simon43

Not just problems with words at the airport. I knew the daughter of a Thai woman in Phuket who found a puppy after the 2004 tsunami and so named it 'tsunami'. The dog often got lost on Nai Yang beach and so the young girl would run onto the beach (busy with local and foreign tourists) and scream out "TSUNAMI!" at the top of her voice...

The woman of course, should pay for this test...

I read that Britain is now evacuating about 4,000 British citizens from Sudan. I'm amazed that some many Brits are actually in Sudan, which AFAIK was never in the British Commonwealth. Is there some special reason why so many Brits live there?

There is a credible and popular government in Myanmar. It is the NLD, voted into power by the vast majority of the voters, thrown out of power by the military junta and now operating as the National Unity Government (NUG). Did you know that according to independent sources, the junta control no more than 17% of the country? We certainly won't see any intervention by western countries. The power that can remove the illegal junta is China, who has strong interests in Myanmar. IMHO, the NUG should warn China that unless it ceases its support for the junta, it will see its oil pipelines regularly blown up. Only the 'people' can protect those pipelines from damage, not the junta.

Forgive my maths, but I think that makes 6 dead people. This French guy was found dead 120 km away from Koh Tao. Does that cast suspicion on Koh Tao? Alan and Michael dies in a motorbike crash. Are you suggesting they were murdered? Hiroshi died after a snorkel test. Well, I think diving is a risky occupation wherever you are. Yoshie presumably murdered. Why 'presumably'? What are the facts? Just to add that I have never visited Koh Tao and have no plans to do so.

Right, he wasn't even on Koh Tao and was found dead 120 km away.........

Correct. I have a low T level which is a genetic condtion in my family. My father had low T. my brothers do and my sons do. One effect of low T is lack of upper body muscle mass. So even 25 years ago I had slow-releasing testosterone implants in my side muscle of my abdomen. When I started injecting Bayer testosterone, indeed I increased my libido, but the desired effect of increased upper body muscle mass came through, so long of course as I did exercises for those muscles. I stopped injecting testosterone about 6 months before my prostate cancer 'scare'. I won't go back onto testosterone. So I guess I'll soon look like a skinny old man!!

[quote] But don't you envy those old farangs 60plus who actually go out to be involved in things like songkran or dance parties ,etc [/quote] Why would one envy them, unless it's something you want to do, but are unable to do so because of a disability etc? Everyone finds happiness in different ways. I am at my happiest when I'm on my own, doing my hobbies. Do you need to mix with others to be happy? Everyone is different.

You mean 'Finnish'? or maybe 'Farang'? ????

[quote] Are you scared of prostrate cancer? [/quote] You cannot get prostate cancer from an increased testosterone level. But if there are cancer cells present in your prostate, an increased testosterone level can encourage those cells to grow/replicate. Recently I had a prostate cancer 'scare' which luckily turned out to be benign nodules in my prostate. But prior to that diagnosis I did wonder if my use of injectable testosterone over the past few years had caused cancer cells to multiply/grow in my prostate.

No, because I would be on a tourist visa and so I would have to exit Myanmar to then return on the business visa. Penang seems a better idea.

Thanks for all the advice. My new employer has told me that I can't arrive before July 25th (no idea why, not important). So maybe I will do a nice day trip to Penang by plane from Bangkok and then re-enter on a visa exemption, giving me an extra up to 30 days in Thailand.

You really are famous! I snapped this huge photo of you at Manchester airport yesterday:)

My O visa expires on July 3rd and I start a new job outside Thailand about 10 days later. Is there any option to extend my O visa by a week or two? Or is the only option to leave Thailand on the 3rd? Thanks

Hmm, if your name is 'Stevey', why do you upload a photo of male model David Gandy? (Google Image Search is wonderful isn't it?)

Can I politely ask if you are on any form of medication? Because your comments suggest to me that you might have forgotten to take them!

I would suggest the real reason why they look at you and then rapidly look away is because they look at you and then immediately think "Oh no, a nutter!" and then look away quickly ????

I have no problem with this at all. I have nothing to hide and am not a snowflake if someone wants to troll me. I use my real name and photos on other websites. I posted an image that included my photo in a thread just a few days ago.

