Very sad indeed. The good folks of Australia are destroying their culture and country by importing cultures that do not want to assimilate and want to impose their own laws into Australia. 

25 minutes ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

 

Things are always better yesterday in our minds.

 

 

In our minds, or is it reality?  

 

I think most people would agree "the boomers" saw the best of Australia. Why did it have to go down hill?  Why couldn't Australia adapt and the prosperity continue? 

36 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

The Asean Now Christmas spirit. People getting worked up over what someone posted two years ago on a thread that started three years ago.

Has Australia got any better since????  Eg.  housing crisis, high cost of living.  

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

2 Bedroom unit

 

$240AUD per week is around 20,000 Baht a month.  

 

You will not get a penthouse for 20,000 baht a month, but you could easily pay the rent on a half decent condo in a tourist area of Thailand for 20,000 baht a month.  

 

The rest of your disposable income would then go a lot further in Thailand than it would in Australia. 

 

Why stay in Australia?

9 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

$240AUD per week is around 20,000 Baht a month.  

 

You will not get a penthouse for 20,000 baht a month, but you could easily pay the rent on a half decent condo in a tourist area of Thailand for 20,000 baht a month.  

 

The rest of your disposable income would then go a lot further in Thailand than it would in Australia. 

 

Why stay in Australia?

His wife is a nurse who earns good money and he put two property's in her name. But Centrelink think he is single. Keep up.

17 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Has Australia got any better since????  Eg.  housing crisis, high cost of living.  

Post about Australia and KhunHeineken will be there with his tales of woe. 

4 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

$240AUD per week is around 20,000 Baht a month.  

 

You will not get a penthouse for 20,000 baht a month, but you could easily pay the rent on a half decent condo in a tourist area of Thailand for 20,000 baht a month.  

 

The rest of your disposable income would then go a lot further in Thailand than it would in Australia. 

 

Why stay in Australia?

Do you know how much I would have to pay for health insurance at the age of 78? And my Thai wife of 20-odd years has a well-paid job as a nurse here, and health insurance is free for me over here, being a pensioner 

1 hour ago, grain said:

Yes same here, the lowest I remember 17 after Keating devalued the AUD. I flew into Bangkok 2 weeks ago and managed to get 21 THB for my AUD, the rate was actually a bit lower but I had $10,000 in nice new $1000 bills, so I was able to haggle to 21.

Low productivity growth doesn't help.  

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/17/australian-economy-productivity-banana-republic-keating-chalmers

 

"They point to the fact that our economy is no more productive now than it was in 2016."

 

"Living standards across the rich world climbed by an average of 22% over the past decade. In comparison, our living standards are up just 1.5%, according to analysis by Chris Richardson, an independent economist."

 

 

14 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Do you know how much I would have to pay for health insurance at the age of 78? And my Thai wife of 20-odd years has a well-paid job as a nurse here, and health insurance is free for me over here, being a pensioner 

i left LOS and went back to sweden because of health (broken back) but lo and behold, the doctors here deny the damages to the bone marrow in the spine that MRI show even exists

7 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Do you know how much I would have to pay for health insurance at the age of 78? And my Thai wife of 20-odd years has a well-paid job as a nurse here, and health insurance is free for me over here, being a pensioner 

Everyone is different, but at 78, I know where I would rather be in the twilight years of my life, insurance or no insurance.  

 

Unless you have a current medical condition, requiring ongoing medical attention, why not see out your days in Thailand?  If something happens, medically, and you can make it back to Australia, you go onto Medicare anyway.  If you can't make it back, that's the hand that's been dealt to you. 

 

From what I read about the current state of Medicare and public hospitals in Australia, there's no guarantee you don't die in the waiting room, or get sent home after misdiagnosis and die the next day at home.   

14 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Post about Australia and KhunHeineken will be there with his tales of woe. 

Can you post some positive tales about Australia, particularly the Australian economy, and perhaps back them up with some links or stats?

 

I didn't think so.    

16 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

His wife is a nurse who earns good money and he put two property's in her name. But Centrelink think he is single. Keep up.

That's if it's true. 

 

In any case, if living in Australia was so good, we would all be back there, rather than living in Thailand, wouldn't we?  

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Can you post some positive tales about Australia, particularly the Australian economy, and perhaps back them up with some links or stats?

 

I didn't think so.    

Just don't get KhunBeer started on the pension.🙃🙃

1 minute ago, Lucky Bones said:

Just don't get KhunBeer started on the pension.🙃🙃

I have no problem with the pension, and pensioners.  

 

All I have done is posted about proposed changes to Australia's current 90 year old tax residency laws that MAY effect pensioners if / when they are passed.  Well documented with many, many links in another thread.  

 

Yes, the pension is deemed an income.  

5 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

That's if it's true. 

 

In any case, if living in Australia was so good, we would all be back there, rather than living in Thailand, wouldn't we?  

I am. Which begs the question why I post here. Well I don't post much. Have long holidays in Thailand. 

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I have no problem with the pension, and pensioners.  

 

All I have done is posted about proposed changes to Australia's current 90 year old tax residency laws that MAY effect pensioners if / when they are passed.  Well documented with many, many links in another thread.  

 

Yes, the pension is deemed an income.  

Still not a thing though. Wasted a lot of words on that. 

2 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I am. Which begs the question why I post here. Well I don't post much. Have long holidays in Thailand. 

I can live comfortably in Australia, or Thailand.  

 

I chose Thailand.  

 

Why did you chose Australia?

17 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

$240AUD per week is around 20,000 Baht a month.  

 

You will not get a penthouse for 20,000 baht a month, but you could easily pay the rent on a half decent condo in a tourist area of Thailand for 20,000 baht a month.  

 

The rest of your disposable income would then go a lot further in Thailand than it would in Australia. 

