4MyEgo

Means diddly squat until it becomes legislation, so until it does, shouldn't even worry about it, just like the way I am not worrying about the Thai "proposed" changes to their overseas remittance regulations. Yes they are deemed as an income. The Age Pension forms part of your taxable income. However, if it is your only source of retirement income, you will pay no tax. If you're on the Age Pension, you also receive health benefits and reduced charges on rates, telephones, gas and electricity, car registration and public transport. The difference between the tax threshold of $18,200 for residents, which is not taxable if it's the only source of income Vs the no tax threshold for non residents on the aged pension is a mere $8,450, however this can be offset with SAPTO, and non residents can apply for this $2,230 amount which would reduce the tax payable for a non resident to $6,220 or around $120 per week. If a single pensioner was to receive $26,000 for the year as a non resident, take out his tax of $6,220 after the SAPTO offset, he would end up with $19,780 or 45,494 baht based on 23 baht to the $, which is still feasible to live on in Thailand for a single bloke, Vs trying to live in Oz on $26,000 per year + rental assistance, Energy Allowance etc etc, suffice to say last time I checked a 1960's one bedroom unit within a 15km range of Sydney CBD (south) would cost you about your pension, including electricity, if you could find one. At the end of the day, I personally don't know of any pensions living here that pay tax on their aged pensions, are they supposed to, sure, but who cares, will the ATO deduct it from their pensions in the future, who knows, and who cares, it's irrelevant, that said, I doubt that they would deduct it, it would be more than likely that Services Australia would, but again, what's the point of worrying about something that hasn't happened, worry about it when it does, it's not a matter of being right or wrong or trying to push your point across, seriously, know one cares, it's still a good earner for those retiring in Thailand, remembering that they are allowed to have a certain amount of money to counter any short falls, albeit it they will pay additional taxes via the Deeming Rate, totally different story, but hey 45,494 baht after tax is still ok as I support a family of 4 for around 60,000 baht a month and we live a good life on that amount. I do believe others have been trying to tell you to give it a rest, but you seem fixated and hell bent on wanting it to come to fruition so that you can say, see I told you so, that said, best let it rest, in other words, WE don't care.

Yeh, nah, can't upset someone because of their religious beliefs now can yah. Australia has turned into a multi-cultural soft c-ck society and everyone hates everyone's guts, but tolerate each other, they are all racists in my opinion. I often wonder how those who strongly believe in the great "Australian Dream" are going, i.e. of owing their own home, now mortgaged to the hilt with 13 interest rate rises in the past 17 months, oops, didn't see that one coming. We won't mention the rise in the cost of living, for just the basic stuff. Mate of mine was telling me today that his air conditioner stopped working, he put in a call to the air con people, Tuesday week is the earliest we can have a look at it sir, yeh ok fine, that will be $135 for the call out and $135 for the 1st hour, do you wish to pay with Visa or Mastercard before our serviceman calls out. Poor b-stard can't wait to move here, still got 4 years before he can get the age pension and asked me what was wrong with my air con about 6 months ago as he recalled that I too had a problem back then too, I said, the mouse/rat decided to bite into the wire, local air con guy rocked up, did his thing with the wires, and an hour later, ripped my left arm off at 400 baht Been here 8 years and enjoy only seeing Thai's, and of course the mix of expat farangs from time to time too, none of those other dirty ones that just made living in Australia not worth it in the long run, for those of you who live in NSW, you will know which ones I am talking about, there are about 3 races, they don't assimilate and complain about everything and feel entitled. Australia was fine when they let the Greeks, Italians, Yugo's and the like in back in the 1950's onwards, they worked, kept their gobs shut and then they let all the c-r-a-p-p-y ones in the 1970's and then the 2000's. There are so many rules and regulations that if one passed wind, he would be fined, I loath the way Australia turned out, ah the lucky country has gone to waste in my opinion. Great place for a holiday, but you can keep your million + $'s 100 square metre 3 bedder and the mortgage which will keep you working 6/th's of your life, I'll take Thailand any day and enjoy doing what I enjoy doing without the added stresses of the Nanny State thank you very much. Did I mention, the beers cheap here

Thx, as I mentioned in the reply above to hotandsticky, things must have changed since I last travelled, and I was talking from my experience and sighting of AirAsia's policy regarding documents required to board domestic flights at the time. But good to know now for future travel, which in any case I would have a passport with me, because sometimes it just isn't worth the argument.

