Evilbaz

As an OAP recipient overseas for 6+years (also CPP and OAP from Canada) the new rules are quite simple - 2 years in Australia before or after the grant before it is portable overseas.

And, return to OZ for more than 26 weeks you will be re-assessed on the 35 year rule.

Another little quirk to watch for is that if you are away from OZ continuously for more than 5 years you will have to re-establish "residency" in OZ before you are re-eligible for Medicare benefits.

Another one to consider with your forward planning.

It's almost as complicated as having a TG partner.

(no crossword puzzles needed to ward of that Alz syndrome)

Not quite as simple as that. I read on one of their publications about whether you are a resident when you appliesd that if you intended to stay to years and leave at the end of it they would not consider you a permanent resident so you could not get your pension.

They are getting nasty. Do not shoot the messenger.

Why would you say what you think you might do in two years time?

As the Thais say " nobody know the future".

No cost for checking - there is a direct link from Centrelink to Immigration.

So when you exit OZ be careful what you put on your departure statement.

Don't say you are leaving permanently (you'll then get an extra bonus of 13 weeks of "allowances".)

As an OAP recipient overseas for 6+years (also CPP and OAP from Canada) the new rules are quite simple - 2 years in Australia before or after the grant before it is portable overseas.

And, return to OZ for more than 26 weeks you will be re-assessed on the 35 year rule.

Another little quirk to watch for is that if you are away from OZ continuously for more than 5 years you will have to re-establish "residency" in OZ before you are re-eligible for Medicare benefits.

Another one to consider with your forward planning.

It's almost as complicated as having a TG partner.

(no crossword puzzles needed to ward of that Alz syndrome)

Not quite as simple as that. I read on one of their publications about whether you are a resident when you appliesd that if you intended to stay to years and leave at the end of it they would not consider you a permanent resident so you could not get your pension.

They are getting nasty. Do not shoot the messenger.

Again - phone the International Affairs division in Hobart - they are most helpful.

This happened to my GF's orphaned niece that she raised - same age - at school in a locked classroom.

A teacher heard the boys scream as she severely bit one and broke another's nose.

She was then blamed for "causing trouble" and refused to involve the police and then they had the bloody hide to warn off her grand parents.

Her older brother broke a couple of more faces on their way home.

The GF had her on a bus immediately to us and enrolled her the next week in a local high school.

She's turned out OK and is completing a hospitality and tourism diploma with improving English skills.

With one whirlybird roof vent and two "soffit vents in each eave there is sufficient air flow on a still day to suck up an A4 sheet of paper against the soffit vent grill.

i.e air goes in through the soffits and out through any higher vent.

Well, at least in the hot climate of Western Australia.

Just to flesh out the story and make the lesson more valuable - how long did you know your wife, in person and in country before getting married?

I suggest that if Thai Immi check (and my experience is they are checking) then the only figure that counts will be what is transferred monthly into your Thai bank account.

Save the two 20's and a 10 for next years visit to embassy, unless they jack the price up again.

The $50 is like $50 you give bar girl: she will smile and tell you handsum man, they will smile and agree with your story. Sure doesn't cost them $50 to hit a hunk of paper with a stamp.

All the whingeing about it being so easy for US citizens. Embassy could care less if you telling the truth. Not their problem, yours and Thai government. Honesty not highly valued here anyway last time I looked.

I keep 800+k in bank here. Saves time, easy to do, costs 200 baht for letter... something like see saw safety anyway... baht up, account worth more here, baht down money in USA bank worth more. See it as win-win or lose-lose.... haha

Bit confused about bank account.

You have bhat in an account here that you brought from somewhere. Bhat goes up account worth more, agree but how does the bhat going down affect money in a USA bank?

If you have baht in an account in LOS - FX no longer applies because a baht is a baht is a baht - unless you are spending it elsewhere in the region.

You probably can't repatriate it anyhow.

As mentioned above Centrelink follow the money trail.

The key word is "resides"in Australia.

DHS/Centrelink have their own interpretation of where you have been "residing" which takes in many factors:

length of time out of the country

do you own property overseas or have a longterm lease

do you own a vehicle overseas

do you have a wife, defacto or children living overseas

etc etc

So if they determine that you have been residing overseas you obviously can't have been residing in Australia.

Umm, what I'm wondering is, how do they know if you own property / a motor vehicle overseas? How do they know most of that stuff (besides travel history) actually, unless you tell them?

Well, they'll ask you at your interview, (in many different ways) as they have direct access to Immigrations' travel records.

You also have to regularly declare your assets and income, in both Australia and overseas to gain and maintain your OAP.

When you stand in any country's Embassy or Consulate legally it is the same as standing on that country's soil.

If you swear or affirm a false affidavit in front of an officer there you are committing a Federal offence and are subject to that country's penalties.

No ifs, buts or maybe - so Up 2 U.

I have to go through the same process annually with the Australian Embassy or Consulate.

They also cannot attest to the veracity of supporting documents for reasons discussed above.

