All Aussie Related Stuff (excluding the old age pension)

[scorecard]

On 4/27/2020 at 11:18 PM, AussieBob18 said:

There is no hard and fast rule etc. - it all comes down to what CLink decide at the time in in that situation.

Australians can go overseas and when they do, their pension payments drop after 6 weeks.

If you maintain an address, bank account, drivers licence, etc etc - you are still a resident, unless you have decided to move overseas permanently.   You got the payment because you are still an Aust resident probably.

If you are OK with that, then you need to be on an extended holiday overseas. What can happen is that after 2 years a person overseas who does not return can be deemed to be a non-resident - if CLink believes you have no intention to return.  That is the key - having a residence and all that other stuff, and intention to come back.  So if you now have no intention of returning, what I would suggest is that you contact CLink later (before 2 years is up), and advise them that after careful consideration you are considering staying in Thailand for a while - ask will that affect my pension payments if I do that?? ????

Make sure you state that you have been in many places in Thailand, and that you have not set up a home, and you have not lived in any one place for a long time, and that you are now considering getting a permanent place, but you would like to know if that would affect your pension payments and other benefits (ask about Medicare too).

Sure but keep in mind that Australians who have been living abroad (not necessarily at one fixed address) can return to live in Australia for 2 years to 're-establish residency', then they are entitled to 'portability' and can receive their pension into a local bank acct, anywhere in the world.

 

Obviously there are other items involved to re-establish residency and to gain portability. And pensioners living abroad don't get some extra allowance such as the energy allowance. 

[4MyEgo]

Anyone up to speed on how long a Thai child (Thai passport) who is moving to Oz with his Thai mum (Australian Citizen) on a child visa has to wait to get support from the government, be it a family A payment and or a job seeker allowance as the kid is 16 now.

 

The reason I ask is that I am sure someone has done this before and knows the ins and outs, and I am not sure if the child has to wait till he gets his residency approved beforehand (permanent residency papers) before he can start receiving some assistance.

 

For those replying, please hit the quote button otherwise I won't get an email advising someone has replied for some reason.

 

Thanks

[simple1]

On 5/24/2020 at 4:56 PM, 4MyEgo said:

Anyone up to speed on how long a Thai child (Thai passport) who is moving to Oz with his Thai mum (Australian Citizen) on a child visa has to wait to get support from the government, be it a family A payment and or a job seeker allowance as the kid is 16 now.

 

The reason I ask is that I am sure someone has done this before and knows the ins and outs, and I am not sure if the child has to wait till he gets his residency approved beforehand (permanent residency papers) before he can start receiving some assistance.

 

For those replying, please hit the quote button otherwise I won't get an email advising someone has replied for some reason.

 

Thanks

Curious why you haven't obtained Oz citizen for the child

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

Curious why you haven't obtained Oz citizen for the child

Not the point of the OP. 

[simple1]

38 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Not the point of the OP. 

If the child can obtain Ox citizenship it would resolve the issues raised regards family access to child welfare support. OP, if the child is ineligible for Oz citizenship what exactly is the visa description / number the child will be travelling under?

[4MyEgo]

4 hours ago, simple1 said:

Curious why you haven't obtained Oz citizen for the child

From my understanding the child has to apply for a Child Visa 101 and has to be under 18 and be outside of Australia, once granted, he can then apply for citizenship in a few years time.

 

He was born in Thailand as was his mother, she got citizenship in I think 2009/2010 somewhere there when living in Australia.

 

The child cannot get citizenship without going through the Child Visa process, unless I have missed something ?

 

Also from my reading, the child once granted the Child 101 visa gets permanent residency status once he enters Australia, if I am reading it correctly and can get support, Family A payments per fortnight, or Austudy payments if I am using the correct term. 

[scorecard]

3 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

From my understanding the child has to apply for a Child Visa 101 and has to be under 18 and be outside of Australia, once granted, he can then apply for citizenship in a few years time.

 

He was born in Thailand as was his mother, she got citizenship in I think 2009/2010 somewhere there when living in Australia.