Things may have changed from when I last flew domestically, i.e. years ago, however, here is one from Bangkok Airways that I found on Google: Foreign Passenger Passport or another identity document issued by the embassy of citizenship such as an Emergency passport or Emergency travel certificate. Non-Thai Identification Card (Alien Card) or another identity document issued under the Alien Registration Act B.E. 2493. Migrant travel documents and United Nations (UN) laissez-passers. https://www.bangkokair.com/travel-document

2 years is only required if one was a former resident, according to legislation, i.e. came back and applied as you suggest. https://guides.dss.gov.au/social-security-guide/7/1/4 Centrelink can deny them portability, but will need a damn good reason, that said, one can appeal as most do. For those reasons, I intend on returning at age 65 for 2 years, work, full or part time, then after my 2 years is up, I am out of there, they cannot deny me as I was a resident from 65, I didn't return at 67 as a former resident. The above path is the cleanest with no issues as one would have been in the country for 2 years prior to the application, i.e. a resident, not a non resident returning to claim the aged pension. 5 years is a long time, but each to their own.

Passports are given back, you return later with your passport to get the stamp (the return date for the stamp will be provided). Enjoy your time in Chiang Mai.

Your breath smells of cat urine and mouth wash in one.

DoHome have some good PVC gutters and downpipes, white or brown, plus all of the accessories. They will even tell you how many metres apart to put downpipes, 4 metres from memory as the rainfall can be heavy here. We have gutters on one side which is 32 metres and about 5 downpipes, so that's about 6 metres away from each other, there is also side which is 10 metres in length, so one downpipe at each end. I would recommend at least 5 metres, no more for each downpipe. HIGHLY RECOMMEND> We also dug a trench and ran pipes under the ground and 6 pits with those concrete circular things one on top of each other for the build up, e.g. downpipes lead into the pit from the bottom and when 3/4 full, the water then proceeds to the next one and so on and so forth until it hits it's destination, i.e. out into the street. Cost wasn't that expensive, and we got a local rice farmer builder install them for about 30 baht a metre, if memory serves me. Make sure you check them for leaves every month if you have trees around as we do and those leaves do fill them up pretty quickly.

AirAsia require all non Thai's to have a valid passport when travelling on domestic routes within Thailand. I got on a flight at Udon Thani using my pink ID card, however was pulled up at Phuket upon my return flight, the young lady behind the counter as pretty as she were, also had a brain, and showed me the policy on her computer, suffice to say I gave her my passport, she didn't require anything else of me, which was a waste IMO

What a downer

Ah, your opening a can of worms Georgie. Mum died while I was here in Thailand during the Covid restrictions when we weren't allowed to fly and she sadly died alone in hospital. I felt sad when she passed as one would normally do, given the fact that she was in her mid 80's and having a lot of underlying conditions, it made it a little more easier to accept, suffice to say life at the end wasn't so great for her as I remember during Covid she said if she passes, she is ready, and not to worry, she declined to get vaccinated, (her choice), it was around that time where a lot of people in nursing homes were dying, and people saying it had to do with the vaccine. Life was not so great for her, post WW11, her mother died when she was 8, the daughter of 6 kids, moved overseas when she was 21 leaving her family back there never to see them again and staying with an Auntie in her new country. She then married my dad (pen friend), they were not suited for each other at all, 4 kids later, 2 nervous breakdowns, kids in boys homes for months on end at a time, what a sheeet fight surviving that, she was strong, a hard worker and would never say no to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, as much as they would fleece her, as for emotions and hugs, next !!! I learned a long time ago to accept that we are all going to die one day, having seen very close friends, and my brother pass way before their age (whatever that is), and my dad in his early 70's, kind of sets you up for reality. As I am retired there was no time off work required for my mum's passing, and I remember when dad passed, I went to work and the boss told me to take time off, with my reply being, keeping busy makes it easier for me, that's the way I work, and he said he understood, but the offer was there to which I said I appreciate it. I suppose when one looks at their age, they can say that life goes by so quick, however I have had such a full life, that I can say that it has gone by at a nice pace for me, and that I appreciate every recollection of past experiences, good and bad, friends current and past, those who spent their time sharing their advice and life stories which also helps in structuring your outlook on life. I am still sucking the life out of life, until my last breath, because it has been a really interesting journey, only getting better as I mature, with very few regrets, the biggest one, not putting to bed the 1st girl I kissed, guess 14 and motocross riding with mates was a stupid age for someone

No other choice really, government doesn't provide support like in other countries, yet Thailand has a lot of rich people and one has to wonder where all the taxes goes ?

