Bill Miller

On 1/30/2019 at 5:59 PM, wgdanson said:

So let's get this straight. If your Embassy will still issue a letter you must go there. If your Embassy WILL NOT issue a letter, your bank and the IO do it. 

The difference, as I understand it, is that the NO LETTER embassies cannot by the subject nation's law actually verify the individual's incomes. Many posters have waffled on about "Oh, they could." Not without changing the subject nation's laws intended to protect privacy. That is simply not done to save inconvenience for a limited number of citizens.
Some nations do permit official reporting of citizen's retirement/pension income.

I would seriously like to try some, for multiple pains and some residual paralysis from my stroke.
Anybody know about the application process?
It could be a tremendous revenue source for the Kingdom, but I think the studies should include non-Thai patients if that is in the plan.????

32 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

I spent a couple of nights in a government hospital after suffering a TIA. They insisited on my Thai wife staying by the bed in the ward where I had lain until I came back with a receipt showing I had paid for my treatment and medication in full. My wife tells me this is quite normal practice.

My lady spent the four nights in a bed they supplied in my private room.
Pretty sure it was for compassionate reasons. ???? Her sister had retired as a nurse from the same hospital, and two nieces had worked there before assignment to a larger hospital, so I may have been treated better than average.

7 minutes ago, P Funk said:

So leave you deadbeat... so many people getting care here and skipping on the bill... shameful! True, the quality of care may be poor compared to other countries, but if you are going to get care here you should have the decency to make an effort to pay. For those with legitimate grievances about the bill, there should be a government mediation service available.

I have some experience with the government hospitals. I disagree about the quality of care being poor.  The only problem I have encountered is in the communication department. Thank Buddha for my fiancee!???? I recently was an obstreperous old grump at a provincial hospital, mostly because I did not understand what the gorgeous young lady doctor was attempting to do, and my "translator" does not know much about medicine.
The doc thanked me for teaching her the English word for "titration" once I understood what was going on. A new protocol for my insulin dosage was established in the course of four days. US hospitals would not even consider doing such a verifiable protocol because of the expense. Here? 7,350 baht, including a month's supply of insulin and a couple of other meds.
I do not mind that the provincial building could use some fresh paint. I did not check in for the decor. I went because blood glucose readings of 477 do not feel good.????

22 minutes ago, Sealbash said:

Any factual examples of tourists being overcharged? The hospitals will give an estimate of costs prior to any service given. Final costs may vary depending on individual requirements. Do you have any proof of cost differences for exactly the same service for a national as opposed to a tourist? Medical check up? MRI service? Any actual proof?


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Yes. On the wall at Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip is a sign informing that foreigners will be charged more than Thai patients.
I have not had the opportunity to do a line by line comparison, but I am confident that when there is a sign posted to the effect that they do in fact charge western patients more.
One item I am aware of is that none of "us" qualify for the thirty baht scheme for "basic" service. For farangs it is a minimum 200 baht, and more for after hours.
I seem to recall that my biggest bill was after a stroke. That involved an MRI, plenty of meds, and Physical Therapy training. Four days in, plus ambulance, was 15,000 baht. That is less than I have been charged at a US hospital to be wheeled through the ER without a stop! No joke. I already had a room assigned in the cardiac unit. They did not even point one of those temperature taking gadgets at me yet charged for an Emergency Room visit. Total cost of a bypass operation was over $300,000. I forked over $2,000.00 and declared bankruptcy. 

1 minute ago, Ninni said:

My visacard was skimmed when I was here (Jomtien) last year. I just use it in ATMs here and suddenly I find a post on my account I didn't know. I stopped my visacard (Danish bank) and when I come home my bank showed me it has been used to pay a hotel in Spain!!?? at the same time I was here.

So, shit happens!

I got a call a few years ago from my US  bank indicating an attempt to purchase items in Singapore. I had not at the time ever been to Asia.
Thankfully they declined to accept the charges until they had checked with me.
Noticeable that a long term gas station attendant in my area suddenly went missing.  Seems he had been skimming and selling the information overseas to support a habit.
Banks and insurance companies really hate that, and hire professional investigators, such as my retired police detective brother in law, to track the scumbags down. I know he has saved his employer many times his generous salary in recovered funds. ????

I regularly found myself picking up trash less than six feet from a mostly empty bin in a northern village. Can't be blamed on tourists of which there are darned few in that area. Local Thais settle down with a six pack of beer and snacks, and toss the crap where they are rather than walk a few feet to put it in the provided bin.
Not unique to Thailand. Seen it plenty of times in the States as well. Not where I happen to be living now, though, and somehow expected better of Thailand. I can't tell you why I thought folks here would be more caring of their surroundings. 

I am a bit puzzled by the "moped" bit. There is an actual definition of a moped: "Moped definition, a motorized bicycle that has pedals in addition to a low-powered gasoline engine designed for low-speed operation."

Under 70 cc according to some posts supposedly does not require a license. This may not make a difference to the insurance company, which typically will seek any reason to deny a claim.
Apparently they are covering some of the bills. The article stated that they are declining to cover "all" of the costs.
The usual very inexact reporting, I think. One source states that mopeds, as such, are no longer available here.
Probably makes no difference regarding his situation, except that if he read some of the posts about the subject he may have thought it was legal to ride without plates, license,  etc. That would not have affected the travel insurance rules in any case. 