 

The child cannot get citizenship without going through the Child Visa process, unless I have missed something ?

 

Also from my reading, the child once granted the Child 101 visa gets permanent residency status once he enters Australia, if I am reading it correctly and can get support, Family A payments per fortnight, or Austudy payments if I am using the correct term. 

Good luck with this for the family and especially for the child involved.  

[simple1]

25 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

From my understanding the child has to apply for a Child Visa 101 and has to be under 18 and be outside of Australia, once granted, he can then apply for citizenship in a few years time.

 

He was born in Thailand as was his mother, she got citizenship in I think 2009/2010 somewhere there when living in Australia.

 

The child cannot get citizenship without going through the Child Visa process, unless I have missed something ?

Thanks. I assume you know if the child was born to an Australian citizen they can obtain citizenship by descent. The other route would be adoption, but I understand it's a lengthy process. Unfortunately the visa type is not one I have previously assisted with. Will27 should be along shortly to see if he can provide guidance. Taking a look at the visa's coming to Australia page looks as though you have to wait for a qualifying period to obtain welfare benefits, obviously check it out in more detail yourself.

 

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/child-101#When

[4MyEgo]

46 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Thanks. I assume you know if the child was born to an Australian citizen they can obtain citizenship by descent. The other route would be adoption, but I understand it's a lengthy process. Unfortunately the visa type is not one I have previously assisted with. Will27 should be along shortly to see if he can provide guidance. Taking a look at the visa's coming to Australia page looks as though you have to wait for a qualifying period to obtain welfare benefits, obviously check it out in more detail yourself.

 

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/child-101#When

Yes, however not the case, we have 2 kids together born in Oz, she has twin (16) born here and have only known me as their father since they were (2), e.g. wife left her x partner (not married) when they were (1), I also have one back in Oz from a previous (23).

 

The above said, adoption is not really something we have looked at as there are other avenues, e.g. the child visa 101 at them moment or we wait till they are (18) and they apply for permanent residency however I believe it gets a little harder then and costs more ?

 

There might be a waiting period as of 12 months, not sure, but I think if the parents are citizens that is waived.

 

Just doing the calcs with 4 kids 6, 11, 16 & 16 Family A is pretty much automatic, Family B is for the youngest only from my understanding and then there is an annual Family B supplement, plus rental assistance and possibly electricity subsidy, all up coming to around $30,000 a year which is nothing to scoff at and would pay for rent, then all you have to do is survive.

 

It is not asset tested, although it is income tested, and if you earn less then around $55k it stays the same, over that then it starts to reduce.

 

Never received any of this kind of support as my income was always in the 6 figures, but nice to know it's there is we do want to return, e.g. 4 season, rent paid for number of years, while kids get a better education and the chance of better jobs in years to come.

 

A lot to give up here to consider returning, but the kids and the 4 season have to come first, the latter 1st....lol

 

I am feeling that Thailand is not as cheap as we first thought it would be, especially when you take private health cover into consideration, unless you want to be treated in a country public hospital with hours waiting and doctors that are, well let's just leave that one be.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's still affordable albeit it is double the budget we first anticipated, now 60,000 baht a month, if you want the same existence (not over the top), same as back home and if your rent is paid back there, you can survive on the same amount I am sure. 

 

A lot to chew over, to go or to stay.

[Old Croc]

On 5/15/2020 at 9:46 AM, scorecard said:

Sure but keep in mind that Australians who have been living abroad (not necessarily at one fixed address) can return to live in Australia for 2 years to 're-establish residency', then they are entitled to 'portability' and can receive their pension into a local bank acct, anywhere in the world.

 

Obviously there are other items involved to re-establish residency and to gain portability. And pensioners living abroad don't get some extra allowance such as the energy allowance. 

This thread is for discussion of matters other than the pension, read the title. There is a separate topic for pensions.

