SHA 2 BKK

I had BUPA which has now morphed into Allianz since my family arrived in the Kingdom 10 years ago. We've never had a claim rejected and are covered Globally (Except US). Two weeks ago I had to undergo an Operation - Allianz approved my prepay in 5 days after the doctors report and I had two nights in the Bangkok Hospital. I am very sure there are cheaper options and I could also afford to self insure, but I'm sticking with Allianz. Just my experience.

Set it up in Labuan - Malaysia. You have to go there once a year for the meeting which for me is a bit of fun. Structure it right - no income tax but you have to spend about 20,000 Ringgit in Labuan to keep the status.

Oh I concur. I have been visiting China since the early 90’s and lived in Shanghai for three years. They drove much like Thais do today and using a Zebra Crossings was a big no no (sound familiar?). I went back to China last month for the first time in about 8 years. My Chinese friend stepped onto a Zebra crossing without fear. With trepidation I followed. Bugger me dead drivers stopped to let us cross. This happened several times and I was moved to ask my friend what had changed. Cameras. They are everywhere and road rules are strictly enforced. Infrastructure is also so much better and China has made huge leaps and bounds on its road safety.

True cobber. Much better to be a God Fearing, Freedom Loving Septic then them there freely medicated Canucks.

Like Canadians and their neighbours from the US.

You get it cancelled on the same day you get your LTR Visa. I take it you are in Thailand. It’s all done at the One Stop Shop which I think has now moved to One Bangkok. First go to the BOI LTR office with all your paperwork. You will have the approval and I think some other letter. The BOI staff will guide your through. Immigration at the One Stop Shop will cancel your old visa and insert your LTR. No more 90 Day reports and of course no taxation on funds remitted AFTER you get the VISA. Well done.

Even that doesn’t work in the Australian context. Australia has no tariffs on US goods. So it’s a bit rich to say the US is putting a 10% “reciprocal” tariff on Australia when no tariff exists in the first place.

Well I can't agree with that. Australia is the opposite. It has a trade deficit with the USA. So the US sells more to Australia than Australia exports back. In return our American "friends" still imposed a 10% tariff on Australian exports to Uncle Sam. An no - don't use the US Beef go around as an excuse - US Beef if not banned in Australia as long as it can be traced back 100% to a US Herd (no Canadian or Mexican intermingling to avoid BSE). Besides Australians wouldn't buy US Beef. It's far more expensive than Australian Beef and it's also not to Australian tastes.

Err yes they can courtesy of Google AI Overview - but US Beef is not banned in Australia if it can be traced to be pure US Beef. US Beef is often crossed with Canadian and Mexican stock and lacks traceability thus problems in imports. Fun fact, before BSE, Australia did import some US Beef mainly for the restaurant chain Sizzlers. But price and also safety concerns have negated any exports since. "BSE, or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease), primarily spreads within bovine herds through the consumption of meat and bone meal (MBM) contaminated with the BSE agent, a misfolded protein called a prion. Here's a more detailed explanation: The Cause: BSE is caused by a prion, a misfolded protein that can induce normally folded proteins to become misfolded, leading to brain damage and death. Transmission: The primary route of transmission is through the consumption of MBM derived from infected cattle, which contains the BSE prion. Contaminated Feed: Cattle can become infected by eating feed that contains MBM, especially if the MBM contains tissues from other cattle that have BSE or scrapie (a similar prion disease in sheep).

Counterfeit Tax Samps! Bugger the Fentanyl - the Mexican Cartels might get into the production and distribution of the said. Probably a decent quid in it.

Be like like the “Boot Leg” era in the States. Instead of Grog though you will get Speakeasy’s filled with smuggled imported goods. Secret hideaways with IPhones, Computers and other contraband other Freedom loving Yanks, not in the know, will have to pay Trumps Tax on to access. Looking forward to some old fashioned shootouts. “Hand over those un-tarrifed bottles of Canadian Maple Syrup and Australian Beef” the FBI will say on a “steak out”.

Australia has zero Tariffs on US imported goods (as the the Heard and McDonald Pengiun infested isles) but Uncle Sam still slams a 10% tariff on it. Apparently unhappy that Aussies don't want to buy substandard Yankee Beef (there is no ban on US Beef) coming to Australia) and the fact that Australians have access to cheap life saving medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Can's see Thailand or Vietnam getting much traction on this given their clunky bureaucracy's and the refusal of the US to even talk.

Geez Cobber. You sound like a whinging Pom not a proper Yank. Anyway you can get a LHD Permit for non converted vehicles. BTW on your extended holiday what type of vehicle did you drive - LHD or RHD??

Mate you’ve obviously never driven from Townsville to Mount Isa - where apart from a road that stretches forever, you have to contend with, Kangaroos, Cattle, Sheep Emus and bloody long Road Trains. To allow the widespread use of left hand drive vehicles on our roads would be more suicidal than driving Rama II to Hua Hin in a Thunderstorm!

