Firefan

I think we covered the 3 different types here.

There is the cold caller from boiler room with a new hot stock.

Then there is the fraudster trying out some new scam.

And finally there is the, generally legit, sales people calling from financial advisor companies. Typically selling investment wrappers with funds.

I had calls from them all, but only ever met up with a few from the last catagory to see if any new interesting hedgefund products.

Cheers!

I also think that Royal Sun Alliance is a better fit for most expats due to the higher cover limits.

A few things: their policy does NOT cover worldwide for an unlimited number of days. Actually only 90 days. You need to buy extra modules for more days up to max of 210 days.

Also; their policies generally cover SOME inpatient treatments (depending on cover chosen).

Finally; they are currently rewamping their policies so at renewal be prepared for different cover/options/prices.

Cheers!

i have heard that bupa will delay on paying out on claims if they suspect that the hospital may have padded the bill , i heard it from a health insurance agent who sells bupa policies.

there are many hospitals in thailand that bump up the bills when an insured foriegner is admitted. if you have to pay first and then claim back from bupa , you may be in for a long wait whilst bupa count the band aids and decide if they were all necessary.

royal sun alliance thailand have a policy which offers worldwide (except usa and canada) for an unlimited number of days each year.

out patient visits not covered , day case covered , doctors bills , room , and in patient treatment fully covered , repatriation and emergency evacuation covered.

you dont have to pay the bill first and claim later. just notify them and they liase with the hospital.

most outpatient visits are peanuts so i dont feel i need cover for that 

i've never had to make a claim so cant say how good they will be when you really need them , but their policy certainly reads better  than bupa's and the guy who sells the policy seems an honourable sort.

not the cheapest though.

Any more BBQs to recommend? I am taking notes here! Cheers!

Overall; I believe even the official stats says that crime is on the rise - bad economy Etc. My Thai friends tell me the same thing.

So % wise we will also see more crime directed towards foreigners due to that.

I also tend to agree with the fact that foreigners are now such a normal sight (and considered to have money) that the "oddity"-protection we had before is gone.

Stickmans comments seem fair and to the point to me.

I do however not believe that there is a specific, targetted anti-foreigner crime wave, but the above points is enough for us to see the increase.

Cheers!

Somebody further up this thread says that there is NOT the protection we are used to from US/EU on the credit cards?

For the debit card I just make sure I do not hold millions in the debit card connected Thai account.

TIT and nomatter WHAT card (credit/debit/visa/master/amex or whatever) was abused I am sure that I will not have much say.

Cheers!

I prefer to stick to a debit card/ATM-card. The ones you get in Thailand works even abroad (but not for internet purchases), have much lower fees ($5/year) and also lower cash advance costs and usage costs.

Cheers!

One thing I have noticed in currency discussions is that it often becomes emotional/nationalistic rather than based on facts.

Fact is that leaving out the global doomsday scenarios Haha is mentioning, the US is fighting some historical high deficits and to suggest US can just change their currency leads us right back to the doomsday scenarios.

Gold is the oldest (still resonably functional) currency and have survived due to governments not being able to make more out of thin air.

Personally I do, as G, not bet on currencies. But I diversify across the board, Incl. "real stuff" such as commodities and precious metals + real estate. So I hold USD too.

I agree that the balance between the Euro and the USD will always be a fluctuating one - and that the Euro was over valued at 1.30 - simply based on buying power. Reason for hitting the 1.30 was that it was the only decent alternative to the USD, not really the EU economies.

If I HAD to bet on currencies I would look at some of the Asian currencies having artificially being held down in order to ensure export competativeness.

SAfest; stay diversified so currency fluctuations does not reduce your overall buying power. Cheers!

Malcolm; there are a lot of funds there - which one of them would you like comments on? First note; they charge 4.5% just to get into the funds - not a good start... Cheers!

Barry; but what if you or a family member get seriously sick while visiting your origin country or travelling in Western world? Heart transplant, a month in hospital after accident, brain surgery or whatever? This can easily cost USD 100k in the US or EU. How much will the Emerald (Thai) cover of that?

Insurance for me is not to get a $500 bill covered, it is for avoiding a financial blow in an already difficult situation of illness/accident.

Cheers!

Friends; Lopburi is simply pointing out what the LAW says.

After that it is up to us to use common sense. I am sure that emigration will also use common sense, and will not come and drag us out of the toilet for whiping our own butt, which in theory could also fit into above description of work...

Cheers!

Who were the 3 Western ladies chit-chatting away at the end of the bar?

Cheers!

Valid point Britmaveric. The Asian currencies might be the ones that will see a strengthening rather than the Euro. Cheers!

your very special sense of humor breaks all boundaries...

But you are right; I diversify my asset and currency exposure and do not make specific bets on currency movements or trends.

Cheers!

My 2 (Euro) cents are on the Euro simply due to it having more controls than the USD. Also; the deficits in the USA seems over whelming. Meanwhile my overall nest egg is spread across currencies and commodities as I admit that I have no real clue what will happen next with currencies.

Cheers!

Typical scandinavian male, go with the herd, don't overexpose, take no risk

That's why I was nailing swedish women left and right; swedish men just didn't have the balls to get the job done.

If that santimonious, buddhist priest, sabaijai, a veritable "warning" factory reads this, chill out -- I like Firefan -- this is just joshing about, OK?

Thanks Francois! Will try it out. Cheers!

Ah yes, all those clever heads trying to explain daily market movements - gotta love them! Cheers!

Missed the party so would also love a PM with the pics? Do you need an email? I believe pics can be PMed also? Cheers!

Again; good advise (albeit not very diplomatic ) from Harmonica. Other poster also had a good point about index funds/exchange traded funds being the best/cheapest vehicles, but first things first. Learn, and don't rush. Cheers!

Well, in my case I am just trying to get my legal/licenced Windows XP back on my laptop after some stupid repairman "repaired" my crashed laptop by simply wiping out the harddrive and re-installing a non-licenced version. Dammit... Cheers!

I like the advise from Harmonica. No need to rush any investment decisions. Put them in the bank, read a book or 2 (Investing for Dummies and Mutual Funds for Dummies are 2 great beginner books as mentioned) and then make your decisions later.

I have a list (somewhere on this PC...) with some more beginner books so if you are interested in learning more just send me a PM.

Cheers!

My 2 (Euro) cents are on the Euro simply due to it having more controls than the USD. Also; the deficits in the USA seems over whelming. Meanwhile my overall nest egg is spread across currencies and commodities as I admit that I have no real clue what will happen next with currencies.

Cheers!

Uncle Ho; I tried it but did not work for me - still went to the authentication page and then declined me. Cheers!

That was a link to this thread? Can you clarify? I doubt enough just to change the license key to the original one in the register? Cheers!

Is there a simple way for me to change the current non-licenced XP home on my laptop (installed by repair man) to my original licenced XP Home? I have the original license key (on sticker on laptop) but since it had already been activated I would imagine I will run into a problem?

Cheers!

here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=17&t=41269#

Could somebody please translate:

"in Bangkok was in TheParak.. leo sigh just off Suk Rd and its on the RHS."

THanks, Cheers!

Is there a simple way for me to change the current non-licenced XP home on my laptop (installed by repair man) to my original licenced XP Home? I have the original license key (on sticker on laptop) but since it had already been activated I would imagine I will run into a problem?

Cheers!

Start by clicking on some of the google ads on this page. Cheers!

Well, give us some for examples then! ???