f you go to live in Thailand on the Australian Aged Pension (AAP) you will receive from Centrelink about Bt 620,000 per year or about Bt12,000 per week (Aus $27,000 per year). You can rent a condo in Hua Hin or a similar A/C condo long-term for about Bt 84,000 per year. The other Bt 530,000 or so is for you to do as you like, perhaps you might have to pay some tax or perhaps not. The Thai Tax department does not know...yet

I budget for Bt 100,000 P/M each time I go to Hua Hin, I usually come back having spent only Bt65,000 per month. I actually save money holidaying in Thailand, airfare is $440 for 3 months W.A. to Thailand then back again to Australia, I spend $200 per week on food alone in Aus, nothing like that in Thailand. For a 3-star hotel room in Aus $250/300 per night (in Thailand the same room is $500 per month). For some meals I cook myself and for some I buy, I only accept accommodation I can cook in. At a restaurant in Australia for a nice meal $50 plus and a cheap bottle of wine for 2 people $130 per meal for 2 (and that's cheap in Aus) Yes I save money going now to Thailand for 3 months at a time. The new 60-day tourist visa is good for me, it takes about one hour to get an extension at immigration, so 3 months is no problem. I will not have to apply for the previous 60+ day visa plus 30 day extension which can be complicated. Thailand has now improved. Still TIT.

Hi l have a question for the Aussie expats. I have recently found out that once I receive the aged pension I still have to live in Australia ( except holidays ) for 2 years before I can then live overseas and collect the aged pension. What I would like to know is if there’s any exceptions to the rule, as in Thai Wife or such. I’m 65 have a Thai Wife and house in Chum Saeng. To have to support myself for 2years without working will probably burn up half my savings. I’m amazed that no one seems to know about this. You would think the government would be happy to see the back of me.