harrry

The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai will be closed from October 23, 2008 – November 11, 2008

Hardly many weeks. A couple maybe.

Note to moderators.

As this thread contains a whole range of incorrect or misleading posts among the gems of wisdom and it is one of great importance to many australians would it be possible to start a new thread with the correct information and references and consider not merging the other threads with it.

I have been reading these posts for a while now, but am still confused. The Centrelink website is not exactly helpful.

There seems to be little doubt that a 2 year waiting period for the payment of the Age Pension to Australian citizens of 65 years, or older, returning from an extended stay overseas and intending to keep on living overseas.

What I would like to find out is if this waiting period also applies to returning citizens of pensionable age who will remain in Australia for at least 2 years.

I would be very grateful for any authoritative information, including the relevant reference(s) if available.

You are eligible as soon as you return to australia. ( If you otherwise qualify). However if you leave Australia within 2 years it will be suspended.

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/inte...t019_0703en.pdf

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/inte...ional/index.htm

How do I find out more?

For more information about Centrelink International Services, you can:

* view the Centrelink International Services factsheet in the We Speak Your Language section of the website

* phone 13 1673 from within Australia or see International Numbers if you are outside Australia

* fax (03) 6222 2799 from within Australia or +61 3 6222 2799 if you are outside Australia

* email [email protected]

* send a letter to Centrelink International Services at GPO Box 273, Hobart TAS 7001, Australia.

As this is the most importanty it may be best to phone them.

note If you are on a disability support pension you can transfer otherwise not.

now im wondering if he did buy some land,maybe we have to dig him up????

Depends on if the land has high balconies.

130000 baht gross, so I'm assuming around 110000 a month net. That's not a bad sum to be able to rely on each month, particularly if you're not fussed about living in Bangkok. I think Hua Hin or CHiang Mai would be much nicer retirement options, and much cheaper also. You should be able to do it, so long as you have self-discipline, remember to save some each month to take care of inflation etc.

Presumably, this will be supplemented by the UK state pension when you're 68 too?

Bendix..please tell me you have made a typo, and the UK retirement age is still 65....or are they still moving the goalposts...jesus, It will be illegal to die and stop working by the time I envisaged a pension.

There are probably some "work at home " jobs you can perform from a coffin.

Bendix never makes typos.....he writes all his posts with a pen see his photo.

I am sorry for your relatives. It seems too me that it is about "trade secrets" when he left his original employer. Unforunately IP laws are draconian everywhere just look at how much you can be fined and how long you can be imprisoned in many counties for copying a dvd.

My guess is that the OP didnt want to identify the location because of potential repercussions. It possibly is an item of knowledge that may help those who can find out but I can understand him not doing so.

I am watching this carefully because even if only a trend it could have repercussions on what I do.

1. Look the part. Here, that means always be dressed well. Those ladies dressed well every day they were at school.

2. Speak well. Never lose your temper or raise your voice. Never insult a peer or a boss. No curse words.

3. Take orders smiling. You can passively-aggressively neglect to do the impossible and the farcical, but don't brag about it.

4. Play by the rules. If that means passing all students and keeping your cool in a 33 degree classroom with 48 adolescents, do it.

Be discreet when you misbehave. Wear sunglasses if you go to Nana Plaza or Babylon Sauna. If you must drink yourself silly, do so many hours before you need to put that shirt and tie on again to teach. Don't flirt on duty.

You should have realized some of this stuff when you were in junior high. We knew that our health teacher was a lush, but he kept the whiskey bottle hidden in his desk. We knew our sex ed teacher was a prude, because some of our parents were doctors and nurses. We had class before we came to class, even as children. Teachers here belong to the upper class, and if you cannot handle that, go back to whatever lower class rock from which your background raised you.

You were an accountant in a past life, I would expect a teacher to at least comply with the equivalent of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Code.

How about comparing your code above with that below.

Members should accept the obligation to act in a way that

will serve the public interest, honor the public trust, and

demonstrate commitment to professionalism.

