Saltire

Before I moved to Thailand around 3 years ago I had real problems with sleep. I'd zonk out really quickly but would wake up and not be able to get back to sleep again, lying awake and getting annoyed sometimes for hours.

After I moved here I changed my lifestyle,  by adopting a ketogenic lifestyle (low carb high fat) and I have had major improvements in many areas (20 Kg weight loss, put my type 2 diabetes into remission, came of 80% of many meds) and one unexpected one - sleeping like a top 8 to 10 hours every night.

I am in bed really early around 8 or 9 PM, practice intermittent fasting (only eat between 10 AM and 4 PM) and wake at first light every morning around 6 AM. I was always a napper before now no need for sleeping in the daytime. Walking 3 km just after dawn and just before dusk also helps. I rarely drink alcohol now.

I also had a sleep disorder where I would act out actions in my dreams such as kicking a dog I would actually kick out. The wife has had a few narrow escapes. This now happens very infrequently.

I would welcome a scheme like this. I spent a few years teaching in China many years ago, and more recently volunteering in a Cambodian NGO school. I enjoyed both immensely and was so disappointed when I moved here to find it so restrictive for potential voluteering.

I live in a village where the main school has about 800 students, and the English (and English teaching) is very basic. I would love to spend a few hours there a week voluteering. It would make my week so much more interesting and rewarding. Not much chance of that though, but if they had such a scheme once, maybe it will re-appear one day.

Thanks for the helpful comments.

I will take a copy of my extension of stay and Thai drivers licence as well as anything I can find with my address on. I have Amazon and other mail order invoices etc. I should be fine but you just never know.

11 hours ago, berybert said:

You have bills sent to your address in Thailand , anything sent from England with your address on it ?

I did it myself a while back, as always it seems harder than it is. Take a few different things. I took both the above and something else, most was given back to me. 

Thanks, yes the last time I needed a residence certificate at the British Embassy they took an Amazon invoice for stuff sent to me to my Thai address. I will take everything I can lay my hands on.

48 minutes ago, colinchaffers said:

I had the same problem regarding proof of address, so I wrote to UK HMRC asking to confirm my address as the post code had been missing on recent letter (not true) they wrote back .... job done.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I need proof of Thai residence, not my UK address. Needed for renewing UK passport while not in the UK. Thanks

59 minutes ago, mlkik said:

When I renewed my UK passport earlier this year I used my Thai driving licence as my proof of address.

I did not have to translate it at all as my driving licence has my address in both English and Thai.

So along with my UK passport with extension of stay based on retirement stamp and the driving licence and form filled out was all I needed.

That’s great to know thank you!

1 minute ago, shen923 said:

Isn't your valid UK passport proof already, that list seems to me for a new applicant that does not have a passport.  I am from USA and all I ever needed to renew a passport was my then current one.

According to the UK website it is your current passport plus one from the list.

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They will accept about anything to prove that you are living here.

Your extension of stay stamp should be enough.

Thanks. I have several ID but not in English so am hoping to avoid having anything translated. I have a Thai driving licence, bank book, and rental agrement but they are all in Thai. Pretty sure the extension should suffice.

Hi I need to go to Bangkok in the next few months to renew my UK passport, as it is almost full.

I need one of the list of documents above, but not sure what is acceptable or indeed the easiest, as the majority do not apply to me.

Never worked here, never went to school, can't vote etc.

Is the first one on the list just a copy of my latest extension of stay stamp in my passport?

If not, what is the easiest alternative?

Too funny! This post has already made my day ???? The only thing that could make it better is my local shop selling me a beer other than Chang or Leo! 

I recall you switching to David Sheild from HCI. I checked them out at the time and their premum (for me) was higher than my HCI policy, with roughly the same cover so I stayed with HCI.

I have been with HCI now for 5 years and as I am 65 early next year will not risk changing for reasons you state. I can not recommend or otherwise as I luckily have never had to make a claim, but what I can say is their customer service and admin is excellent. I get a renewal pack 2 to 3 weeks before it expires, and have emailed them with a few changes which are responded to instantly and changes made seamlessly. They take payment automatically from my UK credit card and tell me when they do so. I already know I will be covered for life, and that an increase of roughly 50% will kick in on my 66th birthday. At least I can plan for that.

Last June I realised I was going to be in the USA on holiday over the renewal date (July) and I checked with them by email that the renewal would go through ok, and could they quote me/add cover for my 2 weeks in USA (USA is excluded in the main policy). To my surprise they pointed to a clause in my policy that allows for cover for vacation time once a year up to 30 days in USA (excluding the travel-type cover like lost baggage, delays etc).

This however has no bearing on their potential response if I ever have to make a claim. This is just for info and not a sales pitch I have no affiliation other than a customer.

