Actually Ronald, I don't think the problem with the Australian economy or with Centrelink specifically is to do with refugees but the govt would rather whip the sheeple into a frenzy intimating that they should blame the financial hardships they face living in contemporary Australia on those who are newly arrived in Australia. It is a strategic distraction so that the govt can pass more and more restrictive and punitive legislation through without the populace noticing. And it is greedy politicians who are assured of exorbitantly high pensions when they retire regardless of how long they were in parliament, coupled with tax breaks for the very wealthy, concessions for their corporate mates and lots of huge international companies not paying tax at all. Money spent on refugees is a drop in the ocean in comparrison, given that Australia takes so few refugees anyway.

Ronald Riordan you're right about the chaos it would cause if lots of elderly expats returned to Australia. Presently the government is saving on all sorts of things like rent assistance, the pension supplements and not to mention Medicare and health costs for Aussie expats many of whom pay for their own health care here

Ronald Riordan, yes I saw that episode of Embassy too and I thought it was a bit strange. Was he trying to pretend to Centrelink that he was living in Australia, when he was clearly living in Thailand? Bit silly given that immigration dept computers are linked with Centrelink. Anyway these scenarios on Embassy are more than 3yrs old-like the episode n the 3rd series about the people in Chiang Mai teaching Chinese students online, being deported for not having work permits. I think you have the correct advice already about the full aged pension being reduced after 26 weeks spent outside of Australis

Gone are the days in Australia when everyone was entitled to the aged pension. It is assets tested and is only available to those who qualify by not having enough in a superannuation fund or similar. With a top heavy population of elderly and aging citizens Australia can no longer afford to pay a pension for what might be 20 years of each elerly person's life

Arcade Bus Station

Collecting your passport at the Thai Consulate in Vientianne the day after you apply for your visa is very organised and quick. The majority of people have a return flight booked for that evening and manage to catch it. Best way to ensure you have adequate time to catch your flight is to get to the Thai Consulate very early in the morning on the day you lodge your visa application. The order in which you lodge your application ie your number in the queue determines how quickly you will get your passport back the next day. Be at the Consulate gate before 7.00am, have all your paperwork ready, ignore the touts at the gate. Be on time to collect your passport the following afternoon. Travel only with carry on luggage, check in for your flight online. All helps to save time

The shuttle service/mini bus from Udon Thani airport is very organised 150 baht. Takes about an hour and delivers you directly to the friendship bridge in Nong Khai. You walk the first short distance, then get on the waiting big bus on the bridge about 20 baht. Walk through Lao immigration and take tuk tuk to Vientienne approx 30 mins

Ian Hornby You don't need to lodge a new TM30, if you are returning to the same address and already have the tear off TM30 slip from originally being registered, you just need to report to immigration within 24hrs of arriving back in Chiang Mai, with your passport and TM30 slip. Immigration staff will date stamp and initial your slip and enter your details onto their system

@Mitsu *****

Those SETVs from a Thai consulate don't count as land entries in terms of getting a visa exempt entry, so depending on your nationality, you could do two border crossings this calendar year

Last time I did a 30 day extension on a tourist visa at Promenada, the woman collecting the application forms, 1900 baht and photo asked me about my address; "Do you live in a house or condo?" When I responded "house", she wrote HOUSE in large capitals next to my address and circled it. I imagine they were hoping to fine an unsuspecting tourist for not having a TM30