totally thaied up

When I went to a local clinic two weeks ago for a sore throat, all the Thais separated themselves from me and gave me a wide berth. My whole family was sick with a fever, a cough, a sore throat after my brother-in-law came back from Bangkok.

I had a temperature as well and I asked to sit separate to everyone but instead, they rushed me straight in to see the doctor without waiting.

I had been only living in my village and not been to town for over a month. I was asked if I had travelled overseas and when I said no, they all breathed a sigh of relief. I just stay in my village and have been nowhere I told them. 

Two weeks later I am okay but I had to go back for antibiotics as the cold moved to my chest but it is almost totally gone now.

As far as I can see, every one is terrified. Today we went and had steamed pork at a popular spot for lunch in our village and there was not a person to be seen. We went just to get take-a-way. We got told next time they would be closed but for the next month or so they will be taking Foodpanda orders only.

Looks like in our area, people are being extra careful, ordering in from Foodpanda and just about everyone is wearing a face mask. The feeling of things has changed in the last few days I feel. Let's see what happens.

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

What cover do you have? Which company?

 

My insurance doesn't cover pandemics - they are specifically excluded in the policy.

ACS Insurance

I confirmed with my broker a few weeks ago. I have asked again this afternoon if anything has changed and I am waiting for a reply. I read my policy. Nothing about pandemics.

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Very responsible of you and the family...kudos to you and glad to hear you are all well and recovered.

 

Note to self, lock front gate, draw blinds down, do not answer mobiles ????

 

Yeah, it was hard on the brother-in-law. He needed to work but I told him to stay home and I covered his loss from not working. His wife was sick as well and is five months pregnant and she was really crook. I am about 80% recovered but still have flem on the chest a touch. Pollution in CM is not helping at all.

28 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Did they not ask you to do a blood test for COVID-19 ?

It was before all the crazy stuff from the whuflu got in the real headlines. My doctor said since I had only been in San Kampheang and no further afield, she just told me it was a ordinary virus and just to rest. Still, my brother-in-law bought this <deleted> home from Bangkok and he had been on the BTS. I stayed at home and

just didn't go out. None of my family went anywhere for two weeks. Mum who is in her 60's was pretty crook but she is fine now.

Have not been on here for ages.

My whole family got sick about three weeks ago. We all got a fever, runny nose, sore throat and a cough. Lasted about three weeks. My wife's brother went to Bangkok and bought this virus back with him. I have been to the doctor twice as this virus moved to my chest but it is better now. I got asked at the clinic if I have travelled and been to any affected Countries. I have only been at home. I was advised to stay at home for seven days and to rest as much as I can. I am okay now but would hate to get the COVID19 virus now after being sick.

2 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

What about those famous obligations of every Thai girl/woman towards her parents?

When we bought the car, her Dad stumped up a large sum to help me pay for it. He tested me out first but with his daughter for the first year or so before he softened up to me. Same was with my parents. You get a good family, you don't get the famous obligations and if any family did that to me, I would have been on the first train out of town. My Dad-in-law is cool. I just got to say, I am pretty lucky.

34 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

 

I think part of the issue is that there are too many people from all Nationalities that are getting 1 year extensions that do not actually have the required funds and are using other means to get their extensions.  If these other means were eliminated and the financial requirements kept the same- I doubt there would be an explosion of people coming to Thailand for medical coverage- You still have to pay.

Medical is one of the biggest reasons why I want to get out of Thailand. I do not want to be paying a massive insurance bill every year once I hit 60 plus when I have free health cover back at home.

If such a scheme was floated, every man and his dog over 50 from other Countries would flood into Thailand, put up the 800K, pay the fees and be covered - yes, that would be a good deal and it would most likely mean people like me that want to leave due to medical reasons, would want to stay with my family. The addional stress this would place on the Thai system would be great. I really do not want to go back to Australia due to my wife but in the end, medical is going to push me out of here. My wife can get PR, come back home with me and be covered under Medicare. What is not to like about that!

Hell, being covered under the Thai public system would be great! Still, it will never happen. You only got to look how stressed the Thai public system is without adding a heap of geriatric foreigners with expensive health issues to enter the system. That would be stupid as they just now push us off to expensive private hospitals because we are supposed to have the money to pay.   

Nope, will never happen.

