chiangrai57020

Can not help your case but want to correct one wrong statement (cannot register a marriage in Thailand unless you have Thai Citizenship). Non Thai can most assuredly marry in Thailand. But it requires a paper of non marriage from your Embassy (which is the catch 22 part for her).

Believe others have has similar problems so hope that are reading and can offer assistance.

I checked, again today, with the Amphur and was specifically told that with the 'lack of documentation from our Traditional 'Thai' wedding ceromony' that we cannot register the marriage. Apparently the village Tai Lue headman can provide a 'document' confirming our marriage. We are looking into this. Staff at the Amphur did tell me that if my wife had a Thai ID card then our marriage could be registered BUT not backdated to the actual date of marriage (I assume they mean that we have to remarry!). I do not know if some people just sit around all day 'dreaming up' some of these ridiculous rules/requirements!

Thanks for your input - appreciated.

I thought ethnic hilltribe people were excluded from financial provisions by the Ministry. Where did she come to Thailand from when she was 8, Burma?

Phone or e-mail the Ministry direct, rather than through the Amphur. Although presuming you are in Chiang Rai, they should be aware after the recently approved masses of hilltribe people. I sincerely doubt they all earned over 30,000 a month.

I have met with the Nai Amphur today (March 7) and it seems as though there two issues: Taxes and Work Permit. The 1st issue, Taxes I 'think' as been resolved. Produced copies of the 'tax' receipt which seemed to satisfy him. Apparently the Taxes collected in January 2003 'mysteriously disappeared' when the 'former' staff at the Amphur were replaced! This was from the Nai Amphur himself!

The 2nd issue, Work Permit, has not been resolved although the Nai Amphur has given me some assurance that this issue can be resolved.

I was not aware that 'hilltribe' (in my case my wife is Tai Lue) were excluded from the financial provision. I do know of other Tai Lue that have received their Thai Citizenship and I also know that they do not come close to the 30,000 baht per month income requirement.

The reason I met with the Nai Amphur was the direct result of a letter I sent to the Interior Minister on January 3, 2006. I also read the newspaper (The Nation) regarding the granting of Thai Citizenship. The reason for my letter; but also the fact that the staff at the Amphur could not give me an explanation as to why it has been more than 3 years since application was submitted and I cannot get any answers to questions we had.

I am hoping that the Nai Amphur can get the issues resolved and my wife can get her Citizenship.

Oh! Yes, she did come from Burma with the rest of her family when she was 8 years old. Her 'dummy' passport/ID that was given to her by the Thai government shows her home country as China - Yannan province. That is where most Tai Lue originated.

Thanks for your input. Hope to have this problem resolved - according to the Nai Amphur - within a week. I am not holding my breath!!!

Firstly, please explain. Are you (the husband) a Thai national? And it is your wife (foreinger) who is applying for Thai citizenship?

You are coreect. I was not specific in that area.

My spouse is a Thai Lue (foreigner female) and I am American (male ).

She has lived in Thailand since the age of 8 years. So consecutive years on Thai soil is not an issue.

I do not know what happen to my original posting of this topic! So I will start over.

My question pertains to Thai Citizenship. Requirements may be the same for permanent residency.

My Tai Lue spouse submitted her application for Thai Citizenship (Naturalization) in January of 2003. The application was submitted with a page (for lack of another term), Work Permit. This 'page' has caused us nothing but grief ever since. She tried to tell the 'former' staff at the Ampur preparing the application that she did not work. The Ampur staff insisted that the Work Permit page had to be completed.

Here is the problem. Because the Work Permit page was completed, the Interior Ministry in Bangkok has been wanting a 'Letter' from her employer! She is a 'Housewife' and has been for over 5 years. At the time she completed her application over 3 years ago she was, and still is, a 'Housewife'. I cannot seem to get this across to the people at the Ampur. They keep insisting on the need for a 'letter' from her non-existent employer. Here is the Catch 22: Legally we are not married (cannot register a marriage in Thailand unless you have Thai Citizenship). We were married the 'traditional' Thai way!.

Apparently one of the requirements for Thai Citizenship is a "Letter from your employer or other documents to certify that you have income of at least 30,000 baht a month".

I am totally lost as to what to do about this problem. There was also an issue about taxes. Taxes were paid up to the date that the application was completed (It appears that the 'tax' collected disappeared!). Was informed of this today. We were able to produce receipts, however.

