPC points out that you don’t have to be involved in an “activity” to be a Bronze member. This is clearly a reference to the DTV soft power burden to be studying cookery or Thai boxing or having a string of hospital appointments coming up. Another plus for Bronze is that applicants can apply from within Thailand or abroad, whereas DTV forbids applications by those physically present in the kingdom when submitting.
Elite Bronze can accept applications from mid-December to end of June 2025. Whether the scheme is later extended obviously depends on how many foreigners actually enrol for the program. And that in turn depends on whether DTV really does offer a five year, multiple-entry window of 180 days on entry plus the bonus of a further 180 days extension at local immigration. If so, foreign residents with a DTV could live in Thailand for five years with a once-a-year border run. The alternative view is that the over-generous DTV will be bureaucratically restricted or compromised and require updated information to be submitted online to allow any repeat use. For answers, we’ll have to wait a few months.
