mstevens

Get away from the tourist areas. Some of those doing haircuts in the tourist areas also do massage, nails, book tours etc. They don't specialise in anything and as such I'd be surprised if any of the services they provide they do do particularly well.

The problem with Bangkok Pat is that he just seems to do research on various websites and then put stuff together. Sometimes those websites have wrong info which he just unknowingly repeats. He talks as if he knows Bangkok history well but it's all just from other websites. And his pronunciation of Thai place names, Thai people's names etc is awful and like a farang who just got off the plane, ironic given he is half Thai.

Sorry to break it to you but Thai law sees things very differently. In Thailand, anyone who feels their reputation has been somehow maligned or damaged when photographed or videoed in a public place can make a criminal complaint to police about the person who took the photo / recorded the video and seek damages through a civil action. To be clear, I am not saying I agree with this, but this is the law in Thailand.

Taurine is useful if you have problems with your gallbladder and digesting fats. It helps to open up the biliary ducts which helps bile flow which in turn helps with fat digestion. If you look at the ingredients list in some of the general gallbladder supplements, Taurine along with Choline and Milk Thistle are common ingredients.

This looks like one sweet machine. I will buy one for the Mrs. She uses a 2015 MacBook Air which is still going strong but this new machine will be a real nice upgrade for her.

If broth causes you stomach issues, that could be a sign of histamine intolerance. And histamine intolerance is often a symptom of SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). SIBO is not a condition well-understood by a lot of doctors although a couple of hospitals in Bangkok test for it. Please note that you need to be tested for BOTH hydrogen and methane levels. The test is quite involved and requires a specific diet the day before avoiding various foods. The test itself takes a couple of hours and requires to you to consume lactulose or sucrose and then produce breath samples for a couple of hours to see gases the consumed sugar produces. If you are shown to have SIBO, the best antibiotic is Rifaximin as it is localised and only kills bacteria in the intestine whereas other antibiotics tend to be like a nuclear bomb and kill bacteria everywhere. Last time I checked which admittedly is some time ago, Rifaxmin was not available in Thailand. It is, however, available in Cambodia. Dose is 550 mg, 3 times per day, for 14 days.

15 years in Thailand so I am not clueless. Speak the language fluently. Have made official complaints to the police twice. Once was theft. The other was for threats made against my ex wife. Both times the police were proactive. Never event a hint of not doing anything or asking for money.

Go to the shop and tell them that you're the owner of the phone and you'd like it back. Tell them that if they hand it over, that's the end of it and you will walk away with the phone and they will never see you again. If they don't give the phone to you or try to ask for money, go to the police station and make a formal charge and instruct the police that wish to see it through to the end with recover of property and full prosecution. According to Thai law, the cops cannot refuse to accept your complaint of criminal activity and if they do, they can find themselves in the gun. It would of course be helpful if you are presentable and speak Thai. If not, perhaps take a respectable Thai along. I find it quite unbelievable that some people would suggest buying back your own property. Thai law is actually strong in situations like this.

It's all 'bout the money It's all 'bout the dum dum da da dum dum........

The test generally regarded as the best for Candida is the OATS test (organic acids). I am unaware of it being offered in Thailand, unfortunately. It is a VERY comprehensive test which also shows bacterial issues, oxalate issues and even mould. It's not cheap but it is the gold standard.

We were there on Monday night a couple of weeks ago and stayed for about 3 hours. There was no time limit that I was aware of. Arrived a bit before 6:00 PM and left about 9:00 PM. It was quiet....probably no more than 30 diners night.

Had the buffet at Edge in the Hilton a couple of weeks ago. 1,399 baht net. Very good quality good.

