australians retiring in Thailand

[tiaretaporo]

Don't know about Aus but in NZ there is a universal pension (eg no means test) BUT you have to be resident in NZ for at least 6 months each year to receive it. Out of the country for 6 months and 1 day means paying back all of your pension for that year, no ifs, buts or maybes! Suspect that Aus has similar rule but pension is also means tested (and subject to complex rules on residency and working years).

This is completely INCORRECT.

If you are 65 or over you can receive NZ Superannuation while overseas and you do NOT have to live in NZ "for at least 6 months each year". All you have to do is update your contact details and whereabouts to International Services at WINZ every 6 months. The Super is paid without any tax deduction as long as you do not return to NZ for 6 months of more in any year.

Hope this corrects a misconception.

[tingtongtourist]

I saw the show its no surprises. The cost of living in Oz is getting out of control. Whether it be Thailand or some other cheaper location I will be there for sure. We are inundated with Chinese buying property here like there is no tomorrow. "I have 10M and I need a house can you help?" this was the actual quote coming from a Chinese student to a real estate agent and friend of mine overheard. This pushes up the price for first home buyers and many are even now priced out of the rental market. I will be in Thailand for sure but not sure where. Patts is fun but realistically I could not see how you could live there permanently its just too crazy. The choice of women is also dismal in your mid forties in farangland, I would just be so bloody bored with them around my age so somewhere in SE Asia is the only solution.

Good to see the xenophobes leaving Oz and no doubt adopting a peaceful and Thai lifestyle in LOS.

wow you call people who would worry about their own rights and quality of life xenophobes?

I guess you must be one of these doo-gooder types that the majority of aussies are fed up with?

Its this type that make these people want to leave australia.

you have no children i presume?

Absolutely staggering!

[GreyThunda]

G'day.

Yep, another one bailin out, so this is my first post and hope to get some help.

I have just started to inquire about staying in Thailand for six months of the year (April to September, yes the wet season) as I just need to get out of the winters in Tassy,

I'm not one for pubs and kicking up my heals (no there's nothin wrong with me) but love the sea and any sailing vessels so have this idea of buying a Junk and living on it and cruising the islands, maybe hire a crew and cook and enjoy life for six months then put the Junk up on the hard stand until I get back next year.

If anyone is or knows someone that is or has done this I would like to hear from you.

I had a 50' Ketch and cruised single handed up and down the east coast of Aus for five years from Cook Town to Hobart so now like the idea of Thailand.

From what I can find out it's better to buy a Junk there and have it refitted or even have a traditional Junk built and a lot cheaper than buying a Yacht in Aus and sailing it to Thailand any comments fellas?

[KonKorat]

Correction as the show is called dateline and on now

thanks for that info,just finish watching the replay now,i just got back from Thailand on Saturday trip #8 since 2010 i,m at retirement age 51yo ii have a Thai fiance and will be retiring there once i have the funds saved.will settle down in Korat

[louse1953]

Do any Australians know the eligibility regulations regarding receiving the pension overseas? I seem to remember reading that you had to have worked in Australia for 35 years (do part time/casual work years count?) but when I attempted to find information about eligibility recently, the only provisos that I could find was that the person had to have lived in Australia 35 years (formerly 25). Does anyone know the true criteria?

Plenty of info on this forum mate.You dont have to have worked,just be available to work.not sure if the 35 years has passed yet,but if you havent done your time they pro rata it.If you have been culled as a resident,you have to go back and do 2 long years and then yer jake.

[BookMan]

G'day.

Yep, another one bailin out, so this is my first post and hope to get some help.

I have just started to inquire about staying in Thailand for six months of the year (April to September, yes the wet season) as I just need to get out of the winters in Tassy,

I'm not one for pubs and kicking up my heals (no there's nothin wrong with me) but love the sea and any sailing vessels so have this idea of buying a Junk and living on it and cruising the islands, maybe hire a crew and cook and enjoy life for six months then put the Junk up on the hard stand until I get back next year.

If anyone is or knows someone that is or has done this I would like to hear from you.

I had a 50' Ketch and cruised single handed up and down the east coast of Aus for five years from Cook Town to Hobart so now like the idea of Thailand.

From what I can find out it's better to buy a Junk there and have it refitted or even have a traditional Junk built and a lot cheaper than buying a Yacht in Aus and sailing it to Thailand any comments fellas?

You'd be better off starting a new thread on that topic mate

[oxo1947]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/09/09/dateline-paradise-pensioners

[RecklessRon]

I think we all agree you can live comfortably in CM for $1500 a month.

I don't think you would need $15,000 a month to live the same way in Australia!

SO... I wish people would please stop quoting the 10% figure that is a legacy from the 80's.

[expatoz]

here is the link to the Pensioners in Paradise on Dateline Australia

[moe666]

Sydney for example is very expensive .

Consider say a Friday and Saturday outing to watch sport eat a meal and take a taxi a few kilometres home.

Or attending a dinner engagement or movie ?

Cost of food , transport .

Hobby .

Retirement is not cheap .

Thailand is a few things .

But one thing is sure .

It's very much cheaper than Sydney or for that Matter Australia in general.

I believe the cost of living were you to strip away at things in say Pattaya , is a fraction of the cost.

A condo at say 8-10 thousand baht .

