10 minutes ago, fruitman said:

But but @madmen has never met an aussie with a healthcare insurance as he wrote....and i think he is one of them.

I'm trying to get back but they keep cancelling my flights. No I don't have insurance as heading back minimum 2 years

13 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Aussies have medicare mate, and also when they go on holiday to a friendly nation they will get free? healthcare there as well. Are you an aussie?

No mate friendly nations are not just a walk in walk out whenever you have a belly ache

Especially the 3rd from the left.

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Especially the 3rd from the left.

Ha ha very nice but not on an Ozzie pension ! Perhaps a dodgy one down at coconuts ????

1 minute ago, madmen said:

Ha ha very nice but not on an Ozzie pension ! Perhaps a dodgy one down at coconuts ????

You can look at them for free!

And think about the Ozzie alternative - or better don't...

1 hour ago, petedk said:

I was going to answer with a stupid remark about "Why only 2 choices when there are so many other countries?", but I won't.

 

For those of you who like Leo: Why do you like Leo and not Guinness?

 

I think that the only 2 places that I might be able to get Guinness in Khampaeng Phet province would be BigC or Tops. Of course I am sure I could get it but I would have a 360km round trip and about a 5 or 6 hour drive. That is an overkill just for a few beers, plus if I drink beer it would be Chang.

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Where do I begin?

Car registration $80 instead of $700.

Traffic fines ( I don't get a lot ) $20, not $500 or worse.

Rent a condo with swimming pool for one month here, costs the same as one week in Oz.

A good pub-type meal costs $10 instead of $30. Even less if I eat Thai.

Scotch whisky half the cost of Australia.

Parking fines? What are they?

Internet about twice as fast as anything in Oz, half the cost to boot.

Electricity and water monthly cost about one fifth of what I used to pay in Oz.

My GF is 24 years younger than me, and never has a headache.

Enough said?

 

To save me starting my own list can I add on to yours.

Worked all my life paid personal tax, company tax and since the introduction of the GST collected it for the government.

The along with many of my friends was denied the retirement pension.

Also sick of the PC  rubbish too much government intervention which is one reason little or nothing is manufactured plus too many think the world owes them a living.

 Very happy here despite the poor exchange rate.

Australia doesn't have free medical, it's a separate tax (Medicare levy), on top of already high taxes.

2 hours ago, madmen said:

It used to be cheaper but not anymore. In oz only thing more expensive is housing 

Not a single Ozzie I know has health insurance

Let me introduce myself then you have met one.

8 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Australia doesn't have free medical, it's a separate tax (Medicare levy), on top of already high taxes.

On top of that the private medical insurance can leave you thousands out of pocket the last two occasions I used it I had to pay $3000 for an overnight stay and on another occasion $2500 for one night.

That was many years ago.

14 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Australia doesn't have free medical, it's a separate tax (Medicare levy), on top of already high taxes.

Was recently at a bulk bill, walked in walked out zero cost. Public hospitals free so if you crawl in on 2 broken legs you won't be stared at by several nurses screaming" CREDIT card, you give me credit card!!!!

2 hours ago, madmen said:

It used to be cheaper but not anymore. In oz only thing more expensive is housing 

Not a single Ozzie I know has health insurance

Heaps of things are cheaper in Thailand.  Anything to do with running a car/bike, rego, insurance, servicing, fuel. All utilties, elec, water, internet, condo fees. Thai food and groceries. 

18 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You can look at them for free!

And think about the Ozzie alternative - or better don't...

Stop it - enough guys !! 

 

I am stuck here for another few years waiting for the pension - the above 'girls' are everywhere here.

 

Hey is that my ex wife in the background - the outline and size looks right.

 

45 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Aussies have medicare mate, and also when they go on holiday to a friendly nation they will get free? healthcare there as well. Are you an aussie?

Which friendly nations give you free healthcare ?
There is a reciprocal arrangement with the UK for emergency treatment after that you pay.

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

Was recently at a bulk bill, walked in walked out zero cost. Public hospitals free so if you crawl in on 2 broken legs you won't be stared at by several nurses screaming" CREDIT card, you give me credit card!!!!

