paddyfield7

I once was driving as number 3 car behind a very slow leading car, driving about 35 km/h. When we had free visibility after a curve, with 4 km straight road with no opposite traffic in sight, I expected car nr. 2 to take over, and after that, I would take over too. I gave the nr. 2 car about 20 seconds to overtake, but as he didn't make any such attempt, I started blinking, gave light signals and hooted shortly. I started overtaking nr. 2, but as we were astride, he came out without blinking or looking over his shoulder, or into his side mirror (if he had one at all). His old Toyota Soluna looked very bad, whilst my much heavier Toyota Hilux hat minor damages at both doors. I asked my (Thai) wife to call the police, but she said they wouldn't come, and it would be a matter between the insurance companies. By coincidence, we both had the same insurance company, and we called their representative. After listening to what happened, the insurance man said that his company would pay for our damage, but not for the other driver's much heavier damage, as it was clearly his fault. His witch-style wife got furious and insisted we meet at the local police station - it turned out that her father was the former but retired chief police officer at that station, and she knew he was just doing some garden work there. We sat there for 3 hours until a subordinated officer had written 5 pages about this minor incident in his diary, and we got both fined THB 300. I asked the young officer why I had to pay, because the accident was clearly caused by the other driver, but the answer was that the fine was risen because our two cars touched each other. TiT at it's best.....

I had cataract surgery at Bangkok Chiang Mai Hospital in 2021,, left eye on Monday, right eye on following Wednesday, released for discharge each time after half an hour of rest, driven by my wife. No need of glasses any more.

The market leader in Europa is certainly Rimowa, although they are very expensive. But their appearance and quality is very high, no matter whether you chose an Aluminium- or Polycarbonate model. Their disadvantage is their own weight (tare) which can be up to 5 or 7 kilos. That's why I replaced them with Samsonite C-Lite models which weigh 2.8 kilos only. They have the same volume and are as durable as Rimowa, but also have similar prices.

12 hours ago, stevenl said:

Not sure about that first class. He has probably his house taken away, it wouldn't surprise me if he will be separated from his other possessions including money.

I would seat him in the last row of Economy, the one closest to all toilets, so he can enjoy the 12 hours ride, and being the last one to disembark.

The same happened to me after my doctor at the Bangkok Chiang Mai Hospital decided I should replace my usual medication against hypertension with Zanidip. It just took a few days until I got heavily swollen ankles. After just a few weeks we decided to stop taking Zanidip and return to the previous mediation. My ankles got back to normal almost immediately.

Yes, revoke his visa, and deport him today. LX 181 to Zurich is leaving from Suvarnabhumi at 13:20, every day!

I would go and see an ophthalmologist at a private hospital and have him or her writing down a recipe which corrections your new glasses will need. Make sure they are not telling you that you need katarakt surgery at both eyes, except it is indeed needed. A katarakt surgery can be done as an outpatient, but the costs at a good private hospital are THB 90k for both eyes.

16 hours ago, Cardano said:

Not in this country, for most their brain doesn't seem to get past the development stage of a ten year old.

born stupid, learned nothing, and forgotten a lot

41 minutes ago, Drumbuie said:

 

You've never been to the US, then where Immigration is legendarily unpleasant....or Sri Lanka. We arrived in Colombo yesterday, SL Airways cabin crew didn't hand put any landing cards like they used to and there were no signs in the airport mentioning them.but yes, you still need to fill one in. 

 

The queues, as a result, were interminable as each foreign visitor got to the front of the queue, was shouted at and sent off to fill one in. 

 

 

 

I had the best and the worst experience in Boston, MA. Once my wife and I arrived and presented our Swiss passports. The Immigration Officer said: "Oh, two Swiss Citizens; have you been here before?". We answered with "yes", and the I/O replied: "In this case - welcome back!". 30 seconds, and we were in. You can imagine how the other experience was.....

12 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

As of next year I will need to buy 3 types medicine every month in Thailand.  It would be nice if it was possible to buy the same brands as I get in the UK but the main thing is that they are good quality and effective:  Is the only way to guarantee that by going to somewhere like Boots or are there other Pharmacies that supply decent quality medicines?

 

My concerns come from past experiences. Many years ago I had a stomach problem whilst in Thailand - something I often had when I was in the UK and took medicine as necessary. I went to a small Pharmacy and bought the same medicine but a different brand - it didn't work. By that time I was in a different city and visited another larger Pharmacy to ask their advice.  The Pharmacist took one look at the medicine that I'd bought and shook her head.  I asked her if it was a fake, she told me it wasn't really a fake but most likely contained a much lower dose of the actual medicine than claimed on the label - quite common apparently. I was given a propriety brand of the same stuff and my problem cleared up in a couple of hours.

