stapoz

https://www.thephuketnews.com/passion-drives-an-expat-nightmare-tale-of-his-new-mg-84978.php

Today I tried to open an EUR account at two BKK bank branches in Rayong - no way. They want a work permit. But I know that in Pattaya it is possible. Will try Kungsri tomorrow - they have (almost) the same fees and exchange rates.

Here in Hua Hin, I see only prices 5-10 M bath/rai (5 M/rai is far from city and the sea). Seaside plots are over 20 M bath/rai. Maybe can buy a land for 3M/rai in a village/rice field, but the house will be impossible to sell later (two years we are unsuccessfuly trying to sell the house (low standard) near Kalasin on 1 rai for 1.5 M bath)

The price in the project next to my house is 18,000-22,000/sqw (1 rai is 400 sqw). 7-9 mil bath for 1 rai, but only 50-100sqw plots are for sale. I do not live in bkk.

Thanks @Crossy. https://landsmaps.dol.go.th/ is a complete solution, displaying the plot with the given number on the Google map.

We are going to buy land (inside a fenced development).
Does anyone know how to check that the documents are for the land we want to buy and not for a piece of land in the middle of the forest?

100,000 B for surgery may be enough for a broken arm. If you need protection for most accidents and illnesses, 1 million B is the minimum. Thus, the costs of surgery and the hospital expenses should be "covered in full" for 1M or higher insurance. Otherwise, the insurance covers only minor health problems that most people can afford without paying (expensive) premiums each year.

First, look for insurance with a minimum benefit of 1M bath. Check if your chosen insurance plan has hospital treatment as "paid in full". This means that they will pay for surgery, anesthesia etc. in full up to the insurance limit. Then look at the prices of rooms and rooms in the ICU and how many nights they guarantee. 3000-4000 baths is the minimum for a good room. Then (most importantly) investigate how easily the insurer pays out claims.
I have inexpensive Aetna Opal 3 plan (750,000 bath max benefit). So far I had no claims, but I finished my insurance when I left for my country and they returned me unused premiums without any questions.

Cigna has a very similar Plan 4 (same premiums, room prices, 1M bath benefit)

Quote

Ummm...if the country requires a test, that would be a "test for air travel purpose". LOL

No. It would be a "test for the purpose of entering the country".

There is no "test for air travel purpose". The airline can only check if you have mandatory test required by the country you are flying to. I filed bkk-doha-warsaw few days ago. As Poland doesn't require covid test, the airline also didn't ask. I travelled without any test and no one asked about test. 

So no need to worry about vaccination program any more. PM and his family, the government and their families have been vaccinated. So why you complain about slow vaccination program? The gov is safe and not very interested in covid. 

Less than 2% received vaccine from January till middle of May. "More than half of Thailand’s population to receive 1st dose by July" 

What you don't understand? 

I have the same problem with my Aetna ins. I think the best solution is to buy a cheap covid insurance approved by immigration "for show only" and for short period (must be the period of your stay - visa period or outbound ticket). Thai like everything "for show" even if it is silly and worse than the real one. 

You are lucky to live in bkk with seasonal air pollution. Here in Esan we have AQI around 200 most of the year. Almost never below 150. Almost every morning Pm 2.5 is 120-170.

Incredibly, Thais are completely uninterested in this issue. When I try to talk about the present huge pollution in their town, they just smile and look like they've just heard it for the first time in their life. They do not seem to be interested in what the problem is, and what the cause of the pollution is, and they are not interested in how to improve the situation. That's probably why they have what they have. Every day driving to the city, I see people smoking leaves, grass or plantation remnants in their fields. Most of the time, there is no fire, just huge smoke. They light a fire and leave it smoking for hours. They don't seem to understand that they are doing this for their families, children and parents.

Today PM 2.5 - 170 - village 10 km near Kalasin. I think AQI here is about 250-300. There were no clouds, the sky was clear, but the sun gave no shadows. The light was scattered by the smog as if it were passing through frosted glass. I'm considering go bkk for some fresh air...

Quote

Not just Thailand either!  Be grateful you don't live in China or India!

Sometimes I wish I had chosen to live in the Philippines when there was a time...

This is not a problem in Bangkok or Chiangmai. That's all of Thailand. I have been staying at Siratcha for the last 3 months AQI 150-200 (PM2.5 70-120) EVERY DAY. So far, there were maybe 5 days with AQI around 100. Before I stayed in Udonthani and it was almost the same with a few days AQI above 200.

From Aetna policy: 

"AIDS - ... AIDS includes HIV, Encephalopathy Dementia and virus epidemic."

AIDS is excluded so virus epidemic is.

The most important is not only the cover level but how easy (and whether at all) insurer will pay your claims. 

Most insurance contracts contain a remark like this: "the applicant must reside in Thailand at least 6 months in 12 months period". I came to Thailand 2 months ago and will probably stay a year. Does it mean I must wait 4 months to be able to buy an insurance? How can I stay half a year not insured? What if I go my home country this year for 5 months (or eg. 7 months), renew the policy from my country and come back Thailand? Why is this a problem?

I've got offers from AA and Pacific Prime brokers - both from bkk (but doesn't matter from where, as everything can be made online - as I did). As I've read, a broker can be helpful if there will be any problems with claims.

I'm the same age - for the price 36K/year you must select 40K deductible.

That's what I thought. Taking any plan below Maxima is wasting of money as I couldn't use declared total limit for hospital. Only Maxima and up allow to use the limit (eg. 5MB) for hospital.

I'm considering a purchase one of PC insurance plans (inpatient only).

Don't you think all plans below MAXIMA suck? Eg in PREMIER plan, there is quite good, 1.2M Bath cover. But for hospital expenses there is only 200KB + 200KB for surgery. Even intensive care and anaesthesiology is included in this cost! That's all they will pay for hospital treatment. Not sure if it's enough even for gov. hospital. It looks like the rest of 1.2MB can be used for post-hospital treatment (medicine, doctor), psychiatric, organ transplant, etc. So if someone get sick eg. COVID disease and need hospital treatment, PC will only pay 200KB for ALL hospital treatment??? (including medicines and drugs!) Or I missed something?

(prices are for 50yo)