Food and clothing 6 thousand

And social interaction and even more 10 thousand

It translates into less than a thousand dollars a month.

Though I would recommend $1500 a month at least for a comfortable existence.

Point is what would be a struggle in Australia to make ends meet for elderly people , suddenly becomes an easy alternative that includes social contact .

For that reason only Thailand has to be seen in a better light to those with limited means

You may be able to live on these amounts but you have to qualify for the Thai extension of stay 65,000baht a moth in income or 800,000baht in the bank. You will always need more than you budget, booze is expensive in Thailand.

[harrry]

The main saving between here an Australia is rent or the cost of housing. Electricity prices are only slightly lower.

If you eat out with local food is is a lot cheaper here but would be about the same if you cooked exactly the same food in Australia using the same quality ingredients. (few would)

Eating at home with a mix of food is cheaper but not a lot and if you take into account the quallty diffences between the meat etc not really cheaper.

Medical is a cost you must bear here but GP and public hospital visits are cheaper than Australia. Hospital at public hospital gives good care considering the cost but in Australia everyone is entitiled to the same care totally free in a Public Hospital with the same standard as a mid to high range Private Hospital except for the private room which you only get free in Australia if your health needs it.

Private Health Insurance cover is more available in Australia for people with chronic conditions and you do not then get refused in later years as you will have any illness you have had here considered pre-existing in Thailand and refused continued coverage.

No messing round in Australia with no notice changing of Extension requirements. (Note,....changes are not the problem the no notice and inconsistency is.)

I prefer the lifestyle here but it is not 10 times better.

Edited September 11, 2014 by harrry

[Kiwisailor]

Just came across this interesting link on best places to retire abroad. Malaysia makes the list but not Thailand. Panama even encourages people to retire there.

"There’s also a great pension residence program, called pensionado, which provides residency to anyone with a pension of at least $1,000 a month. It also comes with great discounts, such as 50 percent off entertainment; 30 percent off bus, ferry and train fares; 25 percent off airline tickets; and 50 percent off closing costs for home loans."

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/personal-finance/8-fantastic-places-to-retire-abroad.html/8/?ref=OB

[Cats4ever]

I saw the show its no surprises. The cost of living in Oz is getting out of control. Whether it be Thailand or some other cheaper location I will be there for sure. We are inundated with Chinese buying property here like there is no tomorrow. "I have 10M and I need a house can you help?" this was the actual quote coming from a Chinese student to a real estate agent and friend of mine overheard. This pushes up the price for first home buyers and many are even now priced out of the rental market. I will be in Thailand for sure but not sure where. Patts is fun but realistically I could not see how you could live there permanently its just too crazy. The choice of women is also dismal in your mid forties in farangland, I would just be so bloody bored with them around my age so somewhere in SE Asia is the only solution.

Good to see the xenophobes leaving Oz and no doubt adopting a peaceful and Thai lifestyle in LOS.

wow you call people who would worry about their own rights and quality of life xenophobes?

I guess you must be one of these doo-gooder types that the majority of aussies are fed up with?

Its this type that make these people want to leave australia.

you have no children i presume?

Absolutely staggering!

Maybe xenophobe was a tad strong, but still literally correct.

As for the rest of the post, apart from the lack of temperance, it is fairly accurate except for the do gooder stuff.

[tingtongtourist]

I saw the show its no surprises. The cost of living in Oz is getting out of control. Whether it be Thailand or some other cheaper location I will be there for sure. We are inundated with Chinese buying property here like there is no tomorrow. "I have 10M and I need a house can you help?" this was the actual quote coming from a Chinese student to a real estate agent and friend of mine overheard. This pushes up the price for first home buyers and many are even now priced out of the rental market. I will be in Thailand for sure but not sure where. Patts is fun but realistically I could not see how you could live there permanently its just too crazy. The choice of women is also dismal in your mid forties in farangland, I would just be so bloody bored with them around my age so somewhere in SE Asia is the only solution.

Good to see the xenophobes leaving Oz and no doubt adopting a peaceful and Thai lifestyle in LOS.

wow you call people who would worry about their own rights and quality of life xenophobes?

I guess you must be one of these doo-gooder types that the majority of aussies are fed up with?

Its this type that make these people want to leave australia.

you have no children i presume?

Absolutely staggering!

Maybe xenophobe was a tad strong, but still literally correct.

As for the rest of the post, apart from the lack of temperance, it is fairly accurate except for the do gooder stuff.

well for me Australia is becoming the worst place in the world to live.cost of living.<deleted>.red tape prices and bribes to get anything done.<deleted>. rules and regulation for every known thing

and dont start on taxes..you know if u stay out of the country over 5 years the call you non resident for tax..means you get no tax free threshold like every other aussie allowed to make $ 18000 tax free...no and you dont use nothing of aus,no welfare or ask anything but they treat you like shit cosyou dont wanna hang around to be exploited.

they all a pack of ****s in every government in aus

a few month ago my son did get caught DUI. Yes his fault,a stupid and bad thing to do but they take away the licence for 3 years can you believe and this his first offence in 20 years driving

no public transport in this town so take away someones life and right to work for 3 years for one mistake. As*holes.

this year i sell my house in aus and we both go to thailand

you have to pay over 30% on every cent and