[AussieBob18]

On 5/27/2020 at 5:09 PM, 4MyEgo said:

Yes, however not the case, we have 2 kids together born in Oz, she has twin (16) born here and have only known me as their father since they were (2), e.g. wife left her x partner (not married) when they were (1), I also have one back in Oz from a previous (23).

The above said, adoption is not really something we have looked at as there are other avenues, e.g. the child visa 101 at them moment or we wait till they are (18) and they apply for permanent residency however I believe it gets a little harder then and costs more ?

There might be a waiting period as of 12 months, not sure, but I think if the parents are citizens that is waived.

Just doing the calcs with 4 kids 6, 11, 16 & 16 Family A is pretty much automatic, Family B is for the youngest only from my understanding and then there is an annual Family B supplement, plus rental assistance and possibly electricity subsidy, all up coming to around $30,000 a year which is nothing to scoff at and would pay for rent, then all you have to do is survive.

It is not asset tested, although it is income tested, and if you earn less then around $55k it stays the same, over that then it starts to reduce.

Never received any of this kind of support as my income was always in the 6 figures, but nice to know it's there is we do want to return, e.g. 4 season, rent paid for number of years, while kids get a better education and the chance of better jobs in years to come.

A lot to give up here to consider returning, but the kids and the 4 season have to come first, the latter 1st....lol

I am feeling that Thailand is not as cheap as we first thought it would be, especially when you take private health cover into consideration, unless you want to be treated in a country public hospital with hours waiting and doctors that are, well let's just leave that one be.

Don't get me wrong, it's still affordable albeit it is double the budget we first anticipated, now 60,000 baht a month, if you want the same existence (not over the top), same as back home and if your rent is paid back there, you can survive on the same amount I am sure. 

A lot to chew over, to go or to stay.

Mate - If you are paying 60K a month in insurance, that totals 720K per year. You would be better off putting that in a separate bank account and keeping it as a 'medical fund'. 2-3 years and you have more than enough for most issues in a hospital.

 

I am here in Aus now and cant wait to get back - grass often looks greener I can assure you.

 

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, AussieBob18 said:

Mate - If you are paying 60K a month in insurance, that totals 720K per year. You would be better off putting that in a separate bank account and keeping it as a 'medical fund'. 2-3 years and you have more than enough for most issues in a hospital.

 

I am here in Aus now and cant wait to get back - grass often looks greener I can assure you.

 

My post might have been a little confusing, but the 60,000 baht per month was double the budget we anticipated, not the cost of private health insurance per month, Christ, if it was 60,000 baht a month for private cover, that would not be feasible for us, let alone most as it costs us 720,000 baht a year to survive here, excluding the private health cover for me and the family with separate insurance companies, i.e. 127,000 baht a year for both. I had thought about canning them both, but I am not comfortable with the public system up here, kids and all. One incident without private cover and it could cost a hell of a lot which would put a bigger dent in ones pocket then 127,000 baht, i.e. unless your ok with the risk factor of being treated or having your kids treated in the public system up here, not thanks, basic stuff ok.

 

I hear what your saying about the grass often looking greener, but the way I see it is, I won't have to put up with the smoke from not only the rice and sugarcane fields burning during 3-4 months of the year, there are also neighbours burning rubbish, and cooking around 5pm-6pm at night using that smelly charcoal stuff, people got to eat and can't afford gas, ok, I get that and it's only temporary, but the burning, no thanks, had enough and don't want the kids breathing that smoke in as their lungs are developing.

 

I can enjoy the change in the weather with the 4 season as opposed to here, hot, hotter and hotter, apart from the winter months which is a pleasant change as I don't mind the cold.

 

Won't miss the mossies and the snakes, especially the mossies, the snakes, well they won't bother you unless they feel threatened.

 

I will miss the big house as I will be downsizing from 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, but won't be paying a cent out of pocket with the support the government will provide for the kids, so it's a trade off.

 

I am not under any illusion how much of a nanny state Sydney or Australia is for that matter, but if one toes the line, should have any dramas, that said, I don't mind the police presence and the control over the roads with speed cameras etc etc, it beats the hell out of not having any control here with what's his name flying down the road with foot flat on the pedal as if to say, only know one speed.

