On 9/3/2026 at 5:19 PM, XRules said:

those unaware, I am returning to Australia with my Thai wife shortly (she is a Citizen). One of the reasons is the impending income taxation crackdown on Expats and Thais, that

You poor old

Look on the bright side ..you don't have much time left anyway

Must be alarming at your age not to have much money and forced to go from a third world country back to Australia because of a lousy tax in a third world country that you think they MAY bring in

The real reason ...ya ran out of money old timer

Look I don't mind being the taxpayer to pay your pension

I will do another overtime shift this Sunday ok

But keep on going with made up positives about Australia

The health system particularly the public health system in Australia is 3rd world I see it everyday people on stretchers in corridors because of no beds , 12 months waiting lists for surgery.people in emergency 12 hours

Obviously didn't work much and save your money...too many sick days perhaps?

I have nearly a million in my super ...what happened to yours?

Edited Friday at 08:06 AM4 days by georgegeorgia

On 9/4/2026 at 12:16 PM, Youbloodybeauty said:

Yeah totally understandable.

I’ve been married to Thai (and her family) for over three decades now and always planned on retiring here and done things in preparation.

Been disappointed about the tax situation but have figured out a way to minimise it and settled down a fair bit.

It’s not enough to change our plans so far and probably be less than Australian higher cost of living anyway.

Yep - fair enough mate - hope it all goes to plan. But if not, you clearly have a 'plan B' as did I.

Actually for us it will be cheaper back in Oz - I should explain. We play golf together 1-2 times a week and that is very expensive here. I have regular medications that I buy at the local Thai Hospital (save heaps compared to a private one) but they still cost a lot - back in Oz they are on PBS and cost me SFA. My Thai wife is not old enough to get the age pension (late 50s) but in Oz she gets jobsearch - and my pension payment increases. Plus of course any serious medical problems like a car accident or another heart attack needing a hospital are free (and they have real ambulances that are also free - QLD). Plus the PBS system for pensioners (and wife will soon be a 'senior card' 60) makes all general medications very cheap. Yes a lot of things cost more in Oz, but I have done the numbers and we will actually have more money than we get here - which is my pension plus Super withdrawals. Plus the wife and I can do a little 'side business' and make a few dollars without losing the CLink payments - without worrying about being arrested and deported like here.

I loved living in Thailand and still love the place and the ordinary people (not the people running the place and making all the money). But it has all gone too far for me and our plan B is starting sooner than I had wanted. I recall my Father and Mother who both had serious medical issues in their last 5-10 years of life - many hospital visits and ongoing tests and treatments. I did not want to do that here, for either of us, because it would cost a lot of money. A close friend of ours did that, ended up with dementia and he would not go back - nearly all his money was gone by the time he passed away. His Thai wife (now in 60s) is now working - she has the house and all the family lives there, but she has no other source of money. I always wanted to make sure that did not happen to my wife.

On 9/4/2026 at 8:02 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Must be alarming at your age not to have much money and forced to go from a third world country back to Australia because of a lousy tax in a third world country that you think they MAY bring in

Thailand's tax is the least of Aussie expat retiree's concerns.

This one will bite.

https://hlb.com.au/taxing-times-for-australian-expats-overseas/

Basically, 30% tax on everything you are taking out of Australia from $0 to $135,000AUD, and yes, the Australian aged pension is deemed an income at law.

On 9/5/2026 at 2:28 PM, XRules said:

Father and Mother who both had serious medical issues in their last 5-10 years of life

Yes same, Mum having many strokes over years and each time got worse and final one couldn't eat on her own. Yeah I'm on statin 🤨

I'm watching Grumpy Old Men on Tim Newton Today Youtube channel and wonder how these guys would hold up in old age. Tim has a partner but who would look after someone like Steve.

I've been coming for decades with wife and live with her family here so hope that would be covered. I occasionally joke to the sister-in-laws about this and it's all smiles and "we'll look after you".

Plan for the worse but hope for the best and like mentioned, a plan B but dunno if you could ever rely on insurance to cover hospital syphoning off your $'s, my dad lived to 99. Maybe have a $ value tipping point to return to Oz.

8 hours ago, Youbloodybeauty said:

Yes same, Mum having many strokes over years and each time got worse and final one couldn't eat on her own. Yeah I'm on statin 🤨

I'm watching Grumpy Old Men on Tim Newton Today Youtube channel and wonder how these guys would hold up in old age. Tim has a partner but who would look after someone like Steve.

I've been coming for decades with wife and live with her family here so hope that would be covered. I occasionally joke to the sister-in-laws about this and it's all smiles and "we'll look after you".

Plan for the worse but hope for the best and like mentioned, a plan B but dunno if you could ever rely on insurance to cover hospital syphoning off your $'s, my dad lived to 99. Maybe have a $ value tipping point to return to Oz.

I do not wish to sound pessimistic, but there is also the possibility that a Thai wife, anyone's Thai wife, could pass before the foreigner, which could have a lot of implications for the foreigner, particularly if property is in the Thai wife's name, or the foreigner is relying on his Thai wife for aged care.

Sure, many Thai wives are considerably younger than their foreign husbands, but the unforeseen can happen.

One should always plan for the possibility that they are single here in the future, through divorce, or death.