Mousehound

OK - I just got a message from Rueben Kooperman.

The office is "expected to be open sometime in March".

See post #19

I think we get the message that they are not open.

Did they advise when they will be open?

Regards

Will

I am afraid not - just that they would let me know when they do open. I thought I would try again in a few days and try to get a more exact reply. I also expect to be able to get into Perth in the next week or so and will go and try the office address personally. I shall keep everyone informed naturally.

S

See post #19

I have followed professional advice many times and always lost a heap of money. The few times I took a punt on a hunch I have made at least a small profit. I have made most money on a case of 1971 Grange Hermitage I got for $8 a bottle to mark the birth of my daughter. It is worth a packet now. Sure I have kept it a while. If I had some cash right now I would look at oil futures. It may be high but the demand is ever increasing and supply is not forever. Long term again, but might be worth a punt. Got to do better than the $400k loss I made following "expert" advice

PS Whisky can be a good investment as well - if the market crashes you can always drink yourself to death!

Can someone give more exact details of location please?

Oh, as others have said it is on Chaiyaphum (East side of the moat), closer to the North side.

It is near Sompet market (someone said "Kad Sompet" above) and I mentioned that it is on Chaiyaphum which is the outer road. Start from the northeast corner of the moat on Chiayaphum road and walk South. I think Miguel's Cafe is pretty close to it, but I think Brasserie is north of Miguel's (not sure about this).

OK thanks.

The violinist is a British citizen but she also holds a Thai passport. She was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father but she was brought up in England.

I like Tom Yum Goom and have been to Koh Samui twice. Can I enter the luge team ?

Sure! if you are delugenal.

Just had a play with a windows slate. I liked it a lot. The case/keyboard is way better than my iPad. Might have to get one.

Looks like VIP BKK to Chiang Mai is 657Bht.

Where is the terminal in BKK?

Can someone give more exact details of location please?

Well, I hate to rain on your cynical parade people, but she has still done more than I have and I bet more than you have as well. Also she is cute!

I just sent perth an email and they replied that they are not open yet.

This is a bit like Vinney Jones decision to play for Wales but i nonetheless wish her luck:)

It's all downhill from here

Schuss now!

Brilliant news!

Today's catch

Looks like Little heron Butorides striatus

and the Plover above is most likely Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii

Sorry - this ref page 5 of this thread.

I have two in the house and one in the boat. Tried smoke detectors but they kept going off when I burn the toast - every day.

A fire extinguisher almost certainly saved our house some years back. I stupidly tested a gas bottle stove (the type thet screw directly onto a gas cylinder) the seal gave way and the excaping cas ignited. I knocked the bottle onto the floor but the gas was expanding I guess as the flame increased, ran along the floor. up the cupboard uniy tto the cieling. I would point out that our house is basically wooden. The extinguisher was in the kitchen - by the door - and a few seconds later the fire was out. Without that extinguisher I think we may have lost everything. Get one, no get two - they are worth every dollar.

Always good to hear a story like this. Just go's to prove there are a lot of good people in the world. I hope he gets at least 5% of the money.

Well here's another. I was at a bar having a beer with a pal. The street noise was getting loud so after a while we moved to the back of the bar to finish my drink. After a while a serving girl came up and handed me a roll of baht that had fallen out of my pocket. Not a lot - just over a 1k bht. I gave her a 100bht tip which she at first declined.

Agreeing with Will27 above.

I'm surprised and disappointing with a system which treats the accumulated superannuation and taxed in this way ... and Old Croc ... my sympathies.

Now Will27 did not say this ...

I maintain that the OAP is a privilege and not a right.

Yes, you did work the majority of your life in Australia and paid your taxes ... but you also enjoyed, at the time, the benefits of those taxes through the various services you used, schools, hospitals, roads and the like.

The OAP, disability pension and the like, should only be paid in Thailand at a reduced rate to reflect the cost of living in Thailand ... or elsewhere in the world.

If you wanted financial independence ... you should have planned for it 20 or 30 years ago.

Your current pension is being paid for by your children and grandchildren's taxes ... not yours ... despite what you might believe.

Don't blame the government now for tightening the rules as the rules and the concept of the OAP were written in a different world, for a different age.

Actually access to a pension, if you are entitled to one is just that - an entiltlement. And therefore a right. After all that person on a pension has supported the children and the pensioners all their tax paying life. Also, if you think a lower rate should be paid beacause the pension is being paid to someone living in a lower cost of living counyry then surely a higher pension should be pauid if the pensioner is living in a more expensive country? I would also point out that a pension recipient living abroad relieves the tax payer of subsidising health, public transport and all those other things their taxes paid for during their working life. In addittion they are freeing up much needed housing (if from Australia). Based on this I should say that the pension should be increased not decreased if the recipient lives abroad. By the way, I am not retired and don't receive a pension.

Talking with local CentreLink is like teaching a lemon to swim. They never mentioned Hobart to me once. That goodness for this forum.

Thanks KevJohn - good advice.

This may have already been covered?

I am expecting to have to work untill I am nearly 73 as my wife is much younger than I am and at that age we shall be able to claim a couple pension. Our super has been sverey mauled and even if we are able to take it out as a lump sum it will pay off debts and give us about $100K US in the bank.

The question is:

1. Do we both have to stay in Australia for a further two years after I retire at age 73 to get the pension paid in Thailand? If so, I will be 75 before we could move.

2. If we visit Thailand on hols over the next few years can that be a problem. (I am due for long service leave 3-6 months worth and would like to spend it in Thailand). I don't want a problem with Centrelink saying we don't qualify as we have spent too much time in Thailand.

thanks

Tamron 180 Canon 40D - hand held.

Can't seem to attach more than one pic at a time. So here is another _

Took these with a Canon 4oD and my new Tamron 180 Macro. They are OK but as I had the camera on its max ISO setting of 1600 thay are a bit washed out and grainy.

The subject is an Assassin Bug sucking out the innards of a Ladybird. Hand held - taken just to check out the new lens had survived the post.

Had a good meal in a garden restaurant about 2k out of Krabi town heading North on Th Maharai on the left 20meters past Ma Ha rat soi 28. very nice place with good food and brilliant service.

Does anyone know the name?

The Isaan salad was pet maak maak!

Well I am bringing out a party of nine to celebrate next years LK and my 65th birthday. I am hoping the hot air balloon event will also be on again at this time. Every year we also come to CM for the New Year fireworks - buy a heap and have a great time along the river. I like the slightly risky adge to the event - although I do insist on everyone wearing safety glasses. I have never seen a problem which is more than I can say about New Year in perth (West Oz) where the crowd behaviour can be a disgrace with drunken brawles and road rage very obvious.