Data updated: September 1, 2026.
Introduction
Thailand’s elite visa program is now officially called Thailand Privilege, formerly Thailand Elite. The current Visa Membership tiers are Bronze, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve, with membership terms ranging from 5 to 20 years; older plans such as Elite Family Excursion, Elite Family Alternative, and Elite Privilege Access, discontinued before October 2023, are no longer sold.
Thailand Privilege’s advantages are long-term residence, multiple entries, and member services, but once you hold membership, tax residency status, the permitted length of stay per entry, 90-day reporting, family member eligibility, and the right to work remain separate systems — buying a membership does not resolve all of them.
The main plans currently available in 2026 are as follows:
| Plan | Membership Fee | Term | Annual Privilege Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | THB 650,000 | 5 years | 0 |
| Gold | THB 900,000 | 5 years | 20 |
| Platinum | THB 1,500,000 | 10 years | 35 |
| Diamond | THB 2,500,000 | 15 years | 55 |
| Reserve | THB 5,000,000 | 20 years | 120 |
Reserve is by invitation only; Bronze is currently a limited offer. Thailand Privilege’s official site currently still lists these five Visa Membership tiers and prices.
1. Tax: Do Thailand Privilege Holders Have to Pay Income Tax?
Holding a Thailand Privilege visa does not automatically make you a Thai tax resident — what matters is your actual length of stay. Under the 2024 amendment, Revenue Code Section 41 provides that if you stay in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year, you are treated as a Thai tax resident and must pay personal income tax.
First, two separate statuses need to be distinguished: Thailand Privilege is a visa and membership status; Thai tax residency is determined separately under tax law. Under Thai tax law, a person who stays in Thailand for a total of 180 days or more in the same calendar year is, in principle, treated as a Thai tax resident. This 180-day determination has no direct link to holding Thailand Privilege, a DTV, a retirement visa, or any other visa.
How Is Foreign-Sourced Income Treated in 2026?
For foreign-sourced income, it isn’t enough to ask whether the money was remitted to Thailand from abroad — you also need to look at the year the income was earned, your tax residency status in the year it was earned, and when it was remitted to Thailand.
For foreign-sourced income earned on or after January 1, 2024, if you were a Thai tax resident in the year the income was earned, and you later remit that foreign-sourced income to Thailand, the income may need to be included in Thai personal income tax in the year it is remitted.
Conversely, for foreign-sourced income earned before January 1, 2024, under the Thai Revenue Department’s current guidance, even if it is later remitted to Thailand, it is not subject to this foreign-sourced income tax treatment.
Use the framework below as a starting point:
| Situation | General Direction |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 180 days in Thailand in a year | Generally not a Thai tax resident based on days of stay |
| 180 days or more in Thailand in a year, in total | In principle, a Thai tax resident |
| Foreign-sourced income earned before 2024, later remitted to Thailand | Under current guidance, generally not included in the foreign-sourced income tax treatment below |
| Foreign-sourced income earned from 2024 onward, earned in a year you were a Thai tax resident, later remitted to Thailand | May need to be included in Thai personal income tax |
| Tax already paid abroad on the income | Depending on the applicable DTA and conditions, a Foreign Tax Credit may be available |
So “becoming a Thai tax resident” does not mean “all overseas funds are automatically taxed in Thailand.” What actually needs to be determined is the nature of the income, the year it was earned, your tax residency status that year, whether it was remitted to Thailand, and whether an applicable double taxation agreement applies.
Thai Personal Income Tax Rates
Thailand Privilege does not carry its own dedicated personal income tax rate. Thailand’s general personal income tax is progressive, with a top rate of 35%.
| Annual Net Assessable Income (THB) | Rate |
|---|---|
| 0–150,000 | Exempt |
| 150,001–300,000 | 5% |
| 300,001–500,000 | 10% |
| 500,001–750,000 | 15% |
| 750,001–1,000,000 | 20% |
| 1,000,001–2,000,000 | 25% |
| 2,000,001–4,000,000 | 30% |
| Over 4,000,000 | 35% |
These rates apply to net assessable income calculated under tax law — not to a single overseas remittance taxed directly at the top rate.
