Moving to HH from Australia

[sandemb]

Info needed-
We've done the TH thing on holidays many times b4 and I'm almost in retirement mode. Don't want Pattaya or Phuket, been there, done that. After much investigation HH sounds like the place to retire disgracefully with fun. My wife and I are both Aussies with party attitude and wish to enjoy life 'til 6' under. Our budget of 60,000 bht a month looks comfortable, (may even stretch to 90). Any info appreciated, especially from Aussie expats., particularly regarding Centrelink payments there as info here is very confusing!
Heinies as best expat bar when we get there!!

[sandemb]

[The only bad beer is the one you haven't drunk yet!]

[Bamboo Grove]

I've deleted your double post. Writing the same thing once should be sufficient. Hope you will get plenty of good replies.

[sandemb]

Thanks, awaiting some good replies!

[Aussie Mark]

Hi There


I can help ,but you need 10 post so I can then PM you

Bloody Rules

[sandemb]

Thanks Mark, Still plodding through all the available Centrelink info I can find. Looks like you have to return to Aus every 13 weeks, may stretch to 26 weeks.

[Lev]

Welcome aboard sandemb.

I can help ,but you need 10 post so I can then PM you

Bloody Rules

If you have good information why not share it with the rest of the forum and post it?

The rules are there for a reason: to stop spammers and freeloaders abusing this forum and its membership.

[JW]

Hi sandemb,

Looks like you Aussies have started to find HH as a desination to spend some quality time, welcome and I am sure you will be able to find lots of info on the site, do some searching and you will find threads on living costs places to go for a beer golf etc.

Let us know when your here and I will introduce you to my aussie mates here

Cheers,
JW

[sandemb]

Thanks JW,
HH seems to be exactly what we've been looking for, plenty to do without the ratrace of Pattaya (great place to visit, not to live), good markets, shopping and a sufficiently large expat population. BKK only couple of hours away if we need a big city fix, (not very often!) and very affordable in our budget. If things get much worse here, may be there sooner than in a couple of years. Just got to get rid of this noose (house) that is choking us, but property market is ! Will keep posts on this forum to let you know what's going on.

[Nereus]

There are Australian OAP retirees living here, and reportedly receiving the pension. For what it`s worth I would not even MENTION living overseas until such time as you have your pension in place, if that is what you are contemplating.

In my case, they will not pay the pension because I was already living here when I became eligible. To qualify I would have to go back and live in Australia for 2 years continuously, before even being able to apply for the OAP. And even then, there is no guarantee that they would approve it. There is one bloke that I know in Hua Hin that was refused the OAP because he: "had too many assets"!

Another thing to consider is health care. You will probably be told 10 different accounts, but they WILL withdraw your Medicare card if they find out you are not living in Australia. And find out they will, via immigration records!

Use the Internet to research this complex subject, there are some real horror stories posted. There is / was a girl in Tasmania that even made a trip to Thailand and interviewed people that were refused the pension. I believe that she worked for Centrelink and carried out the survey on her own initiative, following on from so many denied claims in her own office.

Good luck!

[sandemb]

Thanks for reply.
Seen all the horror stories on 'net and don't want to become another one! Guess I might have to go back to 60,000 a month budget. Guess life won't be too bad at that level. From what I can see there are a number of good rentals to 20,000, so leaves a reasonable amount for the finer things in life. Love market food and will drink Chang over Heinie if I have to. Any thoughts?

[Nereus]

Not sure what you are referring to with your 60,000 a month budget. To qualify for a non O visa extension you need either 65k a month proven with a letter from the Embassy, or 800k in a Thai bank for 3 months prior to the extension, or a combination of both.

Yes, you can find rentals in that price range, and some more and some less, depends what you want and what you expect.

[sandemb]

Have a link to very informative site. Will post when I get 10 posts up.

[sandemb]

Thanks Nereus. Will have no probs meeting the 800,000 bank requirement, rest will stay in Aus to give us our 60,000 a month 'living budget'

[JW]

"""Seen all the horror stories on 'net and don't want to become another one! Guess I might have to go back to 60,000 a month budget. Guess life won't be too bad at that level. From what I can see there are a number of good rentals to 20,000, so leaves a reasonable amount for the finer things in life. Love market food and will drink Chang over Heinie if I have to. Any thoughts?"""

You sound like you have got the right attitude to life, look for the positives and understand the negatives a! You will do fine here and look forwar dto having a beer