Two years does not mean "not leaving the country" for two years. "Holiday travel" is fine provided it looks and smells and adds up to a holiday.... So if you live in Thailand 183 days of the year (or more) with your Thai girlfriend/wife on a Thai retirement visa in the condo you bought/long term leased (for her or in your name or jointly), have little or no Aussie family , you have sold your old Aussie house (or leased it out) and moved your banking overseas and you have just come “home” to make the pension application, well, looking at the excellent DSS guide, I reckon you are in for a hard time.😁😄😆👍

Airport immigration can give you a visa exemption entry for 30 days. That can be extended in Thailand for a further 30 days.

@Todd ********

as I said I’m definitely not a tax expert. 😜👍✅

@Mike *******

it’s about airlines maximising ticket sales. They can sell tickets for flights they don’t ever intend to fly. Increases the routes they can offer with no investment cost. Then they take up seats on other airlines planes that would otherwise be empty. Those other airlines are likewise selling seats on the first airlines planes on routes the other airline doesn’t fly. Everybody gets rich. Well, not you, but the airlines, they making bank.

@John *****

Yep and Thailand has a double tax treaty with about 60 countries including Aus, USA and GB so for citizens of those countries, if your income has been taxed at "home" even if you stay 180 days+ you do not become subject to Thai income tax.

@John *********

Im not a tax expert so take this as you will. My understanding is that the 180 days are a simple accumulation i.e. whether they are there for 180 days straight or 180 days IN TOTAL, if they cross 180 days they become tax residents of Thailand and liable to pay tax in Thailand on any income that is imported into Thailand.

My Wise app is offering 39.51 for the Euro but then there are fees

@Max ******

rather than asking people in Thailand wouldn't you be better to look for other countries' expat Facebook forums that might be in countries that you might travel to to fix this issue ? So find an expat forum for Cambodia or Malaysia etc where expats there might be able to better assist you with info on getting a motorcycle licence in that country ?

I can get a TR visa giving me 60 + 30 for much less than the Elite. And that is a tourist visa in case you hadn't noticed. And the Thai Government knows the longer farangs are in the country, the more they spend. Simple really.

@Victor *********

this is a Thai decision for the good of the internal economy of Thailand.