The Andrew Moritz Liver & Gallbladder flush is popular and there are Facebook groups with TENS OF THOUSANDS of members who have used this method to successfully flush out gallstones. There are various methods and there are huge numbers of people who have had success with this to clear gallstones completely. Join the group and find out more for yourself. I think you'll find members extremely well-informed as well as very supportive. Thousands have been in the exact situation you are in now - diagnosed with a gallstone and unsure how to proceed. There are other natural remedies to break down gallstones. The most popular supplement is Chanca Piedra which is known as the "stone-breaker." It is most effective in liquid form but the capsules are good too. A popular brand is World Botanicals which is carried by iHerb. Cholecystectomy (the surgical removal of the gallbladder) is not the only treatment available to you. Western medicine advocates this procedure but many people who have had their gallbladder surgically removed suffer from issues with digestion for the rest of their life, particularly the emulsifying and digestion of fats which also can cause issues with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Just two days ago I had coffee with a friend who flew from Phnom Penh to Bangkok to have gallbladder surgery a decade ago. His digestion has never been the same since. If you do choose to get your gallbladder removed, look in to ox bile supplements to help with fat digestion. Gallstones are a medical emergency if they are blocking the ducts leading to the pancreas and in that situation, surgery is required. If that is not the case, I'd strongly suggest looking at other less invasive and less-permanent options first.

You might wish to consider a full SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) test. There is hydrogen AND there is methane and you really want to test for both. I don't know where in Thailand does such testing but Googling "SIBO test Thailand" should produce results. Also, consider looking in to Candida as the systems are very similar and there is a lot of overlap in the symptoms of IBS, SIBO and Candida. Many people have SIBO and Candida. SIBO is a sod to get rid of. Most doctors prescribe an antibiotic but that is often not enough as it comes back due to the root cause not being determined. Sluggish liver / gallbladder, low stomach acid, poor motility are just some of the possible root causes. Good luck on getting tested.

No idea what your medical issue is but is it something that a functional medical practitioner could diagnose? They are a little different to regular MDs in that they identify the root cause and treat that, rather than putting a patient on drugs for the rest of their life. Google "functional medicine practitioner" and perhaps that might be something for you to consider.

While I applaud your empathy, such a policy would have unforeseen consequences. Covering all tourists for medical events suffered in Thailand would result in many seeing this as an opportunity to forego travel insurance. I feel sorry for the fellow, I really do. Comprehensive travel insurance is a must so not just the victim of the accident, but their friends and family are not caught up in the awful events that follow.

The riverfront area in Nakhon Phanom is very pleasant. Nongkhai quite nice too, on the riverfront.

Yes, really. Regardless of the name, it is owned and run by Americans.

Owned and run by Americans.

Sounds to me like they were simply being thorough. It's the complete opposite in my part of the world where if you were to go to see the doctor with a simple bladder infection then they would take a piss sample, test it and if it was ok they would declare you fit and send you home - without having made the necessary investigation to establish the problem. Comparing your experience at Bangkok Hospital and what I have experienced with doctors at home, I'd much rather have gone to Bangkok Hospital!

Have you tried the supplement NAC? Do your own research on it, but amongst its many benefits is that it's a "biofilm buster" that breaks down mucus. I imagine it could be beneficial. You can order it online from iHerb and it's not expensive. I have used the NOW Foods brand NAC. A quick search online shows it selling for 440 baht at iHerb. At that price you've nothing to lose!

There are reasons why Thailand has long been known as a place to avoid illegal drugs. Disappointing to see the way this fellow has been treated but at the same time, Thailand is not a place to do anything with illegal drugs, irrespective of the quantity. The "price" you pay can be extremely harsh as this Kiwi has found out.

Probably says more about you than Udon...

Chuwit is a very wealthy businessman, and principled. It will be his own choice and almost certainly self-financed.

Is free wi-fi widely available at the airport? We're flying in to Bangkok next week and sister in law will pick us up at the airport. She lives near the airport so we plan to call her when we are at baggage claim so she can leave home to come and collect us. Is there free wi-fi available in the arrivals hall / baggage claim area? We'd prefer not to use our phones from home as the charges to use it overseas are "pang". I have seen the long queues at the telecom stores to get a local Thai SIM card and after a long flight we'd rather wait until the next day, hence the question.