 

The medicine I require now is far more important and I have to take it every day for life.

 

The three medicines are:

 

Atorvastatin 80mg

Amlodipine 5mg

Clopidogrel 75mg

For me, Boots and Watson are more cosmetic shops than pharmacies. Real pharmacies, at least in Chiang Mai, are Pharma Choice and Fascino. Atorvastatin is available there without prescription, whereby 80 mg seems extremly hight to me - I'm using it myself in the strength of 10 or max. 20 mg. The other two products are unknown to me. 

19 hours ago, bignok said:

Thats why I wouldnt go. Muslim nation. Not proper law enforcement after. Some got only a few years jail.

Indonesia is a Muslim nation, but Bali is an exception as they are Hindus. This of course does not exclude the possibility of Muslim attacks. It is more dirty and much more expensive than any place in Thailand, and I doubty it's a good location for long stayers. I have been there several times, but for holiday purposes only, as the beaches and the sunsets are beautyful.

14 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No

A TM30 is not required when traveling within the country.

I have different experiences, but I know Chiang Mai works different some times. My last 90 days report was rejected for the following reason

quote

Contact immigration to update the (TM30) accommodation notification to date. The last declaration of accommodation at Piya Guest House Mae Hong Son not Chiang Mai.

unquote

It was September 2021 when we used a limousine service called Oriental Escape, but I believe they meanwhile also operate under the name of Mekhe Transport. The trip from Suvarnabhumi to the Dusit Hotel in Hua Hin did cost THB 3,500 in a brand new and spotless clean Toyota Fortuner, with a very decent driver, also driving defensively. Back one week later with the same driver and for the same price. Always on time, or even 15 minutes early. Cash or credit card payment. Can absolutely recommend this company.

I have been at Nana Plaza with tome friends last week. The girls wear bikinis, but at "Blondie" they take off the tops at midnight, and I heard they take off more at 2:00 a.m.

In Chiang Mai, on the coolest days of the year, we can have 16 deg C outside and 19 deg C inhouse. Those few days I simply wear a pullover or a light jacket until it gets a bit warmer towards noon. 

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

But is still has to be 12 months of transfers. The OP states he only did 6 transfers.

I'm using the income method since years, and the only thing I need is a confirmation from my Embassy for the attention of Thai Immigration confirming quote The Embassy of XXX hereby certifies on the basis of information received from the relevant social insurance and/or pension funds that Mr. XYZ, born XX.XX.XXXX receives a monthly pension of THB XXX,XXX.XX from the XXX Old-Age, Survivors and Disability insurance and/or a XXX private pension fund unquote. I believe this makes the question whether 6 or 12 or whatever transfers are required obsolete. I'm dealing with Chiang Mai Immigration.

On 9/6/2022 at 1:16 AM, jak2002003 said:

Where is Chiand Mai?

Between Palau and Xinjiang.

47 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Speaking about CM, my experience has been that they wanted it until recently, but last time I asked the officer said no. So I did not report (and update TM30) after my last trip in early August. I just hope all officers sing from the same book.

I know that the vast majority on this forum believes that TM30 is no longer required if you return from abroad and to the domicile previously registered, and this would include Chiang Mai. This may apply to many other provinces, but I do live in Chiang Mai, returned from Europa on 4th July 2022, reported my return the same day, and got issued a new TM30 as per picture below. I wonder why Chiang Mai Immigration would still do that if it was no longer a legal  requirement also in this province.

I paid a THB 1,600 fine for not providing a TM30 which was silently re-introduced without notice at that time. This was upon my extension of stay based on retirement (type O) 2016 at Chiang Mai Immigration.

6 hours ago, CMBob said:

The booster program at Airport Centran mall was conducted by Nakornping Hospital but is no longer being done at the Airport Centran mall.  I understand you can still get a booster at Nakornping Hospital and a couple of other places as noted in other posts.

I can confirm this is correct. I got both my boosters at Nakornping Hospital, Mae Rim, just walk in at 08:00 a.m., and choose between Pfizer and Moderna, both free.

 I fly to Switzerland a few times each year and always come back with many kilos of dried meat and Swiss cheese, and never had any problems since 2013. Even if the suitcase containing such items was scanned, the meat was not recognised or rejected; absolutely not to be compared with Australia. The news are going into the other directions: since January 2020, the import of fruit and even seeds into Switzerland (or maybe also EU) is strictly prohibited, whereby there is no fine if you do, the items are simply taken and thrown away - Switzerland's contribution to fight global food waste.....

We used 3BB for years, but got increasingly annoyed that the connection was always cut for an hour or so each day a bill became due, just to remind us of the due-date, although the bills had always been paid already. This was the reason we switched to True, and we are more than happy with it: