eddysmit

56 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

that's what I would figure - yaba cash..

Same here, apparently that's where tons of them come/came from.

10 hours ago, david555 said:

More cases to come and not only Asian ones I guess  ,as the Thais seems to enjoy their new digital toys and improving to use them .

Maybe now our naughty boys start sweating a little 

What I have heard is they can't recognise 'people of colour' whether that's just the European ones that were being tested, I have no idea.

2 hours ago, monkeycu said:

Corn flour mixed with a little water works fine, assuming you have the flour and don't mind the aftertaste 

I will try that one if I do get an attack, maybe a little drop of sprite added would 'make the medicine go down'.

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Has nobody heard of Imodium (Loperamide)?

40bht for a generic pack of ten.

Works every time.

For sure this will be quickly cleared up by the hospital, it was a genuine mistake by the cashier, one naught too many was accidentally added after the number three.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

1) As previously stated by many, white folk aren't the foreigners who didn't pay their hospital bills.

2) 80% of Thais have never paid income tax.

3) If you've been earning and paying tax in Thailand, why aren't you in the Thai SS scheme? 

Well said.

4 hours ago, Guderian said:

Never mind the tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Baht that many expats retired here plough into the local economy in many ways every year, from supporting their Thai family to using Thai tradespeople, long-term expats invariably pay large amounts of tax here. It's just that most of it is indirect taxation, such as VAT and excise duty on alcohol or cigarettes, rather than direct taxes paid on employment income. What's the difference, at the end of the day it's all money in the bank so that the big children can buy some submarines or tanks to play with. Or does Rooster think that the thousands of Baht the typical retiree pays in VAT and excise duty every month is somehow inferior to the income tax he pays, so that he's fully entitled to Thai state care but nobody else is? Money is money, after all, and nowhere should that be truer than in Thailand.

Well said, and Rooster did have an overlong, bitter rant, must have got some bad news.

2 hours ago, alant said:

Oh dear, another opportunity for the holier than thou to class all that want a drink as alcoholics and make a sarcastic remark.

True, they just cannot resist a miserable dig.

2 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Buddha would’ve let people decide for themselves; this is just another S.E. Asian country that has cnts in uniforms oppressing people.

I will always strictly abide by the laws and cultural ways of any host country I visit,but as you say knowing the ways of Buddhists open gentle ways they would prefer to do it your way, seeing as this country relies heavily on tourism I would have thought it would be more sensible to  let the locals do it their way for them, and allow a bit of slack for tourists, ah well no buying alcohol for me, good job I always have a stock, it says 'selling alcohol',  what about drinking alcohol ? better not drink for this day, just to be sure. (cough)

11 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Actually I don’t think they will.
As the actual number of OA holders has dropped from 32 million to 80 thousand and some loose change !
Plus of course we all know ( more pure speculation from me I’m afraid ) that the hospital absconders were mainly tourists falling off their mc’s or foreigners from nearby Asian countries.

I would think you 'hit the nail on the head' with the bulk of the numbers being from neighboring countries.

Strange concocted numbers, sounds like they were done by a PR firm for future reasons, apart from the few younger westerners being stretchered into hospitals unconscious when they come to a cropper riding a souped-up very powerful motorbike in areas like Pattaya, and even then what I have heard from people involved is the hospital will most of the time ask for some sort of proof of payment before proceeding, when ninety-nine percent of foreigners visit a hospital, dentist, hotel the normal procedure is the first thing asked for is your passport, which is immediately copied, treatment for my visits have normally been settled after the treatment and before leaving, for my last visit, with a Thai signing as guarantor, they asked for a deposit before carrying out the small op. 

Just a thought with this medical insurance, I don't know if its just my limited experience or I'm mistaken, but when I have seen or heard people use medical insurance(not the two week holiday type) not only will the cost jump up but, also they only cover up to so much of the costs,you or claimant have to cover the rest, and if you do make a claim up shoots the premiums the following year.

10 hours ago, coxo said:

Health insurance in the form of accident and emergency is ok, as far as outpatient that is just BS.

As you say a fair emergency cover would be fine so that a card could be shown when arriving at a hospital or clinic, with like a car insurance type of 'No Claims' bonus involved, that way it would be a reasonable yearly, monthly payment, then age would not make payments almost impossible, I would think that would keep the Thai authorities happy,then again, not a lot of room for 'maneuvering' cash around.

3 hours ago, Billy Bloggs said:

So everytime I go for treatment anywhere my passport is copied, so someone is incompetent here as all hospitals have to do is notify immigration, then the person is flagged and either on exit or they report they are held to account. If however its a problem of so many illegals who don't report then they have a bigger problem than people not paying at hospitals.

Exactly, well said.

4 minutes ago, Brickbat said:

No vagueness about this , as many claim. It’s pay up or ship out. Bye Bye farangs. This is the end of the road for Thailand as a cheap retirement destination. 

And I don’t blame them. It’s clear as hell. Cheap farangs don’t pay their hospital bills. So stop complaining! 

Sounds like you have received medical treatment and not paid, for the many times I have visited hospitals,clinics I have always paid my bill, for one operation it was even lower than the estimate they gave me before my operation, I did get an operation some years ago before payment,but my Thai lady signed a piece of paper as guarantor, for the last one they asked for a deposit plus a Thai guarantor, and I find it difficult to understand what foreigners get treatment for free, even Thais pay, their 'ten Bhat card' only gets limited treatment, and that is not for foreigners to use.

9 minutes ago, The Theory said:

“According to Nattawuth, the new rule applies to both new applicants for the non-immigrant visa (O-A), which offers a stay of up to one year, and those wishing to renew their visa. Each renewal is valid for one year.“

 

I does not mention non-O 

 

Thank you for that information, cleared it up for me.

3 minutes ago, jesimps said:

You'll probably get it anyway. I read recently that the hospitals have given up checking the passports of health tourists. Too much work. I'd imagine a Brit with an NHS number will have no problem bluffing his way in.

I think what happens(if you have not destroyed your passport, as many new arrivals do) your NHI number plus your passport details would be asked for, even for emergency treatment you stand a very good chance of receiving an over-inflated bill, could do a runner as many do, but for me that is not the option I would choose, what I have always jokingly said is if I'm forced to return back to the UK it would be on the back of a lorry passport-free, catch and load up onto an EU returning lorry in the UK would do the trick, and 'No speak da Anglish' that way you will be guaranteed shelter, food and accommodation.

1 minute ago, The Theory said:

It must be just for O-A visa. Those who got no 800,000 in bank or no monthly transfer. 

Is it really, I misunderstood the 'O' visa part then.

7 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Indeed.  So more paperwork because some people abused the system.  So one will have to show something in advance when first getting the visa and later when applying for the extension.  So many issues will arise.  If somebody was moving there and planned to get a policy while in Thailand, but doesn't have one yet.  Addresses to put on forms will not exist yet.   Oh what a mess.  And the approval or validation of existing and proper insurance?  Goodness.  The Thais and some embassies can't even agree on the income methods, types of income, verification, etc.

So true, I'm trying to work out the part where the thai officials say it's also to stop the 

7 hours ago, quandow said:

I did two inquiries at the website provided. Typical Thai inefficiency. Can't get a straight answer or quote, not even a ballpark price.

I'm still trying to work out the part where the Thai officials say it's to help out with the financial burden side for foreigners and some that don't pay, I have always paid for treatment and now usually with a deposit up front for a large payment that would be due, and with Thai as a guarantor, like to see someone skip paying and see how far they get.