4MyEgo

I don't live my life worrying about Tax Regulations in the LOS or Article 19 of the DTA as it doesn't effect me.

You think to much and your math escapes you, read the post again, I said I came here when I was in my mid 40's, returned a few years later, now a few years can be a few or many in my opinion, but for the record, 9 years, so mid 40's (46) to be exact + 9 = 55, left school in year 10 @ 16, so according to my math, that's as close to 40 years working as you'll get. Government job for 10 years with loads of O/T, i.e. 13 days a fortnight worked, was allowed to take super out in full back then, through that into a property (investment). Later changing jobs, further studying 3 nights a week, 2 courses, 6 years, meant increased salaries as I climbed the ladder. Some cash, investments along the way, no point in letting your $ get eaten by inflation along the way. Divorce was a 50/50 split with one child, child support minimal due to shared care arrangements, no set backs, actually encouraged me to go harder. I wouldn't qualify for the age pension, nor would I wish to return for the chump change they would pay me, I mean what is it, 40,000 baht a month, I require double that to live a decent lifestyle here, nothing over the top and no debts of course, so I rely on my tax free investments to provide me with more than that, regardless of the current global economic climate challengers. Returning to Oz to get the age pension, means you need to fork out double what you would receive in those 2 years, e.g. you spend 4 years of age pension money to survive for those two years in Oz, and that would be doing it tight, so by the time you break even your 71, so how many more years are you going to live for, sure we all like to think forever, but the 2 years wasted in that very expensive country isn't worth the grief, unless you need the $'s. I mean your age pension would be used to pay all of your rent and some depending on whether you want to live in a garage conversion at the back of someone's house or rent a room, (Sydney). As mentioned, I retired at 55 comfortably, like I said from working my ringer off for 40 years and making the right investments, still do, only the have been tax free for the last decade being a non resident for tax purposes. I could have stayed earning 6 figures + as my m8's do, but what an existence, one leaves home at 8am and returns at 8pm 6 days a week, to pay $1,000 a week on the 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit he rents with his girlfriend, then you have the cost of living on top of that, whereas you say move to a cheaper country and live your life off of your investments, with a cheap girl....LoL. Going back for the age pension is for the unfortunate ones who didn't work hard enough, didn't invest, plan, or lost it all in a divorce or through bad investments. I am happy to donate my old age pension to someone more needy than me thanks.

I take it you didn't see the video where he kicked her in the back ?

Interesting, I just renewed my Passport online, they didn't require my old Passport, it was a one page form, pretty straight forward and I had my new Passport delivered to my address within 7 days. Several countries allow online passport renewal, including Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, Finland, and the United Kingdom. The UK also offers a simplified online renewal process through services like My British Passport. Australia allows online application forms to be downloaded and lodged at an Australia Embassy if overseas, effectively providing an online renewal process. No need to travel, perhaps other Embassies should get their sheet together LoL

This varies on aircraft flight policies, I know with AirAsia, I was aloud to board with my Pink ID, but on the way back, wasn't, so I was shown their policy, which stated all foreigners must board with a Passport. Rarely will your Embassy hold your Passport, I would take a photocopy in case, and or ask them for a letter to give to the airline advising them that they are holding it for such and such reason. Good luck

What about: 3. Those of us that worked their ringers off for 40 years, came to Thailand in their mid 40's, met a girl (bar girls) if you like, then returned a few years later and have been here for a decade enjoying life off of their investments vs still having to work to survive back in their home countries where everyone is screaming that the cost of living is unaffordable ?

Sounds like someone is looking to make a quick exit LoL

Either way, no skin off of my nose, that said, I would have preferred to hear that he went out with a plastic bag, hands tied behind his back, then untied, you know, and eye for an eye way, but glad this piece of sheet is gone. The above said, suicide assisted in my opinion.

