GarryP

5 hours ago, Zyxel said:

I bet Steve did a runner. 

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I take 5mg of Cialis a day recommended by my local doctor and also the one in Pattaya forget his name .

 

So I was a little concerned about taking the Cialis everyday so the doctor in Pattaya re assured me it wasn't for erection ,it was for ....prostate !

Apparently cialis everyday lowers your prostate cancer risk 

Actually 5mg per day is a standrad dose used to treat both BPH and ED. I was on it for BPH like you, but many are on it for ED too. 

On 1/25/2024 at 6:47 PM, Kenny202 said:

Taladafil is available here....and don't ask me to prove it, but saw it online from the same seller I discussed earlier for around 400 / pk 10 from memory. I think it was even cheaper if you bought 3+ packs. The Thais know where to get all this stuff and what works and what doesn't. I am lucky enough to have a few Thai friends. Most of them buy off LINE accounts. If you know any Thai guys ask them :-)

 

But the last time I checked it no generics were approved by the Thai FDA, so theoritically it is illegal, even if sold by a pharamcist on prescription. Having said that, I know where to get it myself.  

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

The senate should be dissolved.

In a vat of sulphuric acid. 

Since the patent expired on Cialis, one would have thought that the generic version of the drug, tadalafil, would be available here, yet it is not. The price of Cialis bought on prescription (it is a prescription only drug in Thailand) is crazy expensive. I was on it for quite a few months due to BPH, but came off it after being steamed. 

FYI there are a number of manufacturers of generic drugs in India, including tadalafil. You just need to know how to source them from reputable companies. I would be very wary of the street vendor products being offered in Thailand.  

10 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

OK.....my obvious next comment is "how do you think you own them".

 

Apologies @GarryP I am not trying to interrogate you, just establishing the facts. As far as I was aware you cannot own anything (condo excepted) jointly or any other way. -  have I missed something? (it wouldn't be the first time)...

I got Thai citizenship in early 2016 and we bought them as joint owners. 

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

The application is not about you. With all due respect you are irrelevant .....except for your role as sponsor. 

 

Is it a condo that you jointly own? 

Two houses and land. 

4 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Unfortunately it will have no bearing whatsoever. "each application is judged individually on it's merits".

 

Obviously, the previous granting of a visa (used or not) is a very positive factor.

 

Less is more with supporting paperwork. Make the ECO's job easy 

 

You only need to have satisfactory evidence to support:-

 

Genuineness of relationship/reason to visit.

Financial adequacy.

Reasons for the applicant to return to Thailand

 

The last one is a little bit woolly but you need to satisfy the ECO that "on the balance of probability" the applicant will return to Thailand at the end of their visit. Land/property ownership and strong family ties are main positive factors; also returning to a job 

In my case, the last one is not that difficult. I have lived here for 41 years, we've been married for nearly 7 years and we jointly own property here. 

2 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

I submitted 4 pieces of paper in support of the application for my missus.

 

My sponsor letter

My bank statement

My P60

Translated copy of a chanote (probably unnecessary)

I usually go overboard. Last visa we applied for was granted but unused due to Covid hitting. Hopefully, that in itself will be a positive when we submit a new visa application later this year. 

All my savings are in Thai Baht and I would not exchange the maximum allowed for these accounts, as the maximum is pretty minimal. Even SCB's ETFs available via SCBAM Fund Click are capped at 1 million Baht, and that is a combined cap, not a cap per fund. I wish I knew where I could hold my money with a decent interest rate here in Thailand, but even with a Thai ID card, there really isn't much out there.  

Seems to be a little bit more burning going on in Cambodia. Wonder if sugar cane burning is involved? Seem to recall that a couple of Thai companies operate some of the biggest refineries over there. Only accepting unburned cane? I doubt it.  

12 hours ago, ChipButty said:

apparently Sakun Nakorn is famous for it, 

Yes, Tha Rae market was famous for it for many years. 

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Regarding the Thai help allowance(not pension), it depends how old gran is, it's 1000 baht if over 90. This is not given to all over 60.

Thai pensions depend on work history.

 

I say tradition as it has been going on for many years.

Before the wedding, the families of the bride and groom negotiate the sinsod amount. This negotiation involves discussions about the groom's financial ability to fulfill this tradition. The groom, or sometimes his family, presents the agreed-upon sinsod amount to the bride's family during the wedding ceremony. This payment is a symbol of respect and gratitude to the bride's parents for raising and caring for her.

Married twice and sinsod was never mentioned either time. The parents just wanted us to be happy together and, no, the families were not well off.  For my latest marriage 6 years ago, I paid Baht 20k to cover the reception at the mother-in-law's house, nothing more.    

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

OK, I see what you meant, sorry.

Some others think 2,000 baht a month is generous.

My wife gives her mum and dad 1,000 Baht a month, as do her three sisters. I give nothing.

