Vermillionline

Hello all, this is more belated info still, and I'm not sure the OP is still reading this. Times have changed. I'm only familiar with certain hospitals in BKK for psoriasis treatment. Bumrungrad now has phototherapy but it's expensive.

Chulalongkorn (sign up for a hospital number in the lobby G floor at the central info booth area and fill out a form and get your photo taken) has it. Phototherapy there costs about 200 baht per session ($6+), there's no one in front of you in line, in and out in about 5 minutes, one person dedicated staff, a quick walk from the Saladaeng BTS station on an overhead roofed walk deck.

I know that as recently as last fall - October - Chula offered 2 biologics to treat psoriasis. One was Cosentyx. I can't remember the other but it began with an S - so maybe Scapho but maybe Siliq. One was about $400/mo and the other about $800/mo. Bumrungrad offered biologics but at far, far higher prices. I don't know if biosimilars have arrived since then.

The in between steps at Chula are more complicated. You need a doctor to authorize the phototherapy and biologics. You can get a private appointment once you have an HN, but you have to go there to make it since they never answer their phone ever ever ever, and they will try and talk you out of a private appointment and make it months away. That runs about 1600 baht.

What they prefer you do is show up for a dermatology clinic. I've avoided this but I believe you have to get in line at 5 am. and wait all day for your number to be called - in Thai. Enormous waiting rooms. No one is remotely helpful.

Methotrexate pills are available at most pharmacies near hospitals OTC for pennies. Literally pennies, no Rx needed. Recommended dose for psoriasis tends to be around 15mg 1x weekly followed the next day by 2.5-5 mg folic acid, same drug store, even fewer pennies. I recommend tapering on and tapering off.

Articles today say "international tourists" - aka the Chinese - will have to show proof of vaccines and maybe Covid tests and health insurance to enter Thailand. Will that apply to non-Thais who have visas to live in Thailand - retirement, student, work, etc.?

Thanks, everyone. Your comments all make sense and are much appreciated. Good news tonight as my former attorney rang me to say my immigration stuff could be ported over to the new job. This attorney is exceptional in every respect - legal, personal, financial, logistical - and exceptional anything is hard to come by. I'm happily stockpiling any recommendations though because you never know what the future may hold. 

You're right, of course. I don't need an attorney. But I'm busy, and I hate the immigration office in BKK, and by the time the Grab driver or taxi charges me the rush hour price and wandering around in a no-comprendo haze trying to figure out what goes where, the attorney lowers my blood pressure. They pick up and return my passport from my building by messenger. You're quite right that the 90 day reports can be done online and I will see if that's a realistic option for me with no Thai speaker around to help. I also wonder about the database security of online forms....

Hello - I'm in need of a new, competent, no drama, proactive Thailand immigration attorney in Bangkok.

My first lawyer, American, made Shakespearian dramas on Broadway look like flatlining by comparison. I've never seen histrionics like that in my life. Scary actually. 

My second lawyer, Thai, was absolutely wonderful but she left the firm. And nobody told me for three months until I went down there to ask <deleted>? They had no record of me despite a hefty retainer. 

The surviving lawyers in that firm are utterly incompetent and we're back to Drama 101. Don't want that. 

I have my 12 month visa - now 11 months since the replacement attorneys filed the 90 day report much too soon - so all that's needed in the short term is someone to take care of my 90 day reports until 8 or 9 months from now. 

Please PM me if that's possible? with any recommendations you might have, and if it's not too intrusive, why you recommend them.  Thank you!