.01

A distinguishing mark of a profession is acceptance of its responsibility to the public. The accounting profession's public consists of clients, credit grantors, governments, employers, investors, the business and financial community, and others who rely on the objectivity and integrity of certified public accountants to maintain the orderly functioning of commerce. This reliance imposes a public interest responsibility on certified public accountants. The public interest is defined as the collective well-being of the community of people and institutions the profession serves.

.02

In discharging their professional responsibilities, members may encounter conflicting pressures from among each of those groups. In resolving those conflicts, members should act with integrity, guided by the precept that when members fulfill their responsibility to the public, clients' and employers' interests are best served.

.03

Those who rely on certified public accountants expect them to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, objectivity, due professional care, and a genuine interest in serving the public. They are expected to provide quality services, enter into fee arrangements, and offer a range of services—all in a manner that demonstrates a level of professionalism consistent with these Principles of the Code of Professional Conduct.

.04

All who accept membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants commit themselves to honor the public trust. In return for the faith that the public reposes in them, members should seek continually to demonstrate their dedication to professional excellence.

Wait a sec, you are saying that they wear their clothes really tight on purpose? ? ? ?

:D

Maybe it is like my daughter was at high school (Australia). I kept trying to buy her new school skirt as it was getting rather tatty (and also short) and she kept refusing. When I finally asked why found out it was because she didnt wnat to be thought of as a year 8 girl. Ended up by having to compromise and get her a second hand skirt that was faded and short but at least didnt have holes in it.

Just to clarify. He can be paid the minute he arives in Australia. But his pension is suspended if he leaves within two years. saddly although he can get paid for a 13 week holiday overseas I believe the 2 year clock starts again on his return.

A friend of mine has lived in Thailand for the last five years and will turn 65 next year. He was advised by Centrelink in Australia that he will have to return to Australia and live there for two years before he can be paid the aged pension outside Australia. I am 65 myself and confirmed with Centrelink that if I decide to retire to Thailand that the pension can be still paid without any problems. My friend was unaware that he had to live in Australia for two years prior to being granted the aged pension. He is an Australian citizen who has worked in Austalia all his life except for the last 5 years since he retired.

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Sad to say this is true. Check the Centrelink website for details.

No way round it I know of. It was made to stop people who lived overseas coming back claiming and then leaving again.

Search this forum for more topics but many of the posts are inacurate.

This forum is reavealing so much about the Thai

Wow, someone thinking as I am. I am currently repairing everything I can on my home, trying to sell a small airplane and 2 cars in order to do the "one-year test" at living and teaching in Thailand. I've already held the proverbial yard sale selling everything I don't want or need from many years of consuming, then donated the leftover and trashed what the Salvation Army didn't want. I already own a home in Thailand, have a teaching job lined up and my wife (Thai) just gained her USA citizenship and we are awaiting her US passport.

What led me down this path was my old company let me go after 22 years of faithful service so it isn't like I quit a good job or anything to do this, they made the decision for me, I just have to make it happen. I can afford to do this without selling anything more or even renting out my house but I would feel much better having another 30-40 K in the bank and someone else making my mortgage payment in my absence.

I agree...rent the house to someone and try it for a year. I might just do it anyway for the experience (I managed a factory of 100 employees in Thailand for 3 years so know what working in Thailand is like) and to get into the Thai Social Security system so I can have medical coverage for life as I do plan on retiring in LOS and having medical coverage is a big part of retirement.

Go for it but "protect" your interests should the experiment not work out!

Regards,

Steve

I believe the tax on a plane is huge not like that on boats.

Steve, why not bring the small plane out here? Private flying is hitting it big in Thailand now. In Chiangmai alone there are 3 small fields, two of them you can buy land and build your house on the airstrip land and park your plane next 2 your house. If your into flying could be a new hobby/business to enjoy here(sort of like a cheap version of JumboAir) ie. you dont have to have a 737!!!

I have just noticed (for the first time) that when using my Kasikorn card to withdraw money outside of Pattaya (in Kasikorn branch ATMs) I am being charged. For Phuket it was 10 baht per transaction, is this new as I have never noticed it before when updating my savings deposit book.