My spouse is a Tai Lue who has lived in Thailand since the age of 8. So, the number of consecutive years in Thailand is not an issue.

Any recommendations on how I can convince the responsible (!) people that a 'Housewife' does not have nor need a Work Permit? Are there any alternatives that I am unaware of?

I do no of other Tai Lue's that have received their Thai Citizenship but 'they did work' and, apparently had a letter from their employer. BUT, what really gets me is that these Tai Lue do not come close to making 30,000 baht per month, yet they got their citizenship!

Very confusing. Any help, suggestions, advise will be much appreciated.

Lost

Thanks for the replies.

What concerns me is the other 'problems(?)', if any, associated with a Thai spouse having the last name of a 'foreigner'!

I was not aware of the land issue. That, with or without the 'foreign' last name a Thai spouse can still own as much land as she wants. It was my impression that the 'foreign' last name would be a restriction on what she could or could not own.

I have read many of the postings regarding Thai citizenship and permanent residency.

Please note that my question does not seem to be answered elsewhere in the posting. This is a Thai Citizenship issue.

The requirements for 'Thai Citizenship' includes the completion of a page called (for lack of a better term) 'Work Permit'. One of the requirements for Thai citizenship states 'Letter from your employer or other documents to certify that you have income of at least 30,000 baht a month'. This 'page' was erroneously completed by 'former' staff at the Ampur in January 2003. It was brought to their attention at that time but they insisted that it was necessary. Now, I have nothing but problems.

My question: How does this statement apply when my spouse does not work, has no employment, and has not worked for over 5 years? She is a 'Housewife'! I am having a problem getting people at the Ampur, where she submitted her application for Thai Citizenship over 3 years ago, to understand that my spouse does not work and has not worked for over 5 years. They are insistant that a "letter" from her employer is needed before they can do any further processing of her application?

At the time the application for Thai Citizenship was completed in January 2003 the Ampur collected over 8,000 Baht (subsequently disappeared!) which was, apparently, back taxes! For 3 years we have made several trips to the Ampur and the 'Tax' and 'Work Permit' issue was never brought up - Until today.

The explanation that was given to me today was that the Interior Ministry in Bangkok is asking for a 'Letter' from my wife's employer. I stated that she 'Does Not Work' and that there is 'No Employer'. Where is their 'common sense' ?

So, I am at a loss as to how to get across to 'whomever' that we cannot produce what is not available.

Any suggestions on how I can get my point across? Anyone experience the same regarding a 'Work Permit' and 'Letter' from a non-existent employer? Is there a solution that I am overlooking?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

What are the Pros and Cons of registering a marriage at the Amphur?

My observation in registering a Thai marriage with the Ampur is that it 'restricts' the Thai spouse from certain services. In addition, a Thai spouse who wishes to have several Rai of land has to forego purchasing because of the 'foreign' last name. Cannot help but wonder what other problems there may be for a registered marriage of a Thai wife and 'foreign' husband?

This site has many pages and comments regarding Land Ownership and Leasing. It is my opinion that it would be much easier to have a Lease Agreement with a Thai spouse 'without' the foreign last name?

Some may say that you can inherit land from a Thai spouse therefore it would be much better to have a Registered marriage. I go back to some of the opinions regarding 'inheritance'. A 'foreign' spouse can inherit from a Thai spouse BUT Cannot remain on the land beyond 1 year, because we cannot own the land?

As I see it, the reality of registering a marriage is the following: You restrict the Thai spouse from obtaining land, Thai health care (30 Baht system), and I do not what else she could possibly be loosing out on?

I would like to hear from others that have an opinion regarding Registering and NOT Registering a Thai marriage at the Ampur? And, is there a benefit in having a Land Lease agreement with a non-registered marriage.

bump - is this a very sensitive area or just not very interesting

I would have thought some good discussion on the providers would be in everyones interests...

or has this been thrashed to death elsewhere - what i'm looking for is current information an i have done a search here - didnt get any good hits...

What I found interesting is that you received any answer at all! I have sent e-mails to each of the firms that you have acknowledged and never got a reply. So, consider yourself lucky.

I was surprised that Sunbelt quoted prices! One of the things that I have been trying to obtain is a price to 'Draft a Land Lease Agreement'. At least you received a quote. I would be very happy to pay the quoted price for a Draft Agreement but when you cannot get a response it is difficult trying to 'do business'!

