KhunHeineken

I agree. An argument lost on many members in the Australian Forum - Old Aged Pension thread, also. Article 18 of the Thai / Australia DTA relies on the "provisions" of Article 19, and Article 19 is about "government service." pensions, not "government pensions" as in, welfare, or benefits as it's known in some European countries. There is a difference. One member posted in the Australia Forum, and I quote, "Forget about Article 19" yet in this Forum, advised another Australian member he would have to pay tax under Article 19 of the DTA. Go figure. Every DTA is different, yet, have a lot of similarities, particularly when it comes to pensions.

Answer to that problem is, tighten up on foreign ownership. Eg. more tax. Boils down to, current owners will have a declining market, and new builds/ developers a declining market also. There's already a massive oversupply of property in the market in all of the major tourist areas. The Thai's don't want to cause a "market correction." They just want more of a slice of the "market." Get the balance wrong, and, well, the market could tank, but the oversupply was already pushing prices lower anyway, yet, they keep building, and building.

I agree. Start buying land in Issan, a house, a farm, a shop, a bar etc etc, then all bets are off. Rent, and do not buy, including "company" and one could have a long and comfortable life, retiring early, Thailand. It's nothing new, and well documented. Keep it "real" here and enjoy. Start shifting liquidating assets in Australia and shifting cash here, based on emotion, and you roll the dice.

The RBA are in a difficult position. Mortgage stress across the country is very high. https://www.mpamag.com/au/news/general/majority-of-australian-homeowners-face-mortgage-stress/489375 "More than half of Australian homeowners are grappling with mortgage stress, with research commissioned by Aussie revealing that 52.5% of them are allocating over half of their income to mortgage payments, and 16% are struggling to meet repayments due to rising interest rates." Raise rates, and they could collapse the Australian housing market Ponzi scheme. Lower rates, and inflation rises again. The inflation rate is already higher than what the RBA would like, and has been for quite a while. Whilst you may enjoy higher interest rates on your savings, just think about what happens to the AUD is the Australian housing market tanks.

Wait till when we lose our AAA rating and see what happens to the AUD. http://australiandebtclock.com.au

What a great health care system.

What floor is the condo on?

Why do you think they are an idiot? They know they have falang by the b*lls. They have squeezed them for years. They are just squeezing more now. It's always been this way. Why are you surprised?

Can you show me. ANYWHERE, in that link where it mentions living overseas, full time? I did like this part though: " Please Note: The information in the above blog post is general in nature and should not be relied upon as detailed advice that applies to everyone. Each person’s individual circumstances will decide whether or not they need to lodge a tax return." Here's the non resident tax bracket. The pension is deemed an income. The pension is taxable. You WILL BE outside of Australia for 183 days, thus, a non resident for tax purposes. Do you see $0 to $135,000? Can you post a link, from anywhere, showing a old age pensioner does not have to pay non resident tax? Foreign resident tax rates 2024–25 Taxable income Tax on this income 0 – $135,000 30c for each $1

But, they would never check for tax residency purposes, right? Yes, and a lot of members are unhappy with it, but you can see the tax payers point, right? Only for those who have burnt their bridges back in Australia. The old golden rule, don't put anything into Thailand you are not prepared to lose. Many sold up and moved their life saving here, now can't even afford to live in Australia for 2 years. Guess what, many Aussie expats have kept a property to go back to in Australia, either for their 2 years pension portability phase, or for a serious injury / illness, and even end of life. Not everyone has sold up back in Australia and moved it all to Thailand / Issan. Many have planned ahead for their 2 years come pension age, and beyond. If you didn't, why whinge here?

Those people are here, just not here for more than 180 days. Simple.

That's the 65k baht a month method. The 800k baht method generally means you use some / all of the 800k, and top it up near extension time. Very funny if the account shows a solid 800k, with no out goings and no in comings, and you are still living here. If so, question, what law have you broken? Ahhhh, tax evasion I hear some saying. Tax evasion, or tax minimization? Might be some interesting scapegoat falang legal cases in the media next year. It's going to be entertaining.

That would tend to show you are not residing in Thailand full time. so not an expat. Is that correct? Agree. Horror stories everywhere. It's just most tend to be from the public system. Why is that? Do you have a link for that? Yeah, so would I. Example: if I cut my finger slicing some food in the kitchen and need a few stitches. Other than than, Medicare can be poor medical treatment, and untimely. Sounds good, don't you think? Who wouldn't sign up for that? So, you are not really an expat. Say you lived in Thailand full time. What would you do? Medicare is free, and you get what you pay for, and that is, who they want for the job, and when they want to do the job. No thanks, not for me. Yes, it's expensive, but what price do you put on your health / life?