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

I'd like to know which company offers 13mil at 50% , the Thai company's are offering basic complient at 22k....really only 11k premium for 13mil?

My policy is with HCI, covers me for up to £350k costs me £1200 per annum. I am 64 but am 65 soon so (if they give me a policy) the cheapest Thai cover is is over £2340 per annum, around 90k Baht. 

She is very likely to get away with it for a while. I see a girl in our village who has been getting away with exactly the same deception for at least the 2 years i've lived here.

http://www.amsterdamairport.info/departures.html

I used to use that airport every 2 weeks for years never had a problem, but there are several others with missing departure boards in which case I just google the departures/arrivals boards. Handy for unanounced gate changes if you are in a departure gate with no screen.

On 10/13/2019 at 9:34 AM, JEM53 said:

Diabetes is not an illness, it is a symptom of Insulin resistance. It is curable, no need for insulin injections if you do it correct. Start eat keto food (LCHF) and do intermittent fasting and your blood sugar will become normal again. Google and you will now how. I had pre-diabetes for 25 year and now back to normal. Never took insulin injections or any medicine.

Agree 100% - worked for me too.

I have a UK expat insurance policy in its 5th year now. It covers me for 13 million Baht for inpatient but nothing for outpatient. My premium is about 50% of the 'recommended' Thai policies being pushed on us.

Is it possible to buy a policy (in Thailand or elswhere),  solely to cover outpatient costs?

If I ask my insurer to amend they will likely amend it, but at a wholly disproportionate cost.

23 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

Do you mind sharing which UK company you're with?

 

You might also want to check out this post by a representative of one of the companies in the Spreadsheet (Pacific Cross). He seems to be saying that he will be possible to use their other policies (he refers to them as "historical") which are slightly more expensive than the ones in the spreadsheet, but offer ten-times or more the cover.

Thanks for the info, I will check the link.

I am with Health Care International (HCI) I can't recommend or otherwise as I have luckily never had to claim. Been with them 5 years and at 65 soon, better staying with them than changing in my opinion. Not sure if they would honour it, but they say if there is no claim based on my pre-existing conditions in the first 3 years of cover, they put a moritorium in place and would 'consider' covering them.

30 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

It is yet to be confirmed that this (use og foteign indurance) will be allowable past the first year that visa is issued.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Indeed, lots to be clarified, as usual. The web page with the list of companies also has the form to be used for existing insurers. Who knows! All I know is i'd be well pee'd off if I had to pay double for a much worse policy. Also I have been with my insurers over 5 years and am 65 soon, so at the cut off for acceptance from some companies. An existing policy has advantages, I hope.

Thanks for this, I wsa hoping someone would do this ????

This confirms that everage premium for these policies, for me is about 90K Baht for very low, inadequate cover. My current UK International policy covers me for 13 million Baht , for half the premium. If this ever gets applied to extensions of stay I will need to ask them to add out patient cover and hope my insurance company will sign the certification form.

4 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

This is a very encouraging story. I had very severe back pain and sciatica some 20 years ago and there was nothing that western treatments could do to bring relief. I eventually fixed myself by using a sequence of exercises derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 

I have since studied TCM in depth, including the practice of Qi Gong from where the exercises originated. I now use what I've learned to deal with any medical problems that arise and  will only visit a hospital or clinic as a very last resort. And that is a very rare occurrence indeed.

 

And I am pleased and proud to say that I'm a fit and healthy 73 year old and plan to stay that way by my own efforts.

Coicidence here. At the same time I was undergoing the acupuncture I also hired a friend who taught Qi Gong amongst other things, to give me one hour of exercises each morning for a month. I don't know (and don't really care!) which was the best remedy but the combination worked. I was VERY skeptical then. I grasped right away though that the acupuncture was going to work, as when the girl put in the needles in my hip and buttock, I could feel the reaction way down in my feet. 

I still do several of the exercises each morning. Takes 15 minutes, so not a big problem. Hope your good health continues.

On another note, again due to not really having anywhere to get regular, accurate medical advice, 2 years ago I changed to a keto lifestyle, another transformation which even now very few 'western' doctors promoting. Also stopped several of my meds. I know it's risk self diagnosing and self healing but it's also risky walking through the door of a hospital.

8 hours ago, wisperone said:

Good for you for turning that down...since they didn't diagnose you correctly, they probably would have botched the operation also...backs are nothing to take lightly.

My thoughts at the time exactly. I had visions of being discharged in a permanent wheelchair.

If you want to stay in Thailand either for breaks from the pollution or for longer, I have been near Sangkhla Buri in the north of Kanchanaburi over 2 years now  and have never seen or breathed pollluted air. Have seen above average rainfall though but not when you're dealing with the smog. Despite high rain, no flooding either. It can get very hot of course March April. Kanchanaburi city is not Bangkok but