 

Take away the rent and I would pretty much think you can survive in Australia for pretty much the same as in Thailand if you compare eggs for eggs, some things will be more expensive and some a little cheaper, but we are talking eggs for eggs, as mentioned in a previous post, if you want to rent here in Thailand and eat as Thai's do, your miles ahead, but we eat good, clean food and pay for it through the nose here, I mean a jar of 340 grams of peanut butter here is $6.30 at Big C for crying out loud ????

 

If it wasn't for the government providing the support for the kids, i.e. the money paying for the rent, I would have to suck it in, or is that suck it up and stay here, that said, even when the kids finish high school, they can get further support payments if they don't find work, plus it will only be a couple of more years by the time they finish school that I can apply for the old age pension.

 

Will miss my current surroundings that's for sure, but will try to get something that has an outlook or is at least private and not so close to others, if at all possible.

 

If you like peanut butter, better throw a few in your bag before you get back here as I know for $5 back in Oz you can get bigger jars ????

 

Edit: Also thought I would confirm as advised today, that even though 2 of the children who were born in Thailand, don't have to wait a year to receive the government support as their mother gained Australian Citizenship in 2014, they are therefore permanent residence as soon as they touch down in Oz.

 

Now I know why they call it the lucky country and why so many, won't say what race that migrated back in the 70's, breed kids like there is no tomorrow.  

[moojar]

@4MyEgo - Do you have 10 or 15 years of the good life for yourself, or do you take your family elsewhere to grow up in a healthier environment with far more opportunities in front of them?  

 

You're mulling something over and I think I can see what you have decided.  I admire you for that.  Many make the opposite decision.   

 

I'm not in the same boat but might be similar.  I also have a "blended" family.  Met my wife in Oz but I subsequently worked in Bangkok in the mid-nineties.  Wife had a chronic eye infection, infant daughter developed bronchitis.  Both from Bangkok air pollution. The opportunity came up to take a contract in Sydney and I jumped at it.  My step-son was seven years old then and is now as Aussie as they come, university degree, management position, married to a "farang" girl with a daughter of his own.  And when I consider what he may have turned out like, as a Thai man in Thailand...    

 

So while we moved back home for family health reasons, the major benefit has been that the kids grew up in Australia.  They have Australian and ASEAN passports and speak excellent English, they get to choose their own futures.    

[tifino]

 current state of the nation: 

 

[AussieBob18]

On 6/25/2020 at 4:24 PM, 4MyEgo said:

My post might have been a little confusing, but the 60,000 baht per month was double the budget we anticipated, not the cost of private health insurance per month, Christ, if it was 60,000 baht a month for private cover, that would not be feasible for us, let alone most as it costs us 720,000 baht a year to survive here, excluding the private health cover for me and the family with separate insurance companies, i.e. 127,000 baht a year for both. I had thought about canning them both, but I am not comfortable with the public system up here, kids and all. One incident without private cover and it could cost a hell of a lot which would put a bigger dent in ones pocket then 127,000 baht, i.e. unless your ok with the risk factor of being treated or having your kids treated in the public system up here, not thanks, basic stuff ok.

 

I hear what your saying about the grass often looking greener, but the way I see it is, I won't have to put up with the smoke from not only the rice and sugarcane fields burning during 3-4 months of the year, there are also neighbours burning rubbish, and cooking around 5pm-6pm at night using that smelly charcoal stuff, people got to eat and can't afford gas, ok, I get that and it's only temporary, but the burning, no thanks, had enough and don't want the kids breathing that smoke in as their lungs are developing.

 

I can enjoy the change in the weather with the 4 season as opposed to here, hot, hotter and hotter, apart from the winter months which is a pleasant change as I don't mind the cold.

Won't miss the mossies and the snakes, especially the mossies, the snakes, well they won't bother you unless they feel threatened.