You continually to refuse to answer the absolute simplest question put to you. That is, which pension are you on? A Vet's pension, or the Aged pension. You have posted like you receive both, and you can't. So, go on the record. What pension are you on? Simple question, really.

Started.

I don't see the trolling in that post. It's a case of poor medical treatment, resulting in death, in the same hospital that your friend is praising. I didn't go off topic on the pension thread with health insurance, but at your request, and another member's suggestion, I have started a thread on the topic.

The topic of relying on Medicare in Australia for major medical treatment, versus private health insurance, either in Thailand, or Australia, has been raised in the Aged Pension Thread, which off topic in that thread. Two members have suggested starting a specific thread on the topic. The below is not a poll, just some questions that may categorize members, and perhaps they can explain why they have chosen their particular strategy. 1) Do you have private health insurance covering you in Thailand? 2) Do you have private health insurance in Australia? 3) Do you have private health insurance in both Thailand and Australia? 4) Are you uninsured? 5) Are you self insured, or self funded? If I have missed an option, feel free to post it. I have private health insurance in Australia, and in Thailand. I have openly stated I do not have faith in the public Medicare system in Australia to properly treat me, and in a timely manner. The main reasons for this is you do not get to chose your doctor, so you could get someone very inexperienced, or not as competent, and the waiting list for elective surgery being years for some operations. I know I can not claim on the Australian private health insurance policy inside Australia. My strategy is, if I need some type of elective surgery, like a knee or hip replacement, I will fly back to Australia, get a top surgeon, and my own room in a private hospital, and the operation will be done within days, or weeks. The insurance company will pick up most of the bill. There may be a "gap" to pay, which I am prepared for. Should I have a motorbike accident in Thailand, for example, and need emergency treatment, to the point I can not board a plane, then I take my chances with what doctor I get in Thailand, and the insurance company pays the bill here. So, I am in group 3.

Maybe your friend is lucky he didn't get staff that killed this guy at St. George Hospital. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-31/adam-fitzpatrick-inquest-finds-doctors-conduct-unsatisfactory/103040812 "To help him breathe, staff performed a tracheostomy, inserting a tube into Mr Fitzpatrick's neck. According to the coroner's report, Mr Fitzpatrick's breathing tube became dislodged which medical staff did not notice in time, resulting in a lack of oxygen to his brain. On August 25, a perfusion scan confirmed Mr Fitzpatrick's brain death and he was pronounced dead that afternoon."

Not everyone has a VA Gold Card, although you still have not confirmed what pension you are actually on.

