KhunHeineken

That's a shortwinded admission that I didn't use the word "anyway" in my post. How did you manage to mess that personal attack up so bad?

Weren't you the one that begged me to "come out and play" and boasted how you "shamed me" and I left with my "tail between my legs." For someone who believes their "interpretation" is right, and everyone else's is wrong, you have been quiet lately. I guess that's out of embarrassment.

Wrong, as usual. Never sent money for a sick buffalo. Never bought property here. I have nothing in Thailand I couldn't walk away from tomorrow. You, on the other hand...................

Quite a few on the list. https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/international-social-security-agreements/current-international-social-security-agreements

Why would you think that an Aussie who has lived and worked overseas for most of they life, without paying a cent of tax in Australia, be able to come home at 65 or 67 and put their hand out for the pension, just to turn around and leave again? That would be "just pure theft" from the Australian tax payers, and I suggest, that's what the 2 years is for. When you look at it in this way, 2 years is generous, not to mention, the person receives the pension upon arrival. Where the 2 years is unfair is when someone lives and works and pays tax in Australia for most of their working life, then retires early overseas, say around late 50's, and a few years later, come retirement age, are told they have to stay in Australia for 2 years to achieve portability. It appears the system is based on time, rather than the amount of tax paid. Maybe something closer to the UK system would be fairer, where you can buy into the pension, regardless of geographic location, which is a little like our Super scheme.

Does your friend have dual citizenship? If so, that may be the reason.

+1. They can do everything via email, print, sign, scan, and internet banking.

Set up an Australian Pay As You Go mail forwarding account. Here's one from the first page of Google. I can't recommend them. Just found them on a Google search as an example to show. https://hotsnail.com.au Go online and buy one of the sim cards mentioned. I recommend Aldi Mobile. $15 a year for 365 validity. You use the Aussie address of the mail forwarding business. That business then posts your mail to you in Thailand, or anywhere else in the world. You will have to email copies of ID, but it will get activated. Then, go online and enable roaming. It's free to receive SMS when roaming. You should be right from then on, provided you recharge every year and don't let the sim drop off the network.

Where's the rest of your expenses? Transport. Do you have a car? If so, how much for insurance, maintenance, and petrol. What about food? Do you eat? Do you buy healthy, but expensive food, or cheap, processed, and unhealthy food? What about entertainment? Do you catch a show, or sporting event, or dine out sometimes? Do you go to the local bowling club? Do you drink alcohol? Clothing. Do you buy any? You'll have to one day. Telecommunications. Do you have a mobile phone and internet? How much a month for these? Household products. Cleaning items. Eg. dish washing, laundry, toilet paper etc. Household appliances. TV, Fridge etc. They don't last forever. Where's your budget for them? You mention "rent." Even for those pensioners that own their own home, what about council rates and insurance, then maintenance? Health insurance. You can't rely on Medicare these days. You mention energy supplement, but don't mention the total cost of the energy bill itself. That's heating and cooling, during winter and summer. Water bill. No mention of it. You mentioned only one outgoing, and that was rent. What about the rest you need to survive, and then some little things to have a basic quality of life?

Yes, the rumor is true, and the human being you eventually get to speak to is based in an Indian call center.

AN's biggest online competitor. Probably can't post the name here, so I won't, but the core group of haters on the Australian forum may very well be working for AN's competitor. How much damage to AN have they done already? Serial reporters working for the opposition under the guise they are so offended by a member and / or their posts in order to frustrate them and have them banned, so that member gives up and goes to the website they work for. Guess what, I'm still here.

I have a friend who no longer reads or posts on AN because he got sick of being put on a holiday and now posts on "the other forum." It's possible some members, or the same member but with multiple usernames, is working for the other forum. George would do well to recognize these "serial reporters" as possibly playing for the other team.