Most of us Australians have got a bit of a potty mouth. I worked in the mines when young, so maybe you can gather how most my mates talk. When we returned home to OZ and she got to meet a lot of my friends, her level of learning what Australian swear words was increased dramatically. It did not worry me. Part of my culture. She doesn't use them but does understand the meanings now.

Both of us are tattooed extensively and we enjoy getting tattoos at the same time. My wives back looks great. I suppose we support each other in this regard. I think at least a 1/4 of my body is tattooed. The wife only got tattooed after meeting me. 

We have watched many of the classic movies together in English and she has enjoyed them all. Also Breaking Bad, Ray Donovan and Lets call Saul have been favorites for us to lay in bed and enjoy. Been watching Preacher together and getting a good laugh from that. We have been building Lego Technique together for sometime and we get pleasure from that. 

When we travel overseas, it is all new for me. She makes it all fun again and just seeing the surf for the first time and going for a swim in the ocean or having a go on a boogie board was just oh so much fun. All good things to do. All guilty pleasures for me and I am thankful for them. Watching her eat proper Fish and Chips on the beach brings back good memories.

I have plenty of pleasures from my life partner; cannot be much happier really. I will add a edit to it all and say, I would most likely be happier if I spent 9 months in Australia and 3 months here. I cannot do this yet due to family reasons but that is what I ultimately will aim for. Life then for me would be perfect. 

1 minute ago, Huckenfell said:

With such numbers one would think it a very viable proposition for visa holder to join the government health scheme at a higher rate.

Have you been to a public hospital and seen how stressed the system is. We would need to pay in a hell of a lot to be given such privilege, even in the public system. Last time I was in a public ward, it was 8 to a open room and the staff were run off their feet. I had a friend stay in for 30 days in the public system last month. He could not get a private room and it still cost him 80,000 baht for treatment. It was not very nice at all.

8 minutes ago, gearbox said:

I'm not underfunded and neither uninsured - my travel insurance is more than adequate for me. In case of any issues the hospitals here won't be shortchanged. Why should I pay for another insurance which I don't need?

We have a lot of people that are responsible like you, but I know personally of a lot of people that are not responsible, and this is were lies the problem. The sins of a few effecting everyone. No, you should not need additional Thai Insurance that is in most cases, is poor value. Until I see in writing what they have planned, I have no answers to this question. 

23 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Correction - they don't want underfunded, uninsured expats here.  What country would? 

I hate to say it but it is true in so many ways. I have only got two friends that have the funds to cover themselves if something went catastrophically wrong. The rest in my wide circle of friends just say 'mai bpen rai', I will just die instead if something serious happened or I will go home. Problem is they don't care about that cost because as far as they are concerned, they will be dead. Worse would be if it was a slow end because I do not know what they could do. I think a lot of cost comes from these people. Sometimes you cannot go home as you are just too sick to travel. What do you do then.

I am fully covered with international insurance but if they extended this to Marriage Extensions and you had to be covered under a Thai insurance company, I would be well out of here with the wife in tow. It is just expensive enough as it all is and this would be the last drop in the bucket for me.  

7 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Where do you live ?

25 minutes outside of Chiang Mai in a small village.

13 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Look on the bright side. OAP is means tested and I'll get zero when the time comes, unless start splashing soon on expensive hookers and booze ????

Yes you are correct. I better live it up now and believe me, I have almost everything I want at home. About the only real big thing is I miss the beach and I wish we had one in Chiang Mai LOL .... As long as I got the wife, food, a big screen TV, my computer, a swimming pool, Netflix and a torrent, I have almost everything I want at my finger tips.

Life is pretty good. I really do not need much. 

Just now, owenm said:

But rent assist only applies when renting back in Oz. I believe when you leave Australia it cuts out after 6 wks.. Otherwise heaps of back pay to the govt on your return.. 

Your passport is linked at Immigration. Cut off is now automatically done to Centerlink. No need to report.

4 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

860 a fortnight Australia aged pension, $1720 per month currently @ 20.90 thai baht

Not everyone gets this much. If I got that much, I would be saving money now. 

23 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Overall then, based on evidence, not hearsay, it seems that after 24 pages not so many are leaving Thailand, after all.

Others are coming to take their place. I met someone in my coffee shop this week that is only 38 and paid just for his Thai Elite Visa. First Elite member I have met.

I have had friends leave but others just fill their places. In fact, I have only four of my old social world friends stay but I have met enough newbies to fill those that left spots.