As is detailed in other posts, I have been back in the UK for the past few months for investigative tests for prostate cancer, because of a raised PSA number, nodule felt during a DRE and 2 'shadows' on a detailed MRI scan performed at Bumrungrad Hospital. After a detailed prostate biopsy, it was diagnosed that I didn't have prostate cancer (no cancer cells found in 25 biopsy samples) but I did have prostatitis, slight BPH (already knew this after DRE test) and multiple UTIs, all of this was raising my PSA numbers. An MRI scan can detect shadows or suspicious lumps inside your prostate, but you would then need to follow up with a biopsy to determine if those lumps are benign or malignant.

Yes, WRLife asked about any previous insurance and I provided details and a copy of the insurance certificate for April, and an explanation of the events. No questions were asked and my policy with WRLife is now in force, including $10,000 payout to my brother on my death by illness or accident, to pay for funeral costs (that's $50 needed to dump me in the Mekong and $9,950 for a party...). While my employment does not pay huge amounts, I should be able to save $20,000 a year for emergency expenses or outpatient treatment (I opted only for inpatient and death cover). Actually, my new employer in Myanmar also provides 'expat' medical insurance (which is one positive reason why I accepted the job!).

Yes, QSL cards. It's a way of cementing a new friendship and also proof of that radio contact because there are many award certificates that the radio ham can apply for, such as making contact with radio hams in 100 different countries.

She blew into a torch?!! One wonders what else she might 'blow' in order to be let off ???? Totally off-topic, but many years ago I found myself held in the dock under Pattaya Courts on some trumped-up charge. A Thai 'lady' was in the dock accused of having 1 yaba pill. The magistrate told her to go into the private room next door to sort it out with the police officer and then she would be released without charge. The police guy was smiling like a cheshire cat as he went with the lady (who BTW was also smiling!). Of course, I have no idea what then occurred in that room ????

I have just signed up with WRLife. having had my medical insurance cover cancelled by April International Insurance (France) when I made a claim. The history of that has been covered in previous threads, but basically April cancelled my insurance because they said I should have informed them that I had slight BPH when I signed up several years earlier. My claim late last year was for prostate cancer investigation (MRI scan/biopsy etc). In fact, when I signed up with April, no doctor had ever diagnosed BPH in writing - it was an off-the-cuff comment after a DRE many years previously and never recorded. This being the case, I was shaken and very annoyed when April used BPH as a reason for cancelling my cover for cancer investigation. The 2 ailments are not related, so it was IMHO simply a way to avoid payment. My thousands of $ in premiums over the past 2+ years were not reimbursed.... Happily, no cancer was found after a detailed biopsy. I can add that my financial claim against April has been accepted for consideration by the insurance ombudsman in France and I'm busy submitting further documents to them. So these events really unsettled me about getting further medical insurance cover. I decided to sign up with WRLife because although a new company, they do have a history of paying out on valid claims. Also, their premiums are very reasonable. This means that I will also be able to save funds for 'self-insurance', just in case a future claim is rejected. BTW, to ensure that WRLife couldn't pull the same 'trick' as April, I listed every conceivable ailment/treatment on the application forms, included the bunion on my right foot, a vasectomy some 15 years ago and a benign mole removal 10 years ago!! WRLife accepted me with the (agreed between us) exclusion of BPH/prostatitis/UTIs, but including cover for prostate cancer.

Not in Thailand!

[quote] The other day a diabetic member posted a misleading pic of a rich desert w/ nary a mention of his condition. In fairness, he should have put his meds in the pic as well. So, let's have your list. [/quote] 1 tablet a day of Tamsulosin for my slightly-enlarged prostate. TBH, I would probably be fine without it. No other meds, a multivitamin tablet whenever I remember to take it, purely because I don't eat much meat (only chicken occasionally), and so might be missing out on a balanced mineral intake. Blood pressure fine, heart rate slow (big heart thanks to exercise) etc. For years I've mentioned my lung illness that was the primary reason for moving out to Thailand 21 years ago (the UK cold weather was giving me bronchitus and pneumonia). While back in the UK for prostate cancer investigations (none found!), I asked my GP to finally diagnose my lung medical condition. Well, after x-rays, blow test, sputum test etc, they declared that there was nothing wrong with my lungs! (They told me this in person as I was coughing like an old man in the cold UK climate....). Anyway, their diagnosis is good to know because I don't need to declare it as a pre-existing condition on my medical insurance application!