In my particular situation I am located outside Bangkok. This could be the primary reason I do not get responses. Apparently the firms mentioned do not want to do business with a client that is not in Bangkok.

Does it really matter who replaces Taksin? This is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It starts at the very top and goes all the way to the very bottom! The only way a 'new' leader will help this country is if he is 'an honest, non-corrupt, poor sod, and has morals', and every one of the senior government people are replaced with 'the same'.

The following was extracted from a Thai Real Estate website catering to foreigners.

1. A foreigner may legally purchase together with his Thai wife a house, land or property not exceeding 1 Rai which is duly purchased as marital property: That is, the Parties are legally married and documented at the local Amphur (government) office.

The purchase must be jointly held and cannot be sold without the other partner's signature, nor can either force the other out of residence without due compensation. The foreigner's name will never be on the actual Title Deed, but a Memorandum is attached to it indicating his legal attachment to the owner.

2. If you are single, the easiest way to do this is through a loan/lease agreement, our lawyers are past masters at overcoming the difficulties and setting up a legal instrument that allows foreigners to buy and legally control ownership of the property.

To put it simply, you lend the money to a Thai under a legal loan contract which will specify that the money must be used to purchase a property. The loan will be 'on call', giving the lender the power to recall the loan at any time. Your Thai partner will buy the property using the money from the loan and then legally 'own' the land. At the same time, our lawyer will set up a Lease agreement giving the lender a 30, 60, or 90 year leasehold agreement on the property. We will also require the lender and the borrower to write out a separate Last Will and Testament which will deed the property to the surviving member. If the survivor is you, the foreigner, you may legally own the property for up to 12 months after your partner's demise. Then you must sell it to a Thai to recover your original investment plus any profit you make on the sale.

3. Buying a House with a Thai Company: It is possible for a Thai company to buy and own property, and this is how many foreign buyers overcome the restrictions on land ownership. Our lawyers work with our clients to set up the company so that they, in effect, have complete control over it.

Basically, it works like this. The foreigner sets up a Thai company holding the legal percentage of preferential shares with voting rights of 10 to 100 votes per share (you choose the number of votes when you set up the company), with 7 Thais holding 51% ordinary shares of 1 vote per share. Our lawyer will find 6 Thais willing to own one share in the company (usually other lawyers in his office), and the foreigner can nominate one other Thai to hold the rest of the shares. If the foreigner doesn't know anyone we at [name of real estate company]can help select someone trustworthy and honest.

The Thais will 'borrow' the money from the foreigner to buy their shares, and they will sign over their control of the shares to the foreigner to secure the loan. This way, the foreigner controls the voting on all the shares. The foreigner can and should be the Managing Director of the company.

This is a simplification of the method, but our lawyer will explain exactly how it works.

Read item 2 and 3 and the compare it with Thai Law.

Item 1 is community property. There is no problem with this.

The following was extracted from a Thai Real Estate website catering to foreigners.

Can you provide the web-site address for look-up? I am primarily interested in Item #1. Never heard this before.

Thanks

Sometime during the period of 23-24 January 2006 it was reported in the Thai News media that a 5.7 earthquake was recorded in Burma! Who recorded the earthquake? Was it confirmed? By whom?

I live in the area where the earthquake 'supposedly' occured and felt nothing. Now then, a 5.7 eartquake is quite big when it comes to the standards of earthquakes. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey records all earthquake occurances 'world wide' at their web site http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Qua...quakes_all.html. I have been looking at their site for a week and have found nothing that indicates that an earthquake occured during the 23-24th time-frame in, or close to the area that the Thai News media specified.

Having read the English language 'newspapers' for well over 8 years I am quite familiar with their mis-reporting or lack of reporting of news events. But what bothers me is that an event such as an earthquake puts lives and property at risk when 'erroneous' reports are made AND NO CORRECTIONS are made immediately after the fact! The fact that the Thai TV News did not report the earthquake event until 'TWO DAYS AFTER' the 'supposed' occurance when 'They' had ample time to 'verify' the facts is also increditable! Of course, most TV News is 2-3 days outdated anyway BUT, an earthquake - ??? Isn't it also increditable that NO DAMAGE reports have come in!

Eating Ourselves To Death

Jan. 24, 2006

(The Nation) This column was written by Nicholas Von Hoffman.