I will miss the big house as I will be downsizing from 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, but won't be paying a cent out of pocket with the support the government will provide for the kids, so it's a trade off.

I am not under any illusion how much of a nanny state Sydney or Australia is for that matter, but if one toes the line, should have any dramas, that said, I don't mind the police presence and the control over the roads with speed cameras etc etc, it beats the hell out of not having any control here with what's his name flying down the road with foot flat on the pedal as if to say, only know one speed.

Take away the rent and I would pretty much think you can survive in Australia for pretty much the same as in Thailand if you compare eggs for eggs, some things will be more expensive and some a little cheaper, but we are talking eggs for eggs, as mentioned in a previous post, if you want to rent here in Thailand and eat as Thai's do, your miles ahead, but we eat good, clean food and pay for it through the nose here, I mean a jar of 340 grams of peanut butter here is $6.30 at Big C for crying out loud ????

If it wasn't for the government providing the support for the kids, i.e. the money paying for the rent, I would have to suck it in, or is that suck it up and stay here, that said, even when the kids finish high school, they can get further support payments if they don't find work, plus it will only be a couple of more years by the time they finish school that I can apply for the old age pension.

Will miss my current surroundings that's for sure, but will try to get something that has an outlook or is at least private and not so close to others, if at all possible.

If you like peanut butter, better throw a few in your bag before you get back here as I know for $5 back in Oz you can get bigger jars ????

 Edit: Also thought I would confirm as advised today, that even though 2 of the children who were born in Thailand, don't have to wait a year to receive the government support as their mother gained Australian Citizenship in 2014, they are therefore permanent residence as soon as they touch down in Oz.

Now I know why they call it the lucky country and why so many, won't say what race that migrated back in the 70's, breed kids like there is no tomorrow.  

You have picked up the key issues well - medical coverage and kids devlopment/schooling.

Kids not an issue for us - and with Wife having Citizenship we can return to Aus if things get bad medically for either of us.

 

[4MyEgo]

On 6/25/2020 at 5:02 PM, moojar said:

@4MyEgo - Do you have 10 or 15 years of the good life for yourself, or do you take your family elsewhere to grow up in a healthier environment with far more opportunities in front of them?  

 

You're mulling something over and I think I can see what you have decided.  I admire you for that.  Many make the opposite decision.   

 

I'm not in the same boat but might be similar.  I also have a "blended" family.  Met my wife in Oz but I subsequently worked in Bangkok in the mid-nineties.  Wife had a chronic eye infection, infant daughter developed bronchitis.  Both from Bangkok air pollution. The opportunity came up to take a contract in Sydney and I jumped at it.  My step-son was seven years old then and is now as Aussie as they come, university degree, management position, married to a "farang" girl with a daughter of his own.  And when I consider what he may have turned out like, as a Thai man in Thailand...    

 

So while we moved back home for family health reasons, the major benefit has been that the kids grew up in Australia.  They have Australian and ASEAN passports and speak excellent English, they get to choose their own futures.    

Yes, its a tuff decision, for now we have put it on the back burner as there isn't much we can do with Covid.

 

Kids back at school, the boys will more than likely finish college in 3 years and go their own ways, i.e. 16 year olds want to experience life, maybe the City life of BKK, we can only give them our opinions and show them the way they think is best, however we see a shift, girls, and new friends at college, so as we have always said, let them make their own beds, because if you keep making them for them, they won't know how to, and the last thing we want is for them to regret a move that we think is best for them, they have their own minds, albeit it they are not mature in our opinions, but have to let them make decisions for themselves, as for our girls, well one is 6 and the other 11 so we have time and will focus on them for now and the boys can be boys, as reluctant as the wife is on giving in on letting them grow the way they want to grow, fear comes in all shapes, but best face fear when it comes, if ever.