So Australia should just allow cars to drive on the wrong side of the road just to please US Car Manufacturers? Your obviously desperate here Cobber. And on Moo Cows!! Does Australia ban US beef imports? Australia introduced a ban on US beef imports in 2003, in response to an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease. It was technically lifted in 2019, subject to an ongoing biosecurity review that in practice means no imports of fresh beef. The sticking point is the US’s reliance on live cattle imports from Canada and Mexico to bolster its national herd. So by protecting the lives of Australians by stopping cars driving on the wrong side of the road and not allowing the spread of mad cow disease among it’s citizens (it can also spread to Australias Beef herd) as well as subsidising life medicines - Australia seems to have drawn the ire Mr Trump and his cronies. But I do agree with one of your points cobber, I do seriously question the IQ of some on this forum.

They are not reciprocal Tariffs. Australia has a Trade Deficit with the United States. Australia has zero tariffs in place on US products. But is it with a 10% tariff on its exports to the United States. Australia has made it clear it is not joining the madness and won’t be reciprocating with tariffs on US imports. That’s just an extra Tax on Australian families. Apparently big pharma doesn’t like Australias Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which subsidies medicines to millions of Australians and Mr Trump and his cronies thought this unfair. So no. They are not reciprocal Tariffs - they are just plain dumb.

Not sure it will work. Norfolk Island doesn’t export anything to the USA but got a 29% Tariff. And how will the penguins and seals of Heard Island negotiate for lower tariffs?

Nope. Australia wont do that. It’s a tax on Australians. We don’t believe in Taxation Without Representation.

Actually the current Government put a plebiscite to the Australian People regarding having a voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Unfortunately IMHO it was lost. The Australian High Court in 1992 through yhe “Mabo Decision” rejected the notion of “Terra Nullius” or “Nobody’s Land” prior to foreign settlement. This decision was codified by the Keating Government in 1993 through its Native Title Legislation. Since that time many Traditional Owners have reclaimed the land that they have cared for for over 40,000 years where Native Title was not extinguished and traditional practices continued. Perhaps it’s best not to throw stones where Glasshouses are concerned.

Australia has no tariffs on US products cobber. Zip, zero, zilch. Australian consumers don’t pay a tax on any imported US products.

But Australia has no Tariffs with the United States. And the Prime Minister has announced Australia won’t reciprocate. Indeed as I pointed out earlier the United States sells more to Australia than Australia exports to the US. There is a long standing Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Australia which Australia honors. So given there are no tariffs on US Exports to Australia and the US maintains a surplus with Australia, why has the US imposed a 10% on Australian exports to the US - tariffs which will be paid for by US consumers? In the immortal words of Pauline Hanson “Please Explain”?

I disagree. Both my daughters just purchased new houses. First time home buyers and before they turned 30. My parents downsized and got a brand new house with money in the bank. Interest rates are historically low. However I must add in all the above cases they didn’t overspend on some “McMansion” and they all live in regional Australia not one of the Capital Cities that has seen a growth in land prices similar to central Bangkok. They all have good paying jobs, free medical care and my daughters now have wonder kids to raise. The moral of the story is if you don’t want to live in the Capital Cities and enjoy the delights of regional Australia like camping, fishing and crabbing, housing is very affordable. The market decides housing prices - not the Government. BTW my dear old Aunt didn’t mind the increase in property values. The house she grew up in, raised a family of 7 kids and has now sold to fund her stay at a retirement village added great value to her family even though it was hand built by her father 80 years ago.

“U.S. goods exports to Australia in 2024 were $34.6 billion, up 3.1 percent ($1 billion) from 2023. U.S. goods imports from Australia totaled $16.7 billion in 2024, up 4.7 percent ($745.7 million) from 2023.” US Trade Representative to Australia. So even though the USA has a trade surplus with Australia, Australia is hit with a 10% tariff. Australia, a nation that has supported the USA in many efforts when called upon -from teams flown across the pacific to help fight forest fires to serving beside US troops in Korea, Vietnam (when most nations turned their backs on the US) Iraq 1 and 2 and Afghanistan. We house highly secret US bases in Australia that help keep Americans safe. Yet our faithfulness and open trade with the USA (which works in America’s favour) is rewarded with a 10% tariff. Apparently Big Pharma is cranky at Australias subsided Medicine System. It’s a “barrier” to the rape and pillage approach in the American Health System. I know and have served with many decent and Honourable Americans. They are my friends. The sadness in me stems from this. Friends don’t treat friends like this.

I was at a similar funeral last month. Around came the lottery seller. Into the Temple Grounds. Those in attendance asked the Monk to choose the lucky tickets which he obligingly did. They say Australians would bet on two flys crawling up a wall - but I couldn’t imagine even the most well seasoned punter having a bet at the Church during a funeral.

Unfortunately I can’t see Rama II being finished by then.