Bill Clinton has been flashing his charm on TV lately, talking about cheaper drug prices for African AIDS sufferers. It is a most worthwhile cause but a remote one. In New York City, where Mr. Clinton maintains his rather grand, publicly paid-for headquarters, an even more lethal and more neglected epidemic pleads for his good offices.

Eight hundred thousand New Yorkers are suffering from diabetes. All told, 21 million Americans have the disease. Doctors estimate that another 45 million are prediabetic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anticipates that one out of every three children born in the United States will contract this fatal malady.

Diabetes causes heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, loss of circulation leading to gangrene and amputation of feet, legs and hands. It destroys the nervous system, leaving people in continuous, excruciating pain, and it robs them of the power to fight off infectious disease. As a public health problem, it dwarfs diseases like AIDS by orders of magnitude but gets scant attention. Did you know that the color of the diabetes ribbon is gray? Have you ever seen one?

Five to 10 percent of diabetics inherit the disease. For everybody else who has it — and that is, to repeat, tens of millions — this killer is preventable. No drugs are needed to protect people from diabetes, which is unfortunate since in the free-market world there is no money to be made in keeping people healthy. Fortunes are to be made, however, by letting people contract diabetes and then tethering them to a dialysis machine. Profit aplenty is to be found chopping off feet and selling drugs for heart disease.

Where are the big bucks in diabetes prevention when all that is involved is teaching people to eat right and exercise? Where is the money in that unless you own a gymnasium?

In the land of the free, the brave and the sick, the more money you have, the greater the odds are that you eat right and exercise enough to have no worries about diabetes. This is a disease of low- and middle-income people. They are the ones who live off factory-made food loaded with the grease and sugar from which American people are sickening at an ever younger age.

At home and at school children are habituated to eating what will kill them. There is profit in poisoning the population, and lethal food peddling, unlike lethal drug peddling, is legal. A go-getting, job-creating ad agency entrepreneur can make a hel_l of a lot of money teaching children how to grow fat and kill themselves.

In Australia, Canada and England they censor advertising. In the United States free speech is interpreted to mean you may drench toddlers in thousands of cunning ads to inculcate in them toxic eating habits. The lawyers — bless their liberty-loving selves — tell us that the Founding Fathers put it in the Constitution that corporations may jackhammer us night and day with upbeat messages to buy and eat what will kill us.

Nothing is more difficult than changing the food preferences we were taught as children. Get the kids hooked on snack food early in life and you've got them even after they have grown up and the doctor tells them they have diabetes. Krispy Kreme, now and forever.

In a time of single-parent and three-job families, a decent diet and a minimum amount of exercise does not happen. People do not know how to cook. Millions of them would not know what to do with an uncooked vegetable if it were to jump, uninvited, into their shopping carts. They only know how to microwave factory-prepared comestibles. Even if they could cook, shopping for wholesome ingredients and putting them together costs more than franchise food takeout. It's cheaper, quicker and easier to heat up something factory fresh from a box that says, "Just Like Mother Made From Scratch."

Anyone foolhardy enough to object to the 100 or so grocery manufacturers, fast food franchisers and soft drink companies knocking off a third of the population should be prepared for a long and arduous slog. Such people will be ignored, and if by chance they do capture public attention for a brief second, the food, drug and beverage industry's propaganda apparatus will take care of them in short order. They will be ridiculed, denounced and run out of public life as socialists, ideologues, out of the main stream, collectivists, members of the Nader conspiracy, people with an agenda, etc.

Failing that, the toxic food industry has its armies of Jack Abramoffs to buy as many government officials and members of Congress as it takes. Eat a carrot, take a jog and forget about it. We have become a nation of pâté de foie gras geese, held by our throats, stuffed to the bursting and unable to do anything but flap an occasional wing.

By Nicholas Von Hoffman

Reprinted with permission from The Nation.

Medication ONLY releases 'Insulin'. That is the only purpose of Medication - release insulin.

But that is what controls the sugar so you want to say what the medications do rather than the effects they produce? I understand but it still boils down to control of sugar even if it is not the direct insulin injection form.

The problem with "check and recheck blood glucose levels" statement is this is Thailand and very few hospitals even suggest private monitoring for non insulin dependents. Just finding test equipment and strips is a major headache even here in Bangkok (I bought in Chiang Mai). So most people will be flying blind with the exercise program - and I don't want that to be a death spiral.