I should have been more specific, i.e. travelling with kids and the Mrs, but thanks anyways. The same applies at my destination when entering, as I recall our last trip in 2022. We all had to go to the counter with the kids, although if it were just me and the Mrs with our E-Passports, straight through after using the machine. Leaving the country, we had to scan our Passports and get our photo taken, but still had to stop at the counter to get the exit stamp in our Passports. Foreigners with ordinary passports, and children and the disabled, although holding e-passports, would still be required to go through the ordinary channels manned by officials. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2703086/auto-checkout-at-suvarnabhumi-for-foreigners-from-friday

I would love to know how they traced and captured him without a licence plate, and I thought I read he surrendered ? Lots if holes in this story, but hey, the main thing is he didn't abscond LOL 5 years in the slammer should give him time to calm down and the wife to have moved on as opposed to staying with this piece of work.

I might be behind the times a little, but last time I left Swampy, it was 2022 with a re-entry, that said, I am off again soon, with a re-entry. can you please advise: 1) What are these new Auto gates and what are they used for ? 2) Should I go through them ? 3) Do they stamp your Passport ? 4) I will be travelling with Thai family, so can they also go through these new Auto gates, if I can ? Apologies for all the questions, but trying to stay relevant as I age and the world keeps turning, faster than I can keep up with it.

Typical This is what they wait for, did anyone call the police, no, just deck him and cause possible brain damage or death, for what, a guy acting stupid, that's what you call the cops for, but then again, I suppose some people's Ego's are bigger than mine.

He is talking about returning from overseas to do an annual extension, regardless if he stays in a hotel overnight, and yes we know the hotel would have to submit a TM30, he still has to go to his immigration office to notify them of his return, i.e. as I mentioned earlier, if his immigration is as strict as others, i.e. they all have their own rules. I have returned from overseas on many occasions and stayed in a hotel for up to a week, but still had to report to immigration office in my province to let them know that I'm back in my province. It is what it is, and as I mentioned previously, it doesn't take one second.

Agree with you 100% on the above. Kudos for you for finding a suitable place to take care of you and help you on the road to recovery. I lost a brother and a father to the drink, it's a terrible disease and has shattered many families and destroyed many people's lives. I don't drink much, a couple of small light beers when socialising a couple of nights a week, and no alcohol at home. Friend of mine has been off the drink for over a decade after seeking help, he voluntarily checked himself in for 2 weeks while running a business, took meds for a year or so, and hasn't touched a drink since, that said, he does crave it though, but drinking 6 large ones followed by 2 bottles of red at night after work, everyday would have ended him if he didn't believe he had a problem. He actually asked me if I thought he drank too much, we used to meet up once a week with a few of the lads, have a meal, and a couple of beers, then play some stick, he would leave after his second drink, unbeknownst to me, he wanted to get home to drink more and not be over the limit (booze buses). When he asked, he said he had heard that I lost my brother and wanted to know how much he drank and then opened up, I said, black and white, no gray in between, if you want to come and visit my brother one day to see your future resting place, keep drinking, that hit him straight between the eyes. I have the utmost respect for him to this day, and of course am sad that my late brother couldn't have done the same, but his alcoholism was different, he had a lot of pain due to be busted up from accidents, and there is only so much pain relief, painkillers can offer, then it's the hardcore stuff. Best of luck in your recovery.

How does it take one second ? I am travelling out of Thailand this year, fortunately I return on a Friday night and after getting a connecting flight from Bangkok to my province airport, I would arrive home around 10pm, so I would be pretty knackered, and will have the weekend to shake off the jetlag, that said, on Monday morning I will have a 1 hour 30 minute drive to my immigration office to advise them that I am back. My TM30 will take a minute after I arrive at the immigration office, and being the 1st cab off the rank, so to speak, but more so 3 hours + when taking the driving into consideration. Would love for them to accept "I'm back over the phone" one day or online, but that would be easy, as they need to shuffle paper from my experience, LOL.