If There’s a Double Taxation Agreement, Does That Mean No Tax Is Due in Thailand?
No. If income has already been taxed in another country or jurisdiction, and an applicable DTA exists between that jurisdiction and Thailand, the taxpayer may be able to apply for a Foreign Tax Credit under the relevant agreement and Thai tax law.
But whether a credit can be claimed, how much, and how the income is classified in each location all depend on the individual case.
For this reason, anyone planning a long-term stay in Thailand should keep records such as foreign tax returns, withholding certificates, tax payment receipts, and bank remittance records.
Visa planning and tax planning should be handled separately.
2. Does Thailand Privilege Need to Be Renewed Every Year?
A more accurate way to put it is to separate the membership term, the PE Visa term, and the permitted length of stay per entry.
| Item | How to Understand It |
|---|---|
| Membership term | Bronze/Gold: 5 years; Platinum: 10 years; Diamond: 15 years; Reserve: 20 years |
| PE Visa | Basically a 5-year multiple-entry visa |
| Permitted stay per entry | Usually up to 1 year |
| Staying in Thailand without leaving | Must apply for a Stay Extension as required |
| Stay Extension fee | Currently THB 1,900 |
| Earliest time to apply for extension | Usually up to 30 days before the permitted stay expires |
| Each extension | Can be extended by 1 year as provided |
So Thailand Privilege does not require reapplying for a brand-new membership visa every year, but that doesn’t mean that once you hold a 5-year membership you can ignore the permitted stay date in your passport entirely.
What actually matters is the permission to stay date given by the immigration officer in your passport.
Do You Need a Re-Entry Permit to Leave and Re-Enter?
The PE Visa is a multiple-entry visa. Zagdim has confirmed directly with Thailand Privilege that PE Visa holders do not need to separately apply for a Re-Entry Permit.
When you re-enter Thailand, the immigration officer grants the permitted stay based on your passport, the PE Visa’s validity, and the rules in effect at the time.
Do You Still Need to Do 90-Day Reporting?
Yes.
If you stay in Thailand continuously for 90 days, Thailand Privilege holders still need to complete 90-day reporting.
Some Thailand Privilege membership services can help arrange or coordinate 90-day reporting, but how each membership tier can use this service, whether Privilege Points are required, and where it can be done are not all the same.
So it’s important to distinguish:
Whether reporting is required is an immigration rule; whether membership services can handle it for you is a membership benefit.
In addition, your residence should also maintain a correct TM.30 residence notification record.
Who is actually legally responsible for filing TM.30 depends on the accommodation arrangement — it may be a hotel, landlord, homeowner, housemaster, or possessor — so it should not be simplified to mean that every Thailand Privilege member must file it personally.
3. Family Members: Which Plans Allow You to Add a Next Member?
Thailand Privilege currently has five tiers: Bronze, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve.
Bronze and Gold do not have the same Next Member family add-on structure as Platinum and above; only Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve allow eligible family members to apply for Next Member/Supplementary Membership.
Standard prices are as follows:
| Primary Membership | Primary Member Price | Standard Next Member Price |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum, 10 years | THB 1,500,000 | THB 1,000,000/person |
| Diamond, 15 years | THB 2,500,000 | THB 1,500,000/person |
| Reserve, 20 years | THB 5,000,000 | THB 2,000,000/person |
September 2026 Next Member Limited-Time Promotion
The currently announced Next Member promotional price is:
THB 750,000/person
This applies to eligible additional members under Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve, and the currently announced promotion period runs until September 30, 2026.
| Primary Membership | Standard Next Member | Current Promotion |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | THB 1,000,000 | **THB 750,000/person** |
| Diamond | THB 1,500,000 | **THB 750,000/person** |
| Reserve | THB 2,000,000 | **THB 750,000/person** |
This promotion is a limited-time offer and should not be treated as the permanent standard price.
If a family is applying together, compare the total family cost of the primary member plus all Next Members, rather than looking only at the primary membership price.
Which Family Members Can Be Added?