I have also noticed that when using my Nationwide card in Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn I am being charged 20 baht per transaction. Nationwide present no charges so when changing up 20000 baht my statement shows the exchange rate based on 20020 baht. This is new, anybody know if this is normal and how long has this been occuring. Maybe it is something I need to get used to but it has never been mentioned to me by the bank or in writing. Any thoughts!

this is a terrible development and i think that the U.N. Security Council should be informed and sanctions applied

And just when did they do anything useful.

Fred it is important to realize that even if you do have to make big changes in your life that it is not the end of the world. It has happened to a lot of us and at first it seems unbelievable and it is hard to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Most of us have got through that and been able to rebuild our lives and often better than they were. I really hope that I am wrong but it looks likely you will break up. Think of yourself and make your own decisions dont take just what is said by others. If there is at least one member of her family that is supportive of you as there was in my case take their support you need all the help you can get. I hope it works.

Back to mileage numbers. We had a CZi for a few weeks, not long enough to check mileage. Now we have an automatic Click which I suspect will not be economical. Riding style matters - dave boo gets nearly 40 on the same bike I get 32.

But there is an algebra problem here, called the inverse. Miles per gallon, and km per liter, are deceptive. How much fuel do you use in 1,000 km of driving?

Two examples - a CBR150 with average consumption of 36 km per liter. In 1000 km, uses = 27.8 liters.

A CZi with consumption of 64 km per liter (it probably never gets more) = 15.6 liters.

A variance about as wide as you can expect, and only 12.2 liters difference in 1,000 km. Most bikes go maybe 5000 km in a year. Most such comparisons will be less than 50 liters per year in typical use. If you must save the planet, fine. But 1,500 baht per year makes very little difference for most of us, and 800 baht is a nice meal for two.

Milage does count. The better it is the more miles you can go. I was doing 25000 km a year till I lost my leg on my 50cc moped.

"She was unbearable".......... quality reporting as always, great story, when is chapter 2 ?

It is strange that the pattaya one website story is in reality in excellent english when I checked today.

Do you really get an e mail every time someone answers you?

I believe that is indeed correct.

Strange I never do

Maybe no one reples to me

IBIS Sathorn on Sathorn Soi 1... http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/hotel-6537-hot...kok/index.shtml

Opened less than a week ago. I stayed here last night. Great rooms, good price. Convenient. 40 THB motorcyle to Sky Train, etc

Hotel Hotel Ibis Sathorn Bangkok

Soi Ngam Duphli Rama IV Sathorn - 10120 - BANGKOK - THAILAND

Tel : (+66)2/6592888 Fax : (+66)2/6598889

Opposite where the old Boston Inn was or is and next to the Malaysia is hardly Silom/Sathon is it?

Obviously great advertising. How often does an add get read this carefully.

If this is the case I definitely won't be buying a condo....yes I know I can buy it in my name but if they have shown their intentions that clearly I cannot be sure of what will come.

You're exactly right. Many farangs refer to Thais as "stupid", only to post how the "stupid Thais" took control of the farangs' money/property/business. Many threads indicate how educated farangs, got the short end of the stick with taxi scams, jewelry scams, and on and on. Either the farangs aren't as smart as they think, or the Thais aren't as dumb as they believe. Perhaps a combination of both.

And many farangs seem to be very intelligent as they claim the OP put the gf on the title and he clearly startes that he did not. Reading 101 needed?

looks as if we did a bit of the same.

I stayed at the TSG a few times but mostly just ate there. The chinese lady that ran it was a lot nicer than she was made out to be. Helped me out bigtime once.

It was strange how they planned to and did close the whole thing down when the daughter turned 12.

This may be a case where depending on the persons nationality as to whether health care exists, it may be worth seeing the persons embassy to suggest repatriation. I know it is hard but it can only get harder there.

For those of you who've been in Bangkok a long time, there's a site dedicated to Old Bangkok here, which has photos of such legendary hotels as the Thai Song Greet near Hualumpong.

Thanks for the memories.

I spent a couple of years in that era trying to flog advertising in a local hotel magazine to these hotels to try and survive.