HAPPYNUFF

Have had an LG  15 kg  load   twin tub for  12 years.    Just had     gears replaced, cost 1200 baht.      Only     fault is water discharge  is  slow, otherwise excellent.

Dan Kwian pottery markets have  many.        Forget the exact price,   but       somewhere around 500 baht, I think.

Dan Kwian  is  on Highway 224, ,  south,  between  Korat and  Chok Chai  lies Dan Kwian.   all along the road    thru  the  village  are many pottery works.

Not for me of course, was asking for a mate,   he has      bad dandruff  and  had     got in touch with a local  hospital here, till I told him of Jackd's   post..  Oh well, back to the drawing board.

I   forgot     the   most    straight forward news, Im sure my mate, who lives not far from me here wont mind. 

He worked until he was  67 years of age, Born and lived all his life in OZ.  Didnt know about the  (then scheme)  that  he could have   claimed a benefit payment for those who   continued working past the then  65 years retirement age, so missed out on   about  $3000.    However,  retired, at 67   as I said,,   the retirement age then being 65.    Made application  for the Age pension, got  supplied with a Customer Reference Number (CRN as  its called).     Travelled   from the  country town he  had worked in, with his missus and two kids.   Spent a few weeks in Perth,  made the big mistake of not checking with Centrelink as to the progress of his application, or advising them of his intentions of  relocating to here (his wife is Thai, with Oz permanent residency)    Packed up  and all flew here.      Waited, and waited, and waited.  After some months    phoned Centrelink, (the Age Pension office is In Hobart for   info,  ring them  if problems)      Was told no record of his application, he quoted his CRN,, never heard of it.    I assisted him over the next several month lodged notices, letters, appeals etc,  thought we were winning till the bombshell  struck when Centrelink pointed out the regulation that ALL persons, on first receiving the OAP, MUST   reside permanently in Oz before any portability of the pension is allowed.  (Holidays of up to 6 weeks duration are allowed) So  his application, which was never  located anyway, would have been rejected.          I know many on this forum dispute this, thats their right, but    ask around, and not just the guy on the next bar stool.

If you return to Oz,  and you are of age to receive the OAP,   your  first payment will be backdated from the date you lodged your application,  as it may take some  time   to process same.          Unfortunately , if you  decide to then leave Oz, for a period longer than 6 weeks,  your  total pension will cease  (you would have to re apply   if you should return.) 

It is a fact, as several mates of mine have found out, once granted    it is NOT portable,  that is   able to be paid to You overseas, until you have completed 2 years residency in OZ.    That  doesnt have to be in one stretch, you could go on six weeks holidays   in that time,  but the six weeks will be added on, until you do amass  the full 2 years.

As  for your mate  getting  $600 per fortnight,, the full SINGLE rate per  fortnight is now   in excess of $900,  that includes   extra payments given for telephone etc,   which amount to about   $60  per fortnight.  All   Ozzies who   reside overseas,  that is those  who Centrelink have identified, or who have confessed,   lose those extra benefits, so a FULL  SINGLE  rate pension would be in the high $800  per fortnight.         Your mate obviously has never notified Centrelink of  his decreasing $200,000 over the years, and they are still assessing him  as  having this.   If  he brings  up his file on the internet, with Centrelink,  he can adjust  his asset worth there, his pension  should then adjust accordingly.   I adjust mine    every 6 months or so.  In addition,  should his superannuation  fund balance have grown in   value,,,half his luck,,... this  will have also  affected his pension,  as Centrelink can access  any persons pension fund, b ut not their bank balance, legally.

I have heard some wonderful  stories from OZZies here, alleging how they retired at 40 cashed in their  huge super and left...That is not possible, until  you are 60 years of age, where are PORTION,, theunsecured section, can be withdrawn, once you pay the FULL  taxation rate, which starts at 30 cents in the $, increasing rapidly to 45 cents in the dollar.    As an addendum, I know of  some  who live here permanently, but havent disclosed that, and have not yet been found out,,,I shudder to think  what the tax man is going to do to  their assets in Oz  when they   die.as  many still  own houses there and  hold bank accounts, to receive their pension.