 

Why stay in Australia?

You are wrong, I lived in LOS for several years, but since I didn't like Thai food, I had to buy Farang food, which cost me an arm and a leg. Being old, I don't eat a lot, so my food bill is not more than 120 AUD per fortnight. Water is included in the rent, and electricity is just about 120 AUD per fortnight. We don't live in the East, we live in Perth, near the city, and my wife is still taking a course at TAFE, she will be making about 80 to 90ooo AUD per year, so why move back? 

1 minute ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Still not a thing though. Wasted a lot of words on that. 

It hasn't gone away.

 

Liberal proposed the changes.  Labor progressed then to the consultation stage.  

 

Many members thought Labor would bin them, they didn't.  

2 minutes ago, still kicking said:

You are wrong, I lived in LOS for several years, but since I didn't like Thai food, I had to buy Farang food, which cost me an arm and a leg. Being old, I don't eat a lot, so my food bill is not more than 120 AUD per fortnight. Water is included in the rent, and electricity is just about 120 AUD per fortnight. We don't live in the East, we live in Perth, near the city, and my wife is still taking a course at TAFE, she will be making about 80 to 90ooo AUD per year, so why move back? 

Here's just one of many cheap eats farang food places in Pattaya.

 

https://hungryhippopattaya.shop/menu

 

You could not even buy the ingredients to make these meals for the prices on the menu.  

 

$120AUD per fortnight for electricity is steep.  You could run A/C 27/7 in Thailand and not get a $120AUD per week bill.  

 

I'm thinking your missus is running the show.  You'd like to be back in Thailand but just won't admit it to yourself, and to this forum, and your missus won't allow it, so you need to tell everyone how happy you are in Australia.  

 

You'll see none of that $80 - $90k.  So what's the point?  Leave her there and go back to Thailand and have a good life, even on the pension, before you pass.  

1 minute ago, KhunHeineken said:

Here's just one of many cheap eats farang food places in Pattaya.

 

https://hungryhippopattaya.shop/menu

 

You could not even buy the ingredients to make these meals for the prices on the menu.  

 

$120AUD per fortnight for electricity is steep.  You could run A/C 27/7 in Thailand and not get a $120AUD per week bill.  

 

I'm thinking your missus is running the show.  You'd like to be back in Thailand but just won't admit it to yourself, and to this forum, and your missus won't allow it, so you need to tell everyone how happy you are in Australia.  

 

You'll see none of that $80 - $90k.  So what's the point?  Leave her there and go back to Thailand and have a good life, even on the pension, before you pass.  

120 AUD per 2 weeks is useless arguing with you 

30 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Can you post some positive tales about Australia, particularly the Australian economy, and perhaps back them up with some links or stats?

 

I didn't think so.    

Not bad. Could be worse.  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/myefo-budget-update-show-deficit-improvement/106150778

19 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I can live comfortably in Australia, or Thailand.  

 

I chose Thailand.  

 

Why did you chose Australia?

I like both. And don't like both. Seeing what happens and since I live here here I am. 

2 minutes ago, still kicking said:

120 AUD per 2 weeks is useless arguing with you 

Sorry, I meant a fortnight.  

 

That's still quite steep.  That's $240 a month.  How much of it is supply charge?  

3 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Not bad. Could be worse.  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/myefo-budget-update-show-deficit-improvement/106150778

From your own link.

 

"The new figures will show the 2025-26 budget deficit is now due to reach $36.8 billion, which is $5.3 billion lower than was forecast at the election."

 

No argument from me, a $36.8 billion deficit is better than a $42.1 billion deficit, but would you care to comment on the $36.8 billion deficit?  Where does the shortfall come from?

 

Also, deficits predicted for the next 10 years?  

 

It's a false positive, which is actually a "tale of woe."   

6 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I like both. And don't like both. Seeing what happens and since I live here here I am. 

For me, it's not so much about affordability, but about freedom.  The Nanny State really sh*ts me to tears.  

20 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Here's just one of many cheap eats farang food places in Pattaya.

 

https://hungryhippopattaya.shop/menu

 

You could not even buy the ingredients to make these meals for the prices on the menu.  

 

$120AUD per fortnight for electricity is steep.  You could run A/C 27/7 in Thailand and not get a $120AUD per week bill.  

 

I'm thinking your missus is running the show.  You'd like to be back in Thailand but just won't admit it to yourself, and to this forum, and your missus won't allow it, so you need to tell everyone how happy you are in Australia.  

 

You'll see none of that $80 - $90k.  So what's the point?  Leave her there and go back to Thailand and have a good life, even on the pension, before you pass.  

He is a liar.

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

For me, it's not so much about affordability, but about freedom.  The Nanny State really sh*ts me to tears.  

True. Freedom galore plus women

 

7 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

For me, it's not so much about affordability, but about freedom.  The Nanny State really sh*ts me to tears.  

I'm a bit mixed on that. I do like the feeling of freedom in street life if you like .. less rules .. more fun. But never feel impeded myself otherwise except more chance of a ticket on the roads which is a good thing .. though some speed limits like 40 km an hour are over the top. Feel more free to express myself here .. and feel things are a fairer and freer if things go wrong.. 

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Everyone is different, but at 78, I know where I would rather be in the twilight years of my life, insurance or no insurance.  

 

Unless you have a current medical condition, requiring ongoing medical attention, why not see out your days in Thailand?  If something happens, medically, and you can make it back to Australia, you go onto Medicare anyway.  If you can't make it back, that's the hand that's been dealt to you. 

 

From what I read about the current state of Medicare and public hospitals in Australia, there's no guarantee you don't die in the waiting room, or get sent home after misdiagnosis and die the next day at home.   

He is disabled. He rarely leaves the house. Thailand is for fit people with a sex drive.