It wasnt free, you pay or have been paying a specific medicial tax your whole life.

Seriously though - there is one thing better in Australia - sorry make that two.

1.  Medical system - first class everywhere and free.

2.  Roads - so much safer - very 'controlled' but safe.

That's it.  Period. 

 

Just looked it up - 3 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour 44 minutes 26 seconds 25 24 23 22  Aaaargh.

 

I tried to emigrate to Oz some 30 years ago, but they wouldn't have me for some really obscured weird reasons, while allowing to all TCN's to walk right in. So I decided, <deleted> you OZ, I don't even want to visit.

Then I married Thai.

11 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

On top of that the private medical insurance can leave you thousands out of pocket the last two occasions I used it I had to pay $3000 for an overnight stay and on another occasion $2500 for one night.

That was many years ago.

Mate - that was why I cancelled mine.  Happy to wait for any procedure - public as good as private in most situations. Go see the private VMO and he will do the op in public hospital. And when you have a bad accident the Ambulance wont take you to any private hospital - only Govt (and free here in Qld).

7 minutes ago, madmen said:

Was recently at a bulk bill, walked in walked out zero cost. Public hospitals free so if you crawl in on 2 broken legs you won't be stared at by several nurses screaming" CREDIT card, you give me credit card!!!!

I have been treated in both government and private hospitals on several occasions over the years and never once have I been asked how was I going to pay before being treated.

Perhaps there is a reason this happened to you, if it did happen, as they say, looks are everything !

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Internet about twice as fast as anything in Oz, half the cost to boot.

Half? I regularly get 400Mbs here. The best I ever got in Australia was about 80Mbs, and that was before the NBN. Now people are lucky to 40Mbs, for nearly twice the price.

7 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

I tried to emigrate to Oz some 30 years ago, but they wouldn't have me for some really obscured weird reasons, while allowing to all TCN's to walk right in. So I decided, <deleted> you OZ, I don't even want to visit.

Then I married Thai.

Some blokes are just effin lucky and they get all the breaks - lucky bast*****. 

10 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

Seriously though - there is one thing better in Australia - sorry make that two.

1.  Medical system - first class everywhere and free.

2.  Roads - so much safer - very 'controlled' but safe.

That's it.  Period. 

 

Just looked it up - 3 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour 44 minutes 26 seconds 25 24 23 22  Aaaargh.

 

The medical system isn't free, you pay a medicare levy, probably for the last 40 years. You havnt noticed that on your tax return ?

Not much different to paying insurance here, unless you are on a basic pension.

8 minutes ago, teatime101 said:

Half? I regularly get 400Mbs here. The best I ever got in Australia was about 80Mbs, and that was before the NBN. Now people are lucky to 40Mbs, for nearly twice the price.

Only twice the price - who is the ISP who??  When I lived in CM we got 200MB (fibre) installed in 2 days and it cost less than a third of what I am now paying for 'up to' 50MB - which took almost a month to install - and is heavily 'controlled' (that site is unaurthorised bla bla bla) - got VPN now all good.

8 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

The medical system isn't free, you pay a medicare levy, probably for the last 40 years. You havnt noticed that on your tax return ? Not much different to paying insurance here, unless you are on a basic pension.

Medicare was introduced in 1984 with a 1% surcharge added to income tax.  This has been gradually and slowly increased to 1.5%. Tax rates have reduced many times since then - and except for bracket creep - I am sure I am paying less than I otherwiser would have.  Paid extra for a few years when income was above a certain level (surcharge) - but since 1984 I reckon it has cost SFA.

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2013/May/A_short_history_of_increases_to_the_Medicare_levy

 

So you are right Peter - but only just. But I have not been paying for many years - since I retired early and moved to Thailand and then back again. And I will never be again paying for it. So for me and many others - it is free. 

