sambum

I wonder how many "new" probes and consequent "meetings" will be held before this affair finally gets "put to bed"?

True, but this post is about Cannabis Infused sweets and jellies - why not bring in LSD , Cocaine, Meth Amphtamine, and all other "hypnotic" drugs while you're at it?

"Anticipating future political shifts, Thaksin is reportedly orchestrating a new cabinet composition. This reshuffle would see the ultra-conservative Ruam Thai Sang Chart rise to the second-largest coalition spot after Pheu Thai, replacing Bhumjaithai, who left the government coalition." I thought that part of the agreement regarding his return was that he stayed out of politics - Hmmm?

You are quite right in your assumptions in that she had hers done at a Public Hospital whereas I opted to go to a Private Hospital. However, I got a quote from the Public Hospital where she was treated, and for the cataract removal and basic lens fitted they were going to charge me app 40,000 baht, whereas she paid 6,000 baht! I don't mind paying slightly more, but almost SEVEN times as much is a BIG price differential!!! (I opted to go to a Private Hospital because (a) A couple of farang friends had been there and recommended it highly, and (b) the Public Hospital did not stock the type of lens that I required.) Regarding your point re "parks, museums, monuments, etc., etc.", I wonder how Thais would feel if, for instance, they had to pay £50 to visit London Zoo, whereas the locals only had to pay £10? (Figures for illustration points only!)

Nice place? Pattaya? Again? Ah, the "FAMILY FRIENDLY RESORT"!

"Yuttasak Supasorn, former Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has outlined six key reasons excuses behind this trend:"

Good price! I live in a tourist area and that was at the most expensive hospital on the island. They were going to charge me "up to 500,000 baht" for a spinal operation because I had a very sore shoulder! Cleared itself after a couple of days and my local clinic doc reckoned it was probably a trapped nerve!

I would like to know where you get the 50 baht from! At one of our local hospitals they were going to charge a "farang" 19,000 baht for ONE stitch in a cut finger!!!

"A bit of paperwork"? 🙂 You obviously have never applied for an extension based on Marriage! My first application required 147 (Maximum Break!) photocopies, and several years later the annual requirement is still well in excess of 100! "A bit of paperwork"? 🤣

"When it comes to healthcare, there should be an option for long-term residents to pay into the system and receive equitable care." Couldn't agree more on that one! At 80 years young, health insurance is virtually impossible to acquire, and IF you can get Insurance, the "pre existing conditions" section makes it worthless, (They might pay out for a broken toe, but anything major - forget it!) and the annual premium price would be in the thousands of pounds - I checked when I was about 68, and a basic policy was £3500 per annum.

I had a cataract removed and a replacement lens fitted privately and it cost 75,000 baht (special lens to improve far and mid distance vision). A friend of my Thai wife had a similar procedure done (standard lens) and it cost her 6,000 baht, so don't tell me there is no double pricing!

I've heard (no proof, but fairly reliable hearsay) that if you are married to a Thai national and suddenly "snuff it", your spouse can sometimes have a nightmare trying to get the bank to release the money to her - even if rhe details are specified in a will.

"...........once they are gone they will never come or come back again.." This is very true, and also a pnoit which should be mentioned is the fact that these disillusioned retirees and expats are bound to mention the fact to their friends "back home", and many people who still think of Thailand as "The Land of the Smile" may well be put off by the realities passed on to them by people who have first hand experience of the place!

2 sets of X rays and medical examinations showed nothing? Thailand "Hub of Medicine"? Hmmm? Reminds me of the inscription on Spike Milligan's headstone :- "I told you I was ill"! 🙂

Another statement by TAT to justify not meeting their inflated forecasts!

Anything with the "TAT" marker on it is always is guaranteed to make me supercautious, and treat the figures as some kind of "pipedream"!

"Agents don't work with marriage extensions because the local immigration offices cannot process them. They are all sent to regional HQ for approval." Thank you for that info - I often wondered why agents did not do extensions based on Marriage. 🙏

"............ushering in stricter penalties for offences like overcharging." 🤣

Agree with your post, but being pedantic, it was a 5000 baht fine! And yes, funny how "moral outrage" only seems to apply to misdemeanours committed by non- Thais!

"Most probably a young guy with only one card." Why does being young mean that he has only one card? What has his age got to do with it?

Unless you need to!

Not in my bank!

NoI think if anything happened to the current PM there would be a veritable plethera of MEETINGS to decide a successor (probably held at Thaksin's house!)

In the UK I believe it is mandatory to show on the menu that VAT is included or not - and the same applies to service charge, which I believe is as it should be. I was in a restaurant here a few years ago where neither was shown on the menu, and of course when the bill arrived it was far in excess of what I was expecting, so I complained to the waitress. She immediately took it to the Pay Desk where the Service Charge was scrubbed , but I still had to pay the VAT, even though I said that in "my country" that would be illegal. (I believe service charge is a matter of choice - good service, good tip - bad service, no tip!)

Can't for the life of me figure out what this pic has got to do with the post?