I purchase everything I need by e-mail to Roche Diagnostics in Bangkok. They give me a price list and I order what I need and bank transfer the money. Next day or two I get my supplies. Real easy.

What about eating? DIETS DO NOT WORK. Every year we have seen everything from 'new' diet fads and good old government bureaucracies telling US WHAT TO EAT. Today, look at any newspaper or magazine and what do you find - the percentage of overweight people keeps going up EVERY YEAR. So much for diets!

My philosophy - is - EAT WHAT YOU WANT. Try not to eat too much 'sweets' or 'chips'. By the way, someone wrote that 'sugar' is bad for you - NO - WRONG - granulated sugar is not bad for you. PROCESSED FOODS are bad for you! You can still eat them but NOT a whole 'cardboard box' full at one sitting!!!

I need to clarify. DIET and EAT WHAT YOU WANT. It should go without saying that if you consume 5,000 calories per day and exercise to loose 500 calories, YOU are not doing yourself any good. You might just as well not exercise at all and just take your 'medicine'! YES, you can eat ANYTHING - ice cream, fries, candy, chips, meat, potatoes, pork, etc. etc. BUT don't over do it.

Even today - the 21st Century - doctor's keep telling us to diet and stay away from all the 'junk' food. Still good advice but it is not a death sentence if you eat these food.

Get the 'pancreas' working by EXERCISING and just maybe you can get rid of those lossy pills.

diabetes medications don't reduce your cholesterol levels?

The cholesterol quote was my main concern.

As for drugs I do believe they work to reduce and control blood sugar but they do not reverse the process inside your body and that over time may require more or different drugs or insulin to keep it in check. I am sure your exercise idea is good and probably works well with you. But to say diet never works for anyone I believe is a little extreme. If you load up with sugar you are going to be loaded with sugar. Exercise will surly help to eliminate it but all things being equal not in taking the sugar (or things that are converted into sugar) in the first place would surly be high on my priority list.

As I stated many times - I have had diabetes for 30 years +. In those 30 years I have tested my glucose level too many times to count! What I did determine is that Medication - Again - DOES NOT REDUCE cholesterol levels - What you eat or do not eat on any given day is what determines the cholesterol level. Medication ONLY releases 'Insulin'. That is the only purpose of Medication - release insulin. Research and you shall seek! Just trying to be funny - don't take it to heart - OK!

WE diabetics have been lied to our whole lives. (BY the way - Just added another peace 'up front'). Having spent many hours, days and months 'Testing' (All kinds of tests) I have come to the one conclusion I have tried to 'stress' - EXERCISE.

Yes - you are correct and it should go without having to be said - Check and ReCheck blood glucose levels during and after exercise.

It should also be obvious that eating a 'ton' of packaged foods will KILL you. If you take in 5000 calories and exercise for 1 hour you will only loose approx 500 of those calories! It only takes 1,600 - 2,000 calories to maintain an ideal body weight. THE REST IS FAT.

DIABETES - A LIFE SENTENCE? I AM NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN A DOCTOR but have 'lived' with diabetes for over 30 years. That said, Diabetes is a pain in the 'posterior'! If you have read my replies regarding your 'sentence' then you have a pretty good idea about how I feel.

Anybody that has been diagnosed with Diabetes during the past 2-5 years should 'heed' the following. You DO NOT have to take medication for the rest of your life - BUT - you will have to EXERCISE.

First things first! Weight. Everybody has probably seen the weight tables from various 'insurance' agencies, etc. These weight tables DO NOT give the correct picture. As an example: For my height I am supposed to weigh 142 lbs. There is no consideration given for AGE or BODY STRUCTURE. When I entered the USAF at the age of 18 years I weighed 145 lbs and was told I was under weight! So what is the ideal body weight (Today)? In my particular case - 166 lbs - NOT 142 lbs! How do you arrive at this figure? Using the Weight Tables find the weight for your height, then subtract the first 18 years of your life, and add .5 lbs (1/2 lb) for each year you are older than 18 years, then add this figure to the Weight Table recommended weight. That will be the ideal body weight for your PRESENT AGE! Where do I get this formula? Research!!! A Lot of Research.

So, the first thing you need to do is get down to the ideal weight. There are NO MEDICATIONS that are going 'wipe away' the extra pounds. EXERCISE is the ONLY way to get down to your ideal weight. It may take 6 months or year, BUT it can be done. In the meantime you will have to continue with whatever medication you are on - BUT you must keep track of your blood glucose level. If it starts 'falling' - which it will, you will have to change the amount of medication you are taking.