However, Thai Immigration in Phuket last December required

(a) proof of income documents supporting the Affidavit

( proof of the balance required to make up the balance to 65,000 baht per month (bank letter etc).

However, the Captain there told me this year "the balance" will have to be in the bank for three months (same as the 800K deposit)

So another change in the fluid Immi requirements - before there was no "seasoning period" required for the balance in the "mix and match" option.

I showed the Captain the Regulation saying, in effect, you only had to have the balance in the Bank on the day of application (without "seasoning").

She smiled and said - "Up to me - I'm the Boss here".

As always - it is up to the Immigration officer you face on the day.

Local seeds are OK but none my friends from OZ have brought ever survive, despite similar climate to FNQ.

The one exception was basil from Italy which I have perpetuated by cuttings - very full flavour.

The key word is "resides"in Australia.

DHS/Centrelink have their own interpretation of where you have been "residing" which takes in many factors:

length of time out of the country

do you own property overseas or have a longterm lease

do you own a vehicle overseas

do you have a wife, defacto or children living overseas

etc etc

So if they determine that you have been residing overseas you obviously can't have been residing in Australia.

I upped and moved to Thailand 6+ years ago at 65 and just shedding all that stress, expected appearances and sh*t I reckon stripped 15 years off my biological age (plus a few good TGs).

I have no intention whatsoever of growing up any more.

I hope to not outlive my usefulness - nor to die 10 baht too soon.

If you can talk you can enjoy pleasuring an active TG.

Try googling Hua Hin Herbs - there is a herb farm there that supplies Villamart on Phuket - sometimes in pots too.

If you get them fresh enough you can strike the rosemary but it only grows to a foot high or so and last about a year - rinse and repeat.

You should get fresh basil at any local market - stick a few pruned twigs in the ground and it will grow.

EDIT: I just checked the fridge - we have fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary - plus basil, rosemary and krapow in the garden.

This is a Royal project - <royalprojectthailand.com>

As an OAP recipient overseas for 6+years (also CPP and OAP from Canada) the new rules are quite simple - 2 years in Australia before or after the grant before it is portable overseas.

And, return to OZ for more than 26 weeks you will be re-assessed on the 35 year rule.

Another little quirk to watch for is that if you are away from OZ continuously for more than 5 years you will have to re-establish "residency" in OZ before you are re-eligible for Medicare benefits.

Another one to consider with your forward planning.

It's almost as complicated as having a TG partner.

(no crossword puzzles needed to ward of that Alz syndrome)

Interesting to see in the photo (rear RHS) the ex Honorary Australian Consul for Phuket, Phang Na and Krabi, Larry Cunningham, with a big smile on his face.

Larry resigned his post after many years serving expats on Phuket and neighbouring Provinces after openly being threatened by Interior Ministry officials after complaining about police and bureaucrats inaction on the tt & taxi mafia. They then blockaded his hotel and serious threats were made against him.

I hope you keep smiling Larry.

For those who have stated they don't want "to vacate" Phuket.

Well done !

I'm glad you're staying and not vacating Phuket.

Me too - 6+ years now and I'm staying also.

What are you doing, trying to sell condos ? Over priced area I would say .... Same as most Thai tourist areas. Best to rent !

When people say "best to rent" means they do not understand investment in real estate in Phuket. Usually there are not the type of people that would invest anywhere. I don't actually know too many people who lost money on investing in real estate in Phuket, unless they did not know what they were doing in the first place. OR they bought in the thai girlfriends name. Some people you cannot help.

OR it is worth good money and you have Thai partners ...

Many travel insurance policies will cover you for loss of your rental car deposit (or excess) in the event of an accident.

Emster23: Q.

"Don't bother me with facts: I've already got my opinions" is phrase I came up with years ago, applies here

Really?! When was that precisely?

You sure you weren't paraphrasing Earl Landgrebe's " My mind's made up - don't confuse me with facts ".

Much better known than your attempt.

I wasn't going to comment but as this thread has descended into errant pedantry I couldn't resist.

R.S.V.P.

There are many instances of Japanese settling in the Southern provinces centuries ago.

Nakhon Si Tammarat once had a Japanese governor (which probably then included this area)

It could very well be "old gold".

This gold could be quite valuable.

There were Japanese in the South of Thailand centuries ago.

I believe Nakhon Si Thammarat actually had a Japanese governor at one stage.

I hope they don't sell it to the local Chinese lady at a discount to weight price (not being Thai gold).

No problem with the stairs -- send someone up to the office on your behalf with the documents while you wait downstairs, maybe in the comfort of an aircon vehicle. Ask the I/O to kindly come downstairs to see the applicant in the vehicle. They do it all the time with the people I assist in Chiang Mai and there aren't even very many stairs -- just a waiting room that resembles the black hole of Calcutta in terms of the number of people it holds.

Thanks for that. I was hoping that would happen.

They know my partner well over the past 6 years.

Then again there can be a total staff turnover occasionally.

Good luck attending Phuket Immi in a wheelchair - it's upstairs.

I'll have to face this next extension.