13 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I am not planning to move away from Sattahip for a while yet, but my wife has some land near Surin and we will probably move there at some stage.

I thought about bee keeping for a hobby/small pocket money. I haven't looked into it seriously yet, but it seems to be a worthwhile way to pass the time.

That is an interesting idea. My dad's hobby was beekeeping until he could no longer lift the bee boxes full of honey laden frames. I think I'd go with the stingless bees though. 

36 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

A proper knockdown .......miles from all the idiots with their PA systems and loudspeakers........ will likely need a power supply.......I've been looking at small diesel generators with a view to ensuring A/C .......you can heat insulate, but sound insulation never works.

One of my main complaints about living upcountry is those bloody PA systems, often on trucks. I have to stick my fingers in my ears when they pass. Absolutely insane. However, when I am in my home, the sound is greatly reduced, so I think the double AAC block cavity walls and roof insulation are helping a bit. Luckily, for me the negatives are very few and I'm glad I retired to the countryside. 

Now back on subject, a friend has a knock-down house and I really like it, but he had to hire a contractor from a different province, i.e. not Kalasin, as none of the local contractors could meet his requirements.  

On 12/29/2023 at 5:41 PM, CharlieH said:

Huawei have their onw "health" app. My device is Huawei, its not certified etc but when checked with a Drs surgery heart rate monitor it was identical readings. I wear it daily, step count, activity tracker etc. It monitors ny heart rate whilst sleeping, whilst exercising etc and warns me when I push too far and when I can resume. It does what it says on the tin. It suits my needs but it is NOT a medical device.

Yep, I am very happy with my Huawei Watch Fit 2. However, the sleep tracker is not very accurate when compared to other models. Some of the posters may wish to check out this guy on Youtube (The Quantified Scientist). He gives very detailed reports on fitness trackers/smart watches and provides comparisons between a very wide range of models, from low budget to high. Here is one he did a year ago for heart rate tracking: 

6 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I bet you wouldn't live anywhere else. 

 

I read so many stories from expats living in Isaan how boring their life is, yours sounds quite the opposite. 👍

I am now up in Isaan (northern Kalasin) after 40 years in Bangkok. It is very different but I love it for the most part. I think the key thing is to have something to keep you occupied, which Owl certainly has. Otherwise, life could spiral into boredom and depression. Post retirement, I have been kept on contract to the end of June, working 3 days a week online, but I am nervous about what I will do when I am fully retired. I like cycling and fishing but I can't depend on that seven days a week and I don't want to be online or watching TV most of the time. Contemplating buying a bit of land but other than that, anyone got any suggestions?  

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't think it was mentioned in the question.

I also think new or used is an important question.

As far as I know all vehicles lose a lot of retail value in the first year or two. So I guess it makes sense to buy one used which is not too old.

But that obviously brings up the questions: Where to buy such a used car which was properly serviced?

 

Personally, I know a little about cars, but I wouldn't be able to really check out if a car is in good condition. Maybe it's possible to buy such cars from reputable dealers. But do those dealers exist in Thailand? And what if I buy a used car from a dealer and later find out he told me a lot of BS? I guess there is little one can do when all is paid. 

I thought second hand prices in Thailand were very high, and from checking car sales websites it still seems to be the case, at least for Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Benz and a few others. The price difference between a brand new car and a 2 year old secondhand one (same model) is so little that for me it would be a no brainer but to buy brand new. 

18 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Honda Jazz or City. Jazz is better and a little cheaper.

They no longer make the Jazz. It has been replaced by a City hatchback but much smaller enngine. BTW I love my Jazz, but will eventually replace it with an SUV or pick-up as they are better suited to the upcountry roads. 

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

I suggest

https://rsuhealth.com/product/ตรวจสุขภาพ-24-รายการ-standard-check-up-package-สำ/

 

And add on to it:

1. HB1Ac

2. Exercise Stress Test (will give an indication of your overall cardiac fitness as well as detect about 80% of coronary artery disease. Fitness aspect especially pertinent given obesity and lifestyle.)

3. PSA (mainly just as a baseline for future reference)

Had an EKG as part of my annual health check. Last time I was diagnosed with sinus bradycardia and 1st degree AV block, the latter of which was a new one for me. However, this time there was no sign of the 1st degree thing. The Exercise Stress Test came back normal too. Waiting for the full report, but the doctor said everything looked okay apart from high BP, which was the highest it has ever been during a health check.  Not sure whether the cuff was too small as mentioned by you in an earlier post. However, the doctor told me that I should rely more on my home testing if I am doing it regularly. He also mentioned white coat syndrome, which is me to a T.  

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Only if that's where he really is... do you really think he's been sitting in a hospital room for over 120 days?

Nope. 

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Did Thaksin actually sit behind bars?

I understand that there are window bars on his room in the hospital. Would that count?