OK! I am at my ideal body weight. Check your blood glucose level. Surprised!!! It is normal - Right! So what does that tell you? EXERCISE and no more medication. Right? Here is the problem! In order to keep from having to take medication YOU WILL have to continue the EXERCISE on a daily routine - 30 minutes EACH AND EVERY DAY for the rest of your life. OR you can keep taking medications and as you get older, take even more - up to you.

What about eating? DIETS DO NOT WORK. Every year we have seen everything from 'new' diet fads and good old government bureaucracies telling US WHAT TO EAT. Today, look at any newspaper or magazine and what do you find - the percentage of overweight people keeps going up EVERY YEAR. So much for diets!

My philosophy - is - EAT WHAT YOU WANT. Try not to eat too much 'sweets' or 'chips'. By the way, someone wrote that 'sugar' is bad for you - NO - WRONG - granulated sugar is not bad for you. PROCESSED FOODS are bad for you! You can still eat them but NOT a whole 'cardboard box' full at one sitting!!!

If I had known 20 - 25 years ago what I know today, I would have EXERCISED a 'heck-of-a-lot' more and would be healthier for it. And I would not be taking diabetes medication today. I honestly believe this! WE Diabetics DO NOT produce enough 'Insulin' (PERIOD). SO, WE can either take MEDICATIONS to release enough 'insulin' or EXERCISE to release the 'insulin'. Seems like 'a no brainer to me!' TYPE 2 diabetes CAN lead to TYPE 1 diabetes. Then, you will have to take insulin shots for the rest of your life! Sound like fun????

OK! You do not want to EXERCISE for the rest of your life. Just to ###### lazy (LIKE ME)! So you decide to use diabetic medications for the rest of your life - EASIER - BUT DEADLIER. YES - DEADLIER!! What does medication do? Releases 'Insulin'! What happens when there is no more insulin? You DIE! Simple as that - OR - you take insulin shots for a 'FEW' years and then DIE! Those are the FACTS. Sooner or later all US DIABETICS WILL HAVE TO take insulin shots - OR - WE CAN 'EXERCISE"! That IS 'OUR' LIFE 'SENTENCE'.

Medications - Have you researched to identify the many types of medication there are? A 'bunch'! How does a 'doctor' no what medication to give you or start you on? He doesn't!!!! A 'drug company' wants a certain medication 'pushed' so they offer the doctor a monetary incentive! Yep! We are 'guinea pigs' for the drug companies! A doctor who has never had diabetes or training in the disease is 'PRESCRIBING' what 'YOU' should take! Heck, you can research and probably determine 'as well as a doctor' what medication to take. If one medication does not work, try another. Isn't that what a doctor does?

If a person is diagnosed as 'borderline' or 'diabetic', and the doctor told you that you are going to DIE unless you EXERCISE and there is NO MEDICATION I can give you - What would you do? YOU WOULD EXERCISE! That is the problem - we and the medical profession are looking for the 'EASY' way out - Medication.

WE have been LIED to by doctor's, government and drug companies throughout our entire lives. Do some research if you can find the time! Check out everything you can find on 'trans-fats' and 'poly unsaturated fat.' Then ask yourself why so many 'heart disease cases' (today)! What about 'cancer'! Prior to the 50s and 60s there was very little 'Packaged Products'. And there were very few 'fat' people! I could go on and on with what I have discovered from my Internet researches.

After last weeks US Supreme Court ruling regarding Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, I 'got to thinking (Oops!)'!

Anyone know if the Thai hospital's recognize or will accept a 'Health Care Directive' - 'Living Will'?

I tried the Thai Red Cross site sometime ago - BUT - everything there is in Thai! Sent an e-mail to the Bangkok 'Bum.... ' hospital sometime ago with no reply!

Why this question? I am approaching 70 years of age, have no idea how much longer I will live, and I sure as 'heck' do not want to end up a 'veg' in some Thai hospital that just want to 'Milk my pockets dry'!

I have not seen Health Care Directives in Thailand, and I do not see how they really fit in with the Buddhist principles. This has been considered by Buddhist doctors in USA. What I do know from personal experience is that you will not be kept on life support very long if you have no funds.

Ah! Good answer - NO FUNDS!! Never considered that.

