Tracyb

I took my Thai partner into the northern USA in winter and while there spent time skiing. We had a great time. I say "Go For It" but be prepared with alternatives in case she doesn't like the cold or becomes frightened at the prospects of moving along the snow on skis. I guess I would evaluate her athleticism, spirit of adventure, and physical condition. Prepare to leave her in the care of the ski school for at least a day. She will be careful looked after, meet new friends, and when finished she'll be ready to snowplow her way across those beginner slopes with your patient encouragement. Practicing good sense and following safety rules should aid in preventing accidents but be prepared! Don't push her beyond her capabilities. Adequate medical travel insurance recommended! Have a blast!

Thanks, Ubonjoe.

I got the single entry a while ago when my permission to stay only extended to July 17, 2015. I thought I might need it if I stayed out beyond the expiration of my multi-entry Non O-A visa that expired in October, 2014. Ultimately, I left and then I re-entered in Oct 2014 three days before my multiple entry Non-O-A visa expired. I didn't need to use the re-entry permit because I re-entered on my "about to expire" multi entry Visa. I'm now here on permission to stay until Oct. 2015. This time I may stay out beyond the July 17, 2015 date that is covered by the single entry permit and return before the October, 2015 end of my permission to stay.. Hence the need for a new re-entry permit. Thanks for the info and encouragement. I'll try it at BKK.

I'll be leaving LOS and returning several times between now and the expiration of my permission to stay. I have a valid single re-entry permit expiring July 17, 2015. I have permission to stay until Oct 23, 2015. I plan more than two excursions out of LOS between now and Oct 23. Will immigration provide a multiple entry permit before I use the single entry permit I already have in my passport? Will they issue a multi-entry permit at Suvarnabhumi under these conditions or should I go to ( clenching my teeth here) Chiang Mai immigration ??

Thanks for your help, guys!

_{Have as many beach booms or other protective devices as you like it will not protect drunk Russians from acting stupidly}

Were he still alive...Darwin would posit this strengthens his theory!

Hi there!

I would advise against just showing up in BKK for your return flight to the UK. The first leg, apparently, starts in Chiang Mai and will be serviced by Bangkok Air as a code share flight with BA. I think if you just show up in BKK without checking in at CNX you might find that your reservation was cancelled due to "no show" at CNX.

I think you should talk to BA ahead of time and alter your itinerary to accommodate starting your trip in BKK if you do decide not to return to CNX from Krabi.

Have fun on the beach!!

Macy.com from the USA ships many items to Thailand. They include shipping and customs so.....it's not cheap, but it is "do-able"

There was a full supply of Meiji large bottles at Rimping today!

CNX? Is that Chiang Mai? Mistake choice of retirement area. All that smoke from the burning fields for 3 months of each year will kill your chest.

I do like to be beside the seaside, I do like to be beside the sea ! Change your retirement area to a coastal destination. Do it now before you regret your decision.

...or at least book yourself out of Chiang Mai during April, May and June when the smoke in the air is bad.....

The streets around Chiang Mai University are teaming with kids on motorbikes with no helmets. Watching from nearly every street corner, police on motorbikes simply watch these kids drive by. The future of this country rests with these kids. Many of them will never reach their potential as their brains will be splattered across the streets when their heads hit the pavement, crack open, and spill their contents.

No enforcement = no compliance. Where's the NCPO when you need them?

Bangkok Hospital recently opened a new facility here in Chiang Mai... a full service hospital. The facility offers a first class trauma center and a large number of specialized clinics. The service is efficient and certainly less costly than anything in the USA. I was recently treated there for a sinus infection. I called the Ear-Nose-Throat clinic and got a same day appointment.

My total cost for the visit was 1900 baht including doctors fee, lab tests for a culture, and three types of medication. My follow up visit a week later cost 900 baht. Each time I went to the clinic I was in and out in less than 45 minutes.

If you have a primary care doc in the US you have to make an appointment, wait for days, then go the next step if a specialist is required often waiting for days to get in. If you need to go to the ER in the USA to see a doctor you pay hundreds of dollars and spend endless hours of your time feeling miserable in the ER waiting room.

I support the suggestions of having a small nest egg set aside for emergencies. Considering that a million baht will buy just about anything you might need in the way of major medical expenses here...it's a good plan to follow.

You might consider visiting Bangkok Hospital in Chiang Mai on your next visit to Thailand and have a routine physical. It will cost about 11,000 baht for a male over 40 ( You can check out their website for more details) then determine for yourself how the facility stands up to your local facility in the USA.

I'm here for the duration and the least of my concerns is the quality of medical care!

I have been Ram. Meds: Crestor, previcid, ambian, lamictal, cymbalta, celebrex. Ram hospital cost of Dr & meds 16000b. Twice what I pay out of pocket with ins. Most of them are now generic but the cost is still the same as the original.

Then I went to CMU TEACHING hospital/gov. The Gov side is Sriphat. It was only 12000b, but was minus one med. A nd the ambian is dispensed 10 pills at a time even though I brought every medical file and a Cvs list of meds for the last 4 yrs. My meds were prescribed 90 at the time. Thailand refused.to continue the practice. I hope when I get all these back home BCBS will reimburse me. So every month I payout almost $500. So far all I've really saved is 1/2 cost on rent. I think the LIVE HERE FOR $1200 AND LIVE BIG is a stretch.

.

If you have BCBS in usa, perhaps you can use Express scripts to mail them to a friend there....then he can forward to you here via mail... That's what I do.... A bit of a delay but it saves money!

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I have a multiple entry Non-Imm O-A visa that expires on Oct 29, 2014. I last entered LOS on July 17, 2014 and my permission to stay is good until July 17, 2015.