18 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

1.  Medical system - first class everywhere and free.

2.  Roads - so much safer - very 'controlled' but safe.

'Free' medical means everyone gets the same level of treatment, regardless of the amount tax paid. Better than the US system. My elderly mother received intensive hospital treatment for three months and was flown from Sydney to Lismore to a nursing home - all free. And the level of care was excellent all the way.

 

Driving in Australia seems almost surreal after driving in Thailand for any length of time. It's like everyone's on a rail. Feels very safe.

1 hour ago, totally thaied up said:

After thinking about it for a hour, I would prefer Australia due to a few things. I am only two minutes walk away from a World Class beach, health care is free and with the AUD to Baht being in the toilet, it is not much more expensive to live in Australia IF you own your own house or condo outright like we do.

 

I don't go out and eat pub meals or go to restaurants. Even here in Thailand, most of it is home cooking. I am married, don't need a bar or girl. I don't drink. I miss clean air and the beach a great deal. Chiang Mai has not got clean air and it is a long way to the beach. My wife after getting PR in Australia can become a Resident easy. Sure I may pay twice the amount for a coffee but you won't get the beach-side view I have got. If you drink, well, it's not cheap but then you have decent wines. The beef is real beef and even the taste of milk is different. I would kill for some Lamb now.

 

Thailand has treated me good; great wife and great family but nothing in the back of my mind beats the beach, free health care and clean air. I will remain in Thailand most likely for another 10 years but when my health insurance here gets too out of reach even for me, going home may well be the answer.

 

For many here, lack of funds in Australia and being on most likely a old age pension, living in Australia is not that easy, so most of SEA beckons. I know many Australian guys here that have nothing in Australia and no way back. With losing a massive amount in currency value, many of these people would barely make 34,000 a month now and would have had to tighten the belt a lot. For me personally now, it is about the same price to live in Australia to Thailand now once again, if you own your own property.

i dont lack funds. I get paid the same as i did in oz but the standard of living is much better.

 

I will not be returning.

1 hour ago, madmen said:

No mate friendly nations are not just a walk in walk out whenever you have a belly ache

I had to go to medicare to show my passport and since i was from a friendly nation they said i was covered for free in AU.

 

And i always thought that ALL aussies had that same medicare but maybe i'm wrong....don't know.

6 minutes ago, teatime101 said:

'Free' medical means everyone gets the same level of treatment, regardless of the amount tax paid. Better than the US system. My elderly mother received intensive hospital treatment for three months and was flown from Sydney to Lismore to a nursing home - all free. And the level of care was excellent all the way.

Driving in Australia seems almost surreal after driving in Thailand for any length of time. It's like everyone's on a rail. Feels very safe.

Yep - best system in the world in terms of general coverage.  US and Germany etc have better skills/surgeons in specialist fields in the big markets like NY and LA etc. But if you compared services and costs in every one of the top 200 cities/towns in each county - Australia wins by a mile.  And as you say - medical transport is often free (elderly, Qld, etc).  This is the only reason we intend maintaining residency in Aust while we live in Thailand - either one of us gets cancer/etc and we are back in Aust. 

 

My Thai wife could not believe how calm and safe the roads are here.  She thought it was a holiday the first time we drove on the roads - where is everyone today. 

11 minutes ago, teatime101 said:

Driving in Australia seems almost surreal after driving in Thailand for any length of time. It's like everyone's on a rail. Feels very safe.

But you still need to watch out for them roadtrains...they won't slow down..and the flying rocks can easy crack your windscreen.

5 minutes ago, teatime101 said:

'Free' medical means everyone gets the same level of treatment, regardless of the amount tax paid. Better than the US system. My elderly mother received intensive hospital treatment for three months and was flown from Sydney to Lismore to a nursing home - all free. And the level of care was excellent all the way.

 

Driving in Australia seems almost surreal after driving in Thailand for any length of time. It's like everyone's on a rail. Feels very safe.

Yes, the driving is very safe and good roads etc but you do need to factor in the nanny state revenue collecting, parking fines, speed cameras, red light cameras, various other fines. I am a safe and slow driver but still used to get nabbed now and then by a camera for something that was just revenue, 65 in a 60 zone, or follow traffic through a yellow light.