Thanks

While I would agree that exercise is almost always a good idea I do not get the point when you say the diabetes medications don't reduce your cholesterol levels? They are designed to reduce/control your sugar levels and they surly do that. I expect you would see improvement in lipids if you used something like simvastatin however.

Sorry to have to disagree with you. Diabetic medications do no more than stabilize cholesterol levels - They DO NOT improve or reduce the levels! In addition, the LONGER you are a Diabetic the more medication you will have to take. Doctor's, at least 25 - 30 years ago, never told me that EXERCISE was the key. All they ever told me was take the medication and watch your diet!!! In later years, I learned through research that the GP doctor's do no 'beans' about diabetes! DIET never helped people that are overweight and it sure does not help diabetics. You may totally disagree with this but I have tried everything and found that there is ONLY one thing that works for overweight people (like me) and Diabetics (Like me) - EXERCISE - EXERCISE.

You can prove it yourself. Keep accurate, daily records of your exercise and medications, and yoyr blood glucose levels every hour for 2 weeks and see what the results are! I did this - one week NO medications and 1 week with medication. In both instances I average 45 minutes per day on the treadmill. Results - treadmill ALONE reduced my glucose levels - NOT medication.

Medication is great for people that DO NOT exercise - Like me - I am lazy and it is very difficult trying to keep a constant routine of exercise. And, yes I am well aware of the benefits of EXERCISE.

I am a firm believer that the drug companies and doctor's are in 'bed' with each other when it comes to perscribing medication for Diabetes - WE are there 'g.... (sp) pigs'. I have researched Diabetes for over 30 years and have come to the conclusion, along with many 'knowledgeable' researches in the field, that EXERCISE is the ONLY thing that will REDUCE blood glucose levels.

The key to REDUCING blood glucose levels and MAINTAINING the level is EXERCISE - NO amount of medication is going to REDUCE or MAINTAIN blood glucose levels.

Now - Before every body else starts to suggest that I do not know what I am talking about - DO THE TEST I suggested above - 2 week with medication and EXERCISE (and daily records) AND 2 - week without medication BUT EXERCISE alone. EXERCISE must be for a minimum of 45 minutes daily (walking ONLY at 3.0 - 3.2 KPM per hour). After that - YOU can ALL tell me I do not no what I am talking about. Why 2 weeeks? A much better indicator of results.

All you diabetics out there might be surprised about the results of the test I suggested. EAT what you want! BUT do the EXERCISE. After a year you just might be able to 'DUMP' all the medications you are taking - TYPE 2 Diabetics only!!!

Good luck.

P.S. I am still taking medication BECAUSE, as I stated, I am lazy EVEN THOUGH I KNOW the benefits of EXERCISE.

After last weeks US Supreme Court ruling regarding Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, I 'got to thinking (Oops!)'!

Anyone know if the Thai hospital's recognize or will accept a 'Health Care Directive' - 'Living Will'?

I tried the Thai Red Cross site sometime ago - BUT - everything there is in Thai! Sent an e-mail to the Bangkok 'Bum.... ' hospital sometime ago with no reply!

Why this question? I am approaching 70 years of age, have no idea how much longer I will live, and I sure as 'heck' do not want to end up a 'veg' in some Thai hospital that just want to 'Milk my pockets dry'!

Something I should have added in the previous reply.

For over 20 years I have taken, on a daily basis the following: 800 IU Vit E, 1000 IU Vit C, and 1 - Centrum Multi-Vit. Is this what is keeping me alive? 'Heck' if I no! I do know that I gave up a long, long time ago with trying to control my weight. And I sure do not exercise as often as I should.

I guess my whole point is - DON'T WORRY ABOUT DIABETES. Take the Diabetic Pills and Vitamins and LIVE your life the way YOU WANT to live it.

For 30 years 'Doctor's' have told me to get my weight down to the 'TABLE' recommendations - New York Life, etc. etc. NOW - just last week - a column in the USA Today newspaper - stated that those TABLES are 'CRAP'. As an example: In my case I am supposed to weight 142 lbs. hel_l I did'nt weight that much when I was in the USAF (always HIGHER). I figured out a long time ago that an ideal weight for me would be 172 lbs. So, forget 'weight' tables - whatever you feel is a healthy weight - go for it.

Just today saw this site on Diabetes. If it is any consulation George, I have had Type 2 diabetes for over 30 years (Not a misprint!).