Does the same to me. I outed him for posting he was on a vet's pension, and then posting he was on an aged pension, and you can't be on both, so then he started personally attacking me, but then reporting me to the Mods when he copped it back. Weak as p*ss in my opinion.

Well said. There's a group of "haters" on this forum that try to shut out and shut down other members. The hypocrisy of it all. There's genuine information and content flow being offered by members, and because they don't like the message, they set out to shoot the messenger. If they don't like the member, or the message, just put them on the ignore list. I have requested some to do this to me on several occasions, yet, they continue to read my posts, personally attack me, and then when they get it back, run to the Mods crying.

Why don't you contact the forum's support and have them sort out the problem. It would be a big help to the forum.

Misquoting me again. Show me where I have used the word "befuddled."

It really is a case of you guys can dish it out, but can't take it. I got hammered in the pension thread for posting about the proposed changes to tax residency laws. Got sent on a few holidays from AN as well. All's fair in love in war, but to dish it out and then report to the Mods when it's handed back to you is very Un-Australian. I can't speak for other members, but I have no problem with discussion and healthy debate, but troll me, flame me, personally attack me, you'll get it back. Boo Hoo. There's never been any sour grapes about it all on my behalf. I have said I never reported a post, ever, nor will I do so in the future. Some members took that as a free for all, and that's fine, but when it came back to them, off they go to the Mods. It's just an internet forum. No need to take it so personally.

Thanks for the link. I notice this seems to be the one and only link, which is a :guide" on the issue. I take it onboard, but on such an important issue, can anyone post another link to corroborate this link?

Generally speaking, not specific to your personal circumstances, if someone worked all their life and paid their taxes, how is it they would have nothing to show for it and have to go cap in hand to Centerlink for the full aged pension? I understand those who worked after the implementation of Superannuation not qualifying, but you would think an individual would accrue some assets and savings at the end of their working life, thus, not qualifying for the aged pension.

Your sarcasm is not wasted on me. Well done.

You have "confirmed" and "shared" a lot of information about a war widower's pension for someone on an old aged pension.

I find his posts amusing. Especially his "interpretations" of legislation. Very entertaining. Most of them are up there with the famous "that's just for guys like Paul Hogan" post. His latest claim to fame is how contracts and caveats on the house and land be bought, which is not in his name, offers some security to him in the future for his accommodation. I'm sure those pieces of paper will stop a bullet or machete. Just another farang thinking western laws work in Thailand for foreigners. You should unblock him, just for the laughs.

Can you show me where in my post I used the word "anyway?" You are misquoting me. So, you can re-enrol for Medicare online. Wow, and here I was thinking one had to go to a Centerlink office. Scorecard didn't mention that. He also didn't mention the documents needed. It's obviously the government doesn't want expats flying home just for free medical treatment, only to fly out straight after. Scorecard mentions none of this. Who said I'm not on MyGov? I am self funded. never taken a cent from Centerlink. Sadly for me, and many others, we pay for everyone else in Australian society. No, I am not in Australia, and not on the aged pension, but that's not to say I can't restructure my finances to qualify for the pension, which I may do in the future. i outed Scorecard when I picked him up on posting that he is on an aged pension, and then he would later post he's on a vet's pension. You can't be on both. If a vet, he would probably have a gold card, way better than a Medicare Card, but here he is posting about a Medicare Card and Centerlink, rather than the VA and a gold card. He blocked me soon after I outed him on this, but now he says he can read my posts. What BS. You never questioned in what year he had his "experience." Why is that? Scorecard is most dangerous with his advice to members on portability. He has stated, and I quote, that people can leave Australia during their 2 years for a "prolonged period" of time. When asked for links, no reply. Yet, someone on a vet's pension doesn't have portability issues. Once again, more smoke and mirrors, and more BS. You are vary naive to not smell his BS.

Added on, or starts again?

The reasons you mention, and some more, is why I sleep better at night than guys who have exposed themselves to a Thai missus, and Thai laws here.