 

Maybe 3-5 years, see how things pan out, just got to put up with the smoke when they light up, apart from that, I think we can chill and let other things slide as nowhere is really perfect, but I think the girls will be up for the move when the time comes, as for the boys, well, boys will be boys, some grow, others remain the same, their choice at the end of the day, and whatever path they choose, it will lead them to where they want to go, as the saying goes, you can lead them to water, but you can't force them to drink it, no doubt they will enjoy the real world, or it will end up biting them in the ass ????

 

[OzMan]

I have been asked to get some documents copied (passport, drivers licence) and notarised in Thailand for proof of identity in Australia. The people who could notarise the documents were police officers, doctors, and the Post Office. In Thailand I do not believe any of these people will do this for me. How do other people get documents notarised for Australia?

[dodgybros]

5 hours ago, OzMan said:

I have been asked to get some documents copied (passport, drivers licence) and notarised in Thailand for proof of identity in Australia. The people who could notarise the documents were police officers, doctors, and the Post Office. In Thailand I do not believe any of these people will do this for me. How do other people get documents notarised for Australia?

Embassy

[Olmate]

4 minutes ago, dodgybros said:

Embassy

Passport is usually 100% proof

[scorecard]

10 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Passport is usually 100% proof

True, but for some purposes 2 items to prove identity are required.

 

Full Australian Birth Certificate also accepted for some purposes.

 

However depending on which agency/purpose is involved the requirement can be to produce two items with a photo ID.

Second acceptable item is sometimes an Australian drivers license on a plastic card with photo embedded.

 

But for some purposes what is accepted (as a second item) is a drivers license issued in another country but on a plastic card with photo embedded and owners name in English, and if needed the authenticity of the card could be verified.

 

The Australian DVA doesn't accept just a scanned copy of Australian passport but will accept it if a full copy of the passport is embedded onto say a Word document, plus a copy of the details page of another Australian citizen is then embedded onto the same page (not a second Word page).

 

Then a paragraph saying "I have known this person for more than 5 (?) years and I confirm that the name and photo on the passport page above are correct and genuine". 

 

Then the second person signs the word page and the signature must obviously be a mirror of what's on the passport details page.

 

I got an old Australian friend working upcountry in Thailand (professional qualified teacher) to help with this. 

 

At first try it wasn't accepted because the Word page has to also show full details of name and address of the school, plus phone name and number of senior school administrator and phone number of the Australian citizen. Whether DVA ever rang the school I don't know but they did ring my old friend and asked him to confirm the various details on the Word page.

 

The final Word page with original signatures had to be mailed to the DVA  (EMS) (scanned copy of the Word page attached to an e.mail not accepted).

 

Then I got an e.mail from DVA that my Australian citizenship had been confirmed. 

 

[Olmate]

18 minutes ago, scorecard said:

True, but for some purposes 2 items to prove identity are required.

 

Full Australian Birth Certificate also accepted for some purposes.

 

However depending on which agency/purpose is involved the requirement can be to produce two items with a photo ID.

Second acceptable item is sometimes an Australian drivers license on a plastic card with photo embedded.

 

But for some purposes what is accepted (as a second item) is a drivers license issued in another country but on a plastic card with photo embedded and owners name in English, and if needed the authenticity of the card could be verified.

 

The Australian DVA doesn't accept just a scanned copy of Australian passport but will accept it if a full copy of the passport is embedded onto say a Word document, plus a copy of the details page of another Australian citizen is then embedded onto the same page (not a second Word page).

 

Then a paragraph saying "I have known this person for more than 5 (?) years and I confirm that the name and photo on the passport page above are correct and genuine". 

 

Then the second person signs the word page and the signature must obviously be a mirror of what's on the passport details page.

 

I got an old Australian friend working upcountry in Thailand (professional qualified teacher) to help with this. 

 

At first try it wasn't accepted because the Word page has to also show full details of name and address of the school, plus phone name and number of senior school administrator and phone number of the Australian citizen. Whether DVA ever rang the school I don't know but they did ring my old friend and asked him to confirm the various details on the Word page.

 

The final Word page with original signatures had to be mailed to the DVA  (EMS) (scanned copy of the Word page attached to an e.mail not accepted).