First off, don't listen to doctor's. If you want to live a long life - EXERCISE - IS THE ONLY way to control diabetes. Do I exercise? Not as much as I should. I exercise in 'spurts' - maybe every year or two I'll go 'hog wild' and walk every day for about a 6 month period. Do not worry about weight gain. I have 'see-sawed' through weight the whole 30 years.

Diet - I eat whatever I want and when I want. I gave up on trying eat the foods that are recommended for Diabetics. You end up changing your whole life style for - What? The only thing that works is EXERCISE. If you are better than me at EXERCISE, then you can actually eliminate Type 2 Diabetes - BUT - you have to commit yourself to EXERCISE EVERY DAY - at least 90 minutes per day.

Now then - NOT EVERYONE is the same. In my case, I have done evrything 'opposite' of what I have been told for 30 years. And I am still alive today! I have taken 2 - 500 mg Glucophage every day for 30 years and just recently started taking 2 mg of Amryl. In my UNEDUCATED opinion, pills don't work! Just maybe they have kept me alive this long - But I doubt it!

EXERCISE - EXERCISE - Take it from someone who knows! I have seen improvements in my blood cholesterol count by excercise - and have seen NO improvement as a result of taking PILLS. That is a fact.

Good luck.

"The other problem is if the political winds blow a different direction, there is no guarantee privileges will remain valid. Remember one of the original promises of the card was land ownership, but they had pullback in that area due to political backlash."

The 'elite card' was set up by 'elite politicians' for the express purpose of 'druming' up business for Thailand - or themselves! This 'elite card' scheme will last as long as people are willing to part with their 'cash'. As soon as the 'elite's' that set up this 'scheme' fill 'their' pockets with your money, there no longer will be a need for the 'elite card'.

Hello everyone,

Fact is that your building plans without concrete beams will not be approved by the piyu-baan (head-village).

And, of course, all village pu yi baan's have advanced civil engineering degrees!

The biggest problem with most, if not all, construction here in Thailand is Cracks! Everything that I have read about masonry and concrete is to use only water that is 'drinkable'. How many farlang's drink the tap water over here? But Thai's do so I guess that qualifies the water as drinkable. What is my point? The water that is mixed with the cement is the basic problem. Of course, I am also aware that Thai construction workers, with their vast knowledge, use too much water at times, they never measure the amount of water, sand, cement. It is 'eyeballed' - Humm!

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Boy, this thread sure brings back memories!!!! I am a licensed professional engineer and water does not have to be drinkable to be used in making concrete. You can actually use sea water to make concrete if you know what you're doing. The thing is that if the water is drinkable then for sure it is good enough. I think that the water is usually not the problem in concrete mixing in Thailand....of course I haven't watched every batch being made so I can't be sure...hahahhahaha.....the problems you will see is TOO MUCH WATER IN THE MIX always alway alway too much. Other problems might include poor quality of aggregate or poor mix of aggregate (aggregate means sand and gravel)....also poor placement..many Thais will use a concrete vibrator and no one has ever taught them how to do it...concrete will be trucked in wheel borrow for long distances and then not remixed.....the list goes on and on.....but....somehow they seem to make it work...usually. Actually, if you're interested (hahahahahahahahaha) the way they make it work is that they use alot of compression steel which isn't even needed in the US where you can get consistently superior quality concrete just about anywhere.

Your posting style reminds me of someone but I just can't quite figure out who.

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Thanks Chownah for the clarafication. I had done a lot of research on the 'web' about concrete. Everything I had read more or less stated that 'clean drinkable water' was an absolute(?) necessity for building with concrete. Good to know that 'clean drinkable water' is not necessary.

By the way, I have no knowledge whatsoever about concrete, cement, stucco, etc. That is why I do all the research. I hope to build (have one built) another house someday.

I suspect that this question has been asked a number of times? Using the 'search engine' does not provide any results.

Although I am in Chiangrai, I would like to know what retail outfits in Bangkok sell computer software? If they have a web address it would be very helpful. For some reason, Thailand suppliers of products do not seem to no how to advertise on the web!

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks to all.

I realise it is a little late to be asking this question, but for future years, it would be helpful. Where in Chiangrai can you get traditional Christmas lunch or dinner? It would also be helpful to answer the same question regarding Thanksgiving!

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Of course it is quite possible there is no such thing as Christmas or Thanksgiving lunch and/or dinners in Chiangrai!

Thanks, one and all, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year