I don't think the tourist fully understood that the bargirl he was going back to the hotel with was actually a Ladyboy, as far as I understand, bargirls don't set up farangs for robbery once they have paid the bar fine and 4,200 baht bar fine I find to be incorrect, perhaps 1,200 baht and 3,000 baht for the "girl". I have heard many stories were they go back to the room, mobile rings, oh no, sorry, no can do, my sister have motorbike accident in hospital, must go, or period come, etc etc, the farangs are mostly amicable about letting them go. They also forgo the bar fine that they paid, although I do know a guy who went back and collected his bar fine back, but not from the bar owner, but from the girl he bar fined in advance, e.g. he was with her the previous night, (fell in love) went back to the bar and paid the bar owner for the remaining 13 nights he was going to be there. Owner later that night called the girl to come in as she was a no show, told her to give him his money back, which she did from the ATM, he later found out that she ditched him for a younger bloke.....LOL

Hope he enjoys the free accommodation and food where he's going for a long time.

A few too many to try and swallow before the bust I would imagine ?

Could most of them be the ones that returned due to failed farang relationships, no house or car made out of that time with Mr Farang, or gambled it all. Women do change in looks after a decade or so, especially if they don't have the baht coming in from their supporter. Just thinking out aloud.

Have you not heard that they already pay voters, my wife and her family always get a few hundred baht to vote for political parties, it's part of the system here, it's just not in the open to westerners.

Looks like speed was the factor once again, but no mention of that, where were the police presence, speed cameras, etc etc, plus, no doubt the wet weather played a part which Thai's from my experience tend to pick up speed when it's raining. Fortunately no one has died, yet.

In my opinion, it's always worth a few $'s to seek out legal advice, know what it's going to cost you, (shop around), then have agreements made, signed, witnessed and sealed by the court (western way), not sure about Thailand, but when in an area your not sure of, you don't want her coming at you down the track. When I separated with my X (westerner), we were on good terms, and didn't see any reason to get divorced, we sold our house, split the money 50/50 and kept our own superannuation accounts. We had a child who was 18 months old and agreed to share care, week on, week off. Everything was fine until one day I was speaking to a guy who said, W-T-F- you NEED to get a lawyer asap, otherwise she can come after you a decade down the track, that said, I saw a lawyer who said I was lucky that I didn't leave it any longer, he drafted documents stating what transpired and what we agreed to, the X then sort legal advice, and then my lawyer received a letter saying that my X didn't agree to it but was forced into it and was seeking a further 20%. I then approached my X and asked her, what's going on, and she said that she was listening to her lawyer, and added that everything was fine until I went to see a lawyer, and I explained to her again that before she got the letter, that I was seeing a lawyer because it was best that everything was documented and signed off by the court so that we wouldn't have any issues in the future and she said, she was ok with it, but changed her tune after she saw a lawyer. She said that her lawyer said that she was entitled to more, I then said, if you want more, I will give you more, but that is not what we agreed upon, and if it is more that you want, then be prepared to lose at least $160,000 in lawyers fees and 2 years going through the courts, if you don't believe me ask your lawyer how much it will cost you if I contest her extra 20%, and then see if the math works in her favour, because I WILL go to court just on principal and burn $160,000 and make sure she gets nothing more as I would shift my monies. I received a call from her a couple of days later saying that she signed the documents to what we agreed on previously and her lawyer signed a waiver stating that she advised her client that she considered the agreement was not in her clients best interest, the court however signed off on it. Get legal advice at the very least, then if you require representation, you will know what it will cost you.

That's called attempting to re-educate the uneducated, good luck with that after the 7 year growth factor.

When the keystone cops here get serious and start booking people, day in, day out, then and then only then will you see lives saved. The above said, they would have to keep it up, but they're too busy getting tea money from schools to direct traffic during the morning and afternoon. So it remains the typical Thai attitude of "up to you".

If you don't react, there is nothing, zero, the reaction can go on forever and get you worked up over what, "nothing", make you post/reply and move forward, you can always block people, I do it all the time. I don't take sides, just giving you some simple advice, take it or leave it, "up to you", besides I like a simple forum where I can read through things with ease as opposed to reading everyone's angst, it's a bit of a spoiler.

That's the way.

transam & bignok have stolen the post, settled down lads, kiss and make up and lets move on.

Yes, my wife's children, now "adults" which we have raised since they were in their dippers, don't even acknowledge us, unless we say good morning, afternoon etc, albeit they will give us a hug when they go out. They won't even ask to eat, it has to be us to ask them you hungry, then look out, it's as if they have been starving. Sister-in-law comes over, walks in, sits down, doesn't even acknowledge me, that said, know the girl since 17 years ago, family adores me, it's just a cultural thing, but if I say, hey bla bla how are you, she will reply I am fine Ka. I think the whole culture is shy, not confident in communicating language wise, albeit when the wife's kids speak Thai in the house or the wife Thai to them, I step in and say oi, ENGLISH, how else are you going to make it in this world with one language, especially when your mother has Citizenship to my country and you WILL earn 11 x's what you make here in a year, thick as bricks at times I tell you