A quick Google of "children sent home to die from hospitals Australia" revealed pages of horror stories. I chose "children" because they are one of the most vulnerable demographic in the community, so you would think they would receive more medical attention. As we are from all different states in Australia, to show it's nationwide, here's just a few. Queensland. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/we-want-to-know-what-happened-baby-girl-dies-after-being-sent-home-from-queensland-hospital/news-story/c0b6e060bc4eda4e98e33e47b3c46ed6 "There, Toni and her partner Matthew were told their daughter’s breathing would be fine “once the Panadol kicked in” and Lola was discharged after two hours. The following morning, after continuing to monitor their daughter and setting up a mattress in her room, Lola was found lifeless on August 6." NSW. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/01/nsw-sepsis-death-pippa-white-coronial-inquest-ntwnfb "Pippa White died on 13 June 2022, two months before her third birthday, after doctors at two central west hospitals wrongly assumed she had an acute viral illness rather than the bacterial infection that resulted in her death." WA. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/perth-girl-13-dies-days-after-being-discharged-from-hospital-with-flu/news-story/411435730eb4939e1d7d6ce87815734e "Sharney Lee Mitchell stayed overnight at Joondalup Health Campus with influenza A on August 12 but was discharged the next day despite still suffering with aches and pains, according to her family who spoke with 7News. She died five days later at home, with paramedics called to her Perth home unable to save her." Victoria. https://www.9news.com.au/national/meningitis-sick-boy-was-so-much-worse-when-let-go-from-hospital-victoria-health-news/7bb8b727-613d-4160-ad4f-1f0c9adc517f "A severely ill toddler who died of meningitis was discharged from a regional Victorian hospital in a worse condition than when he was admitted, a coroner has heard." SA. https://www.kidspot.com.au/news/tragedy-as-12yo-dies-from-gastro-two-days-after-being-sent-home-from-hospital/news-story/c1bd5c51f3e84fa9eb0af64c8a6638f7 "The parents of a 12-year-old girl are in mourning after their daughter was discharged from a hospital with a stomach ache, only to die a couple of days later." NT. (adult) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-11/family-blames-mans-death-on-nt-health-negligence/104332328 "Nicholas Roma Tipungwuti died of a stroke in May 2022 after he presented to Royal Darwin Hospital and waited over 12 hours to be transported to Royal Adelaide Hospital." TAS. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-02/baby-died-after-launceston-general-hospital-failures-coroner/102287910 "A 19-month-old baby girl may still be alive if the Launceston General Hospital had followed its own procedures, a Tasmanian coroner has found." ACT. https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/canberra-hospital-death-child-rozalia-spadafora/a6b0a82f-133f-485f-a25d-44f6bc91924a "Concerned about her daughter, Katrina took her back to the GP, where she was told to go to Canberra Hospital, the only place where blood tests could be done after hours. Arriving around 7pm on July 4, Katrina said she was told by two nurses to take Rozalia home, and go to the doctor in the morning. And almost 30 hours after Rozalia arrived at Canberra Hospital, she went into cardiac arrest and died." There are many cases similar to these from each state. They are all reasonably recent. Could you honestly look these parents in the eye and tell them Medicare is good? In relation to your friend, I note he had a "freak fall" with severe injuries. Obviously, emergency surgery. However, you don't mention anything about "elective surgery." Have you heard the term before? An example would be a hip or knee replacement. A common procedure in for the elderly. If something like happened to your friend happened to an expat in Thailand, I doubt they would be allowed to board a plane, so we are really talking about returning for elective surgery. Have you heard of the term "Medicare waiting list?" Your post mentions nothing about the long waiting lists for elective surgery. The terms "elective surgery" and "waiting list" is central to the service, or lack thereof, of the public system, Medicare. Here's an Aussie doctor's website on a knee replacement. https://rhysclark.com.au/knee-replacement-surgery/how-much-does-a-knee-replacement-cost-australia/ Public System. "You will be placed on a waiting list for surgery after giving your agreement. This surgical waitlist can be months or years before you get your knee replacement." Private System. " If a knee replacement is advised after evaluating your needs, surgery can usually be scheduled six weeks after your visit to accommodate pre-operative physical therapy." Self Funded. "The entire cost of a knee replacement, including hospital stays, the prosthesis, and surgery expenses, often falls between $25,000 and $35,000." From a Queensland clinic's website. https://coastalorthopaedicsurgery.com.au/how-much-does-a-hip-or-knee-replacement-cost-in-australia/#:~:text=Public waiting lists for hip,but other factors weigh in. "Public waiting lists for hip and knee replacement are out of control; at time of writing it can be 3 years or more from date of GP referral to date of hip/knee replacement surgery in many public hospitals around Australia." If you, and others are happy with "whoever" you get for a surgery, after waiting, who knows how long, possibly years, most likely in daily pain, then fine. I'll go private, chose a top specialist, and get the operation done ASAP, and back to health sooner.

The "Big C" is one thing, and a poor example. What about bypasses, stents, prostate issues etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc, and more etc's? When it comes to health, anything is possible, at any time.