7 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

"The number of transactions in Thailand ranked second worldwide after Hong Kong, and topped the list in Southeast Asia with an average spending of 1,646 yuan (Bt7,650)." 

So S

Yeah, sounds just like Trump.

To reiterate that still does not say per transaction. If that is what they meant why not say "1,645 yuan PER TRANSACTION"? The meaning of the sentence as written is that Chinese tourists.......with an average spending of 1,645 yuan."

TAT Chart above is crappola. It shows China and other countries spending more than "All Countries".

Are they not a subset of "All Countries"?

I know, grossly unfair to use grammar and arithmetic. ????

16 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Most of you can't read, it is per transaction. The Chinese spend the most per person than any other nationality but the bar stool experts here find that impossible to believe. 

Only one person gives evidence of inability to read. Nowhere in the article did it state "per transaction".

Talk about "beer stool experts"!

On 2/17/2019 at 7:15 PM, marcusarelus said:

Retired military who are under 65 years of age, and their families, are eligible for TRICARE health coverage. When a military retiree or spouse reaches 65, they are eligible for Medicare and TRICARE for Life medical coverage. TRICARE for Life is specifically for Medicare eligible military retirees. Advantage plan or Medicare Part D plan in addition to TRICARE for Life. An added bonus of TRICARE for Life is that it includes coverage of international health care services.    So, your Colonel was wrong. 

Ah, so you are like Trump and know more than a colonel, retired medical officer.

I never claimed to be a military retiree.

If you think you will get veteran's status just for serving one stint in the reserves, make sure it is during a declared overseas action. Otherwise it does not apply.

He was 100% correct that I am eligible for NO veterans benefits, as confirmed by others such as my sister, a full bird medical officer retired from the Airforce.

I mentioned my Army buddy, a highschool classmate,  because he double checked for me unasked when I said I get no benefits.

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Ask anyone about tricare and medicare who has retired from the military. 

Military career unneccesary for medicare.

I do have a vague notion about tricare after all. Just never looked into it much as NA. My National Guard service was during a very rare few years of no applicable veteran status. Had a retired Colonel friend check into it for me. No veteran bennies at all.

20 hours ago, keith101 said:

Or just take a trip to Savanakhet where financials are not a requirement .

Last time, Sept. 2018, I was asked for my bank book.

I did not have it with me, and a copy of my previous non "O" was accepted in lieu of.

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

What about tricare/medicare?

Don't even know what tricare is.

I have Medicare via social security. I paid into Medicare seperately for most of a forty year working life. It was supposed to take care of medical expenses, but really does not, especially when they deny claims the same as regular medical insurance does 

I think that is actually because of ridiculously complicated  billing requirements that doctor's professional billing departments cannot figure out.

7 hours ago, Thomas J said:

I was not aware that you could use Medicare outside of the USA.  Is that true? 

You cannot. I did not make that very clear.
It costs me about 10% of the cost of using Medicare in the states.
Medicare co-pays are roughly 20% of the cost of the service, and some services, such as ambulance fees, are not covered at all. When the service is 10X or more, the cost of using Medicare in the US is often more than paying OTC at Thai government hospitals.
Three day inpatient treatment and therapy after an ischemic stroke was under 20,000 baht. Ambulance, Emergency Room, three days in patient, imaging, diagnosis, meds, and physical therapy, all included.

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

.....because TAT marketing is telling them that Thailand is cheaper than at home. It is not!

Depends where home is.

I use government hospitals which on average cost me about 10% of my US healthcare using Medicare.

My full farang price is less than my Medicare copay. I have extensive experience, including major thoracic surgery which bankrupted me in the US.

The government hospitals could use some fresh paint, maybe. I do not go for the decor.

Helps if your in laws include a few nurses who are or have worked at the government institutions, or at least have a good interpretor along.

When I went for a reccomended class on diabetic nutrition my GF boiled it down for me... "You can eat water". ????

3 hours ago, overherebc said:

Pee on him afterwards and raise it to aggravated assault???

Nah, just trying to wake him up. ????

Open the system to farangs who would not mind a higher payment than 30 baht as well as a co 

pay.

As a bonafide handicapped person this pisses me off endlessly, but did long before my own disability. I usually curse them to be handicapped in turn.

Trying to convince the wife to get a sticker for when I am along.

I think it would make sense for the Thai government to offer the health scheme to foreigners again, with a premium that would cover the costs and help subsidize the program for citizens. Limit service to government hospitals, perhaps, to help prevent less urgent claims. I use government hospitals as a self insured, and the wait times can be excruciating.????

Former AAMCO Transmission center manager here.

I too am curious about the "O ring". There are a number in mozt auto transmissions, and not usually a wear item.

Kind of a brouhaha about putting in park or neutral when stopped. Driver for fifty years and certified mechanic off and on for a good part of that. Never heard much about that until coming here. At AAMCO we generally saw 100,000 miles before rebuilds on properly maintained trannys; i.e. fluid and filter changes at specified intervals, which would get band sdjustments as part of the service.... possibly the afore mentioned "O ring".

2 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

"there were no signs of obvious problems with the vessel."...An upside down boat with no problems...? Obviously kindergarten writers!

OP said "....obvious problems."

Perfectly correct.

What is obvious is that somebody does not know the meaning of "obvious" as used in the OP.

I have some doubts about who was chasing whom, and that the boy was coming after a gun toting guy in a rescue vehicle on his motorbike while armed only with a knife.

"Self defense" gambit?