@Dan *******

The tax threshold for AAP recipients in Australia is $35,000. The super level 15% is tax on all super is deducted before companies dividends are declared. I have asked the question," Will that now be taxed if a person receiving that when in Thailand over 180 days are they taxed there, tax has been but undisclosed by the ATO?" this a big question. "The AAP is not taxed but the super is taxed before you receive it in your payments. I really don't know how much that is and neither does anyone else except the tax man or the company that declares the tax deducted. My super investment is in a fund so that it is invested on the AX200 which is invested by a large Govt auditor over small mall bits units in Australia's most respected companies, 200 companies, how much tax I have paid on super I haven't got a clue neither would Thailand. how is Thailand going to find out if I never know how much tax I have paid? It's like a company tax from where my money is invested. Most super schemes worldwide are invested in similar types of unit investments for which you pay a fee to buy units.?????

To get a cheap place, Phil Beer he may have to climb up 11 floors as there are no lifts in the building. SSS>>>TIT.

My Aus pension is $4,000 a month, Govt AAP $27,000, $12,000 private pension and some savings are quite enough. I'm actually flat-out spending that. I could sell my nice home back in Perth Aus and double that if I wanted to. As it is it's quite enough.

@David ********

Well not all the time David? Sometimes I ride Hua Hin elephants and have a picnic at the elephant park.

Just go and get on the queue. Each time at Thai Immigration at Blupoint Shopping Centre Hua Hin it took no longer than one hour and about 40 people were waiting...it is not bad nowadays. recently it took about 1 hour each time.

If you have Bt 800,000 in savings and a modest income of say US $1,200 to US $1,500. P/M you may get a DTV visa by seeing a Visa agent in your home country (hundreds of them also in Thailand), I suggest you will have a 95% chance of getting a retirement visa. You have to be over 50 Y/O. If you have that and savings it will be a piece of cake. Go to Thailand on a Thai tourist visa and see that agent he will guide you to a Thai Bank and do the business "See you in Thailand" Good luck. You can do it all yourself but with the Thai Tourist visa you get you will learn.

PS ... Many corrupt visa agents in Thailand will get you a retirement visa for less than Bt30,000, this is not really legal but it is common, in fact rife?

I have been to Thailand 15 times over 15 years, 13 times on tourist visas and 2 times on retirement visas. Although I have had a return ticket to Australia for all times I have never been asked to see my exit air ticket return ticket to Australia or where my accommodation is...never

Australian residents in Australia long-term would be granted portability when they apply. Many people live only on their super in Aus and when they get below the threshold of $900,000 top-ups or $545,000 for a full top-up and apply for the AAP. Some are in their 70s or even 80s.

That is when Centrelink might be able to use their discretion, but perhaps not. Each case is considered personally. You must be in Aus anyway to apply for the AAP like 66.75 years to have it granted and do 2 years of residency in Aus before or after to be granted portability.

@Brenton *****

It is unlikely that if you deposited Bt65,000 in a Thai bank account it would need to be 65,000 each month over 12 months before you claim to have the funds to get a retirement visa. I tried some years ago and immigration told me "Put money in a Thai bank account and when you have Bt 800,000 come back for your visa" I gave up. It was simpler to get an OA retirement in Australia at the Thai Embassy. There were no restrictions on what I do with the money in an Aus bank after granting the visa and it was good for 2 years of multi-entry. for the 1st year. I wonder is that option is still available.