Too funny. In this thread, you said, and I quote, "Forget about Article 19." In the Property and Finance Forum, in a tax thread, you apologize to a member and state that under Article 19 he will have to pay tax. Do you deny this? Article 18 is subject to the "provisions" of Article 19, and Article 19 deals with government services pensions, not the aged pension. I posted a youtube video where a chartered accountant from Australia explains it. Another member screenshot it for this thread, You are posting like you accept it on the other thread, and posting like you don't accept it on this thread, then resort to a personal attack when picked up on it. Why email just one company? Cut and paste the same email and send it to at least six companies. Once again, you see one thing from one source and just accept it as across the board. You did this with Jim Quinn's comment on the DTA, despite three links from other ATO staff stating the opposite, because it suited your narrative. I would also suggest ringing / emailing from two different email addresses, or to speak with a second person from the companies. There's every chance you might get someone inexperienced or incompetent for the first reply. You may have to be inside Australia at the time of applying. I am not sure about this, because I have been privately insured for decades. Way longer before I moved to Thailand. What I do know is, as soon as I hop off the plane in Australia, I have private health insurance, because I have been paying their premiums. I am still a "financial" member, and in Australia. Go to a GP, get a referral for a specialist, go to the specialist, then operated on soon after. It's just as if Thailand had nothing to do with it. I am fully aware it is worthless to me outside of Australia. I am fully aware Medicare is worthless, FULL STOP, so I pay the premiums. Aussie expats relying on Medicare will be disappointed if / when they need treatment in Australia, but that's for another thread. Here's the ATO's information on non residents and private health insurance. https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/medicare-and-private-health-insurance/private-health-insurance-rebate/overseas-visitors-private-health-insurance-on-your-tax-return As an Australian citizen, you should be able to secure private health insurance. You may have a waiting period before you can claim, because you are not going from one company to the next, and, you may not get the rebate. Expect it to be expensive, possibly prohibitively so. Correct. However, you are paying for insurance inside Australia. They don't care where you live, as long as you pay them, but will have to return home for treatment. Why would it? Our circumstances are different. I've had the insurance for decades. You wish to apply for it from outside Australia, and at an older age, possibly with pre-existing conditions. This may or may not be an issue for one, or all of the companies. It will be interesting. You are trying to argue residency for tax purposes is a boundary to insurance in Australia. I still have a life insurance policy running. Before leaving, I got it in writing that the policy covers my life, world wide, and it does. I have properties in Australia. They are insured. Do you think they are not insured because I don't live in Australia? Same with my car in Australia. If a relative was driving my car and someone crashed into them, and the car was a write off, the money hits my back account. Nothing to do with my tax residency. The difference is, to claim on health insurance, you need to be inside Australia because private health insurance companies use Australian medical staff and hospitals. They have negotiated prices with surgeons and hospitals. I believe they even own some of the hospitals. You are taking it way too personally. It's been well discussed on many threads on this website about expats burning their bridges. I didn't with private health insurance, but it comes at a cost. I also didn't do it with a property for myself, and a vehicle, and a few other things. As discussed, to have the appearance of remaining "domiciled" in Australia, mainly for tax purposes, but also should I suffer a catastrophic injury or illness. If they say you must be inside of Australia to apply, is that some type of "victory" for you? Will you "bla bla bla bla" about it? What does it prove? You have to be in Australia to apply for the aged pension. Why don't you send two different type of emails, or phone calls. One saying you are in Thailand and want private insurance in Australia, and the other just asking about it and not telling them you are in Thailand? Do you even have an Australian address and phone number you can use? If you are declined over the phone / email, be sure to ask, "How long to I have to live in Australia again before I can apply?" I would find their reply interesting. If they say you just have to be in Australia at the time of applying, will you fly home for it? If you are refused over the phone / email, will you post on here that no Aussie expats can have private health insurance, when I do, and some of my friends do?

I see you are again posting inaccurate information, your interpretations, and poor advice to members. The "non resident" terminology Australian private health insurance companies use relates to migrant workers and for overseas students who are studying in Australia, also longer stay family visit visas. It has nothing to do with an Australian citizen's geographic choice of living, anywhere in the world. Basically, it means a Thai citizen, for example, can not insure themselves with a private health insurance company in Australia, and they are not even in Australia, not have they ever been. In other words, private health insurance companies only insure foreign nationals, if within Australia, legally. A foreign national can not insure with an Australian private health insurance company, need treatment, and fly to Australia for the treatment, similar to medical tourism. I continue to pay private health in Australia, and it's not cheap. It's absolutely worthless to me in Thailand, but if I have a major illness or injury, as soon as I get off the plane in Australia, I am straight to a doctor of my choice, and no doubt operated on days later, not months, or years later, like under Medicare. I have this in writing from them. It is not like Centerlink and re-establishing residency. If you "financial" with a private health insurance company, as soon as you are back on Australian soil, you are entitled to claim. It is like insuring a house in Australia, but you don't live in Australia. If the house burns down, the insurance company pays out. I am insured within Thailand, and when leaving Thailand, I get a short travel insurance policy, as I did last week for the Singapore F1. See the below link. That's the "non residents" they are talking about. https://www.medibank.com.au/overseas-health-insurance/

If someone is looking at retiring to Thailand in the near future, they probably should consider moving their 800k, buying a condo, buying a car (if they want a car) and living expenses for a while, and then staying outside of Thailand in that tax year. Moth ball the condo and car. Why risk paying tax on all the funds, for the sake of staying out of Thailand just for 6 months?

Your post indicates the Thai's will implement this policy to the letter of the law, for everyone. I don't have that confidence in them, for the majority of expats. My opinion is they will pull out the law book for high net worth individuals. For the rest, I have a feeling it very well may be another BS earner for visa / extension, paying for a TRD document, similar to the Certificate of Residence that we pay 300 baht for, but should be free. Time will tell.