Hey Moonlover, you may, by chance , have noticed I used the word ""unannounced  visit:"  in my original   story..      Scott Morrison confirmed this   by   "announcing""   thought the  visit was    known beforehand, the government chose not  to "announce it""  to the   public..     Got the fact  right now??

Not many customers, profits down???   do the usual Thai thing, increase     your prices.

Please dont knock  it. I have the sole contract to supply    the "Sacred" Thai army,  the Royal Thai Police,  and all parliamentarians, with several thousands of gallons of black hair dye each month .  Its a nice little money earner for me, and Im now negotiating  to get  all the school teachers  on board...   Im also working on  the supply of girdles to all those  fat little generals.

And if, by some chance,  you should  just "happen" to find the   odd banknote,, stuffed in a brown envelope ,, in  your pocket, you are instructed to hand it into your superior immediately.

Someone obviously left the door to the loony bin unlocked for this     sad   thing to walk free.

I   get the impression Liverpool Lou  is a fan of Red Bull by his    frowns  on  others comments.   But maybe he just wears a green or brown uniform of a certain country, and is paid a 100 baht per entry.

For his information, Interpol is  merely a secretariat, based in Brussels,  that  acts as an "office" as it were, for  those  International Police Forces that subscribe to it.  They gather , collate and broadcast  to  those participating forces, notices, alerts and information  as to  wanted persons, suspect activities etc.      If a 'red notice" is issued, it  due to a request from the submitting force, advising an arrest warrant has been issued in that country for  a named fugitive, with the request, any other force locating the named person, to arrest and detain that person, whilst  the originating force  then sends officers to the holding country, with the appropriate  documentation, to seek, through the courts there, the extradition of the  wanted persons.  Interpol officers have  no actual powers of arrest, they are merely  collectors and collators, despite lurid stories in the media as to their "supposed" activities,  and no, I didnt  just read about this,  I  participated in  it  in another life.

Well, at least      the broadcasts  put out at present, with numerous breakdowns,  changed programmes,   and the 8pm  follies  of a certain family on one channel in particular  couldnt get much worse,,,,or can they??

When I transferred  the   required   money I use  for    Visa extension purposes  from one bank  to another,,,at the  demand of an Immigration officer, who   claimed      my original  Thai bank was not  allowed for that purpose???,,   I   inquired about    that  cash   going to my wife , on my  demise.     Both her and I signed   countless documents,  far more  than usual  for  just simply opening an account as in the past.    They were all in Thai of course, but my wife  assured me  they were for the purpose  of her eventually   gaining the money.    I  also have a Thai will,   bequeathing   her   my Thai assets.  However, I believe   she will still need to file for probate with the court to eventually    be given  this money. 

They were minding them for a friend.

Thanks UbonJoe,   after I get mobile again, I would still prefer  to use an agent in future, the drive to the I.O, is getting longer as I age.

Anyone  able to provide  info.?

Heck, I menionted this  article to my son, as he and his wife and kids  are "thinking "of  visiting here  later  in 2022.    His reply,    Gee I was planning on spending at least One trillion  myslef alone, doesnt everyone??

Im  getting on to  T.A.T   first thing Monday to tell them, so they can revise their figures.

Anyone know of a good and reliable Visa Agent in Korat, Im  presently laid up with an injury  and cant attend    Immigration in person.

I had the same problem.  In the Electrical forum here, this  is discussed  and   told how to fix.    I  tried it and it worked.   The problem is  seals   in the pump wear and allow excess water into the  lower tank on the pump, causing   the motor to switch on/off repeatedly...               These  seals  need replacing   about each 5 years im told.   Had it done by local handyman, seals cost about 50 baht.  Gave the  guy 300 baht  for   hours work. Cheap.

For  you to do.....turn off  electric to pump, unplug    motor for  security.  Turn off inlet water tap/s,  turn on outlet hose somewhere, to reduce  water pressure in tank.  Then  unscrew black plug at bottom of water tank on pump.  A considerable amount of water will  eject...Let it all drain out.  Then reverse procedure...replace  tank plug, close   outlet tap,  turn on inlet tap/s to  pump,  plug in  electric and switch on.  Pump should  start and run for maybe 30 seconds  first time, then switch off.   You will need to do this  probably every week at least in the future, as I do, even after the seals were replaced.. My motor (Mitsubishi)  about  12 years old.