Next Member eligibility is determined by the family relationship between the primary member and the additional member.
Under the currently published plan materials, the direct blood or marriage relationships confirmed as eligible are a spouse, parents, and children. Grandparents and grandchildren are not listed in the operator’s current public materials; if your family includes these relationships, check with Thailand Privilege Card directly.
Applicants generally need to submit a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or other documentation proving the family relationship.
Siblings cannot simply be assumed to always qualify as each other’s Next Member.
For example, if a father is the primary member, his several children can each be verified for eligibility as “the primary member’s children”; but if one of the children becomes a primary member in their own right, the other siblings then become that person’s collateral relatives, and eligibility is assessed differently.
So for family applications, the first question is often not:
“How many people can we add?”
But rather:
“Who makes the most sense as the primary member?”
This directly affects family member eligibility and total cost.
4. The 2026 Application Process: Background Checks, Application Fees, and Processing Time
Thailand Privilege applications can currently be submitted through official channels or authorized agents.
The basic process is as follows:
| Stage | Main Content |
|---|---|
| 1. Prepare the application | Passport, photo, application form, and case-specific documents |
| 2. Submit the case | Submit through official channels or an authorized agent |
| 3. Eligibility and background check | Review by Thailand Privilege and related departments |
| 4. Approval | Receive approval and payment notice |
| 5. Pay the membership fee | Complete payment for the selected plan |
| 6. Activate membership | Complete membership activation |
| 7. Process the PE Visa | Obtain the visa based on the applicant’s current location and official arrangements |
What Documents Are Generally Required?
A basic individual application generally requires a color copy of a valid passport, a photo meeting requirements, a completed application form, and consent documents.
If the applicant is currently in Thailand, current visa and recent entry records may also be required.
Family Next Member applications additionally require a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or other proof of family relationship.
If there is a past overstay, special visa history, or other circumstances that may affect the background check, supporting documents may also be required.
How Long Does an Application Usually Take?
Thailand Privilege’s current product materials generally use approximately 2 months after full document submission as a reference for obtaining an approval result, with membership activation and PE Visa processing following payment.
However, the actual time for the background check varies depending on nationality, case history, the volume being processed by government departments, and the current caseload.
For this reason, “1 month,” “4–6 weeks,” or “2 months” should not be treated as a guaranteed completion time.
If you have a specific entry date, lease start date, school start date, or other time-sensitive requirement, it is best to allow ample time for the application.
Do You Still Need to Pay a THB 50,000 Application Fee in 2026?
The Thailand Privilege system still retains a THB 50,000 Membership Application Fee.
Under the original system, this THB 50,000 was paid at the time of application; once the application was approved, this fee could be deducted from the formal Membership Fee.
Thailand Privilege later introduced an Application Fee exemption.
As of September 2026, this application fee currently remains waived until further notice.
| Item | Original System | Status as of September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | THB 50,000 | **Currently waived** |
| Paid at time of application? | Originally required | Generally not required at this stage |
| After approval | Deductible from the membership fee | Pay the formal membership fee as stated in the approval notice |
| Permanently canceled? | No | No |
| Could it be reinstated? | Yes | Subject to the rules in effect on the day of application |
So the most accurate way to understand it is:
The THB 50,000 application fee system still exists; it is currently under a waiver arrangement, not a permanent cancellation.
You should confirm the waiver is still in effect before formally submitting your application.
Can You Work in Thailand Once You Buy Thailand Privilege?
No.
Thailand Privilege Visa Membership provides long-term residence status, but the PE Visa itself does not carry a Thai Work Permit.
If you plan to be employed in Thailand, actually operate a company, or engage in other activities requiring a work permit, you still need to separately confirm the applicable visa and Work Permit.
Similarly, Thailand Privilege should not be used directly as a formal student visa; if your main purpose is study, you should confirm the appropriate visa status based on your actual study plans.
Quick Checklist Before You Apply
| Question | What to Confirm Before Applying |
|---|---|
| How long will you stay in Thailand in a year? | If it reaches 180 days or more, tax residency needs separate consideration |
| Do you have foreign-sourced income? | The year it was earned, your tax residency status that year, and when it was remitted all matter |
| Are you planning to stay continuously beyond your current permitted stay? | Watch your permission to stay date, and apply for a Stay Extension if needed |
| Will you stay continuously for more than 90 days? | 90-day reporting still applies |
| Are you bringing family? | Bronze/Gold has a different family structure than Platinum and above |
| Do you need to work in Thailand? | The PE Visa itself does not carry a Work Permit |
| Do you have a past overstay or other special record? | It may affect the background check |
| Is your application timeline tight? | Review times are not fixed, so allow ample time |
FAQ
Q1: If a Thailand Privilege Holder Stays in Thailand for 180 Days or More in a Year, Do They Definitely Have to Pay Tax?
Staying in Thailand for 180 days or more in the same calendar year, in principle, constitutes Thai tax residency.
But becoming a tax resident does not mean all income or overseas funds are automatically taxed in Thailand. What actually matters is the nature of the income, the year it was earned, when it was remitted to Thailand, any applicable deductions, and the applicable DTA.
Q2: Does Thailand Privilege Need to Be Renewed Every Year?
It isn’t accurate to simply call it an “annual renewal.”
The PE Visa itself is a long-term multiple-entry visa, but each entry generally grants a permission to stay of up to 1 year. If you don’t leave the country and want to continue staying, you must apply for a Stay Extension as required.
Q3: Does a 5-Year Membership Mean You Never Need to Visit Immigration for Five Years?
No.
A long, continuous stay may still involve 90-day reporting, Stay Extensions, TM.30 residence records, and other applicable immigration procedures.
Q4: Can an Entire Family Apply for Bronze?
Each person can apply individually based on their own eligibility, but Bronze does not have the same Next Member family add-on structure as Platinum and above.
If several family members plan to stay long-term, compare the total cost of several people applying separately for Bronze against one person applying for Platinum/Diamond and adding Next Members for the family.
Q5: How Much Does a Family Add-On Membership Cost in 2026?
The standard Next Member prices for Platinum, Diamond, and Reserve are THB 1,000,000, THB 1,500,000, and THB 2,000,000 per person, respectively.
The currently announced limited-time promotion is THB 750,000 per person, until September 30, 2026. You should reconfirm the promotion is still valid before making formal payment.
Q6: How Long Does an Application Usually Take?
Currently, about 2 months after full document submission can be treated as a general reference time, but the background check varies depending on nationality, case history, and current processing progress, and is not a guaranteed completion time.
Q7: Is There Still a THB 50,000 Application Fee in 2026?
The system still exists, but as of September 2026 it is currently under a waiver arrangement.
So it is generally not required to pay this at the time of application at this stage. Whether the waiver continues should be based on Thailand Privilege’s rules in effect on the day of formal submission.
Q8: Can You Work Under Thailand Privilege?
The PE Visa itself does not carry a Work Permit.
If you need to be employed in Thailand, operate a company, or engage in other activities regulated by work permit requirements, you need to separately handle the applicable visa and work permit.
Disclaimer
This article is a general information summary and does not constitute immigration, legal, or tax advice.
Thailand Privilege’s membership prices, promotions, Application Fee waiver, member services, and application procedures may all be adjusted, and you should refer to Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd.’s current official website, Application Form, Membership Agreement, and formal payment notice.
The actual application of tax residency, foreign-sourced income, Foreign Tax Credit, and DTAs should be based on the Thai Revenue Department’s current regulations and your individual circumstances; 90-day reporting, Stay Extensions, TM.30, and other immigration and residence matters should be based on the current rules of Thailand’s immigration authorities.
Have a question about this guide? Leave a comment below, or ask Zagdim directly.
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Sources
Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd.’s official website and current Membership Packages; Thailand Privilege Living in Thailand/Stay Extension/90-Day Reporting; Thailand Privilege Application Form/Membership Agreement; Thailand Privilege Next Member Promotion; Thai Revenue Department Revenue Code Section 41; Thai Revenue Department guidance on foreign-sourced income and Foreign Tax Credit; Thailand Immigration Bureau TM.30 system.