 

Then I got an e.mail from DVA that my Australian citizenship had been confirmed. 

 

Phew.. for Op easier visit Embassy.His prev posts have I think been re losing Medicare entitlements so is acknowledged by Clink as valid citizen.?

[scorecard]

On 11/17/2020 at 2:01 PM, Olmate said:

Phew.. for Op easier visit Embassy.His prev posts have I think been re losing Medicare entitlements so is acknowledged by Clink as valid citizen.?

Sure, good point, but not always convenient to do an embassy visit when one or both parties live in the far Nth or Nth. East of Thailand. 

Plus in the case quoted the DVA had become adamant they wanted confirmation from an oz passport holder who had know the person submitting the claim for at least 5* years. (*from memory 5 years.)

[faranglopburi]

Hopefully moving to Thailand in the near future and have a query;

 

I'm with Commonwealth Bank and they have this security feature where they send you a code via SMS the first time you transfer money to a new account. How will this work in Thailand if I'm transferring 400000THB to my Thai bank account? The mobile phone is with Telstra and won't work unless I have international roaming activated which would be expensive in the long term.

I'm also thinking of MyGov website as well. Same deal to login you have to receive a code via SMS. I can't imagine it would be cheap to have international roaming active on a long term basis. So what do you guys do? 

[Old Croc]

7 minutes ago, faranglopburi said:

Hopefully moving to Thailand in the near future and have a query;

 

I'm with Commonwealth Bank and they have this security feature where they send you a code via SMS the first time you transfer money to a new account. How will this work in Thailand if I'm transferring 400000THB to my Thai bank account? The mobile phone is with Telstra and won't work unless I have international roaming activated which would be expensive in the long term.

I'm also thinking of MyGov website as well. Same deal to login you have to receive a code via SMS. I can't imagine it would be cheap to have international roaming active on a long term basis. So what do you guys do? 

I've given them my Thai mobile phone number. The SMS's appear there without problems whenever I do a transaction. 

[Mister T]

6 minutes ago, faranglopburi said:

Hopefully moving to Thailand in the near future and have a query;

 

I'm with Commonwealth Bank and they have this security feature where they send you a code via SMS the first time you transfer money to a new account. How will this work in Thailand if I'm transferring 400000THB to my Thai bank account? The mobile phone is with Telstra and won't work unless I have international roaming activated which would be expensive in the long term.

I'm also thinking of MyGov website as well. Same deal to login you have to receive a code via SMS. I can't imagine it would be cheap to have international roaming active on a long term basis. So what do you guys do? 

I assume you already have a Thai bank account. I stopped using the Aus ripoff banks years ago, been using https://www.bahtsmart.com/.

What they quote is the amount that actually deposits in your Thai bank. If I transfer to them by 8am, it is in my Thai account by 6pm same day.

[dodgybros]

5 minutes ago, Mister T said:

I assume you already have a Thai bank account. I stopped using the Aus ripoff banks years ago, been using https://www.bahtsmart.com/.

What they quote is the amount that actually deposits in your Thai bank. If I transfer to them by 8am, it is in my Thai account by 6pm same day.

Still less than you would get with transferwise

[Mister T]

12 minutes ago, dodgybros said:

Still less than you would get with transferwise

I did not realise that transferwise was fee free and same day service, I must have misunderstood all the previous posts about transferwise.

[dodgybros]

1 minute ago, Mister T said:

I did not realise that transferwise was fee free and same day service, I must have misunderstood all the previous posts about transferwise.

It is not about 'fee free', idiotic concept, it is about the amount that lands in your Thai bank account to spend! Transferwise is simply better, and I get mine in 4 hours from Aus.

[dodgybros]

Comparison right now, smartbaht 23.04, transferwise 23.3 into your account, do your own math.

[faranglopburi]

46 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I've given them my Thai mobile phone number. The SMS's appear there without problems whenever I do a transaction. 

Is this CommBank or MyGov? Or both? Did you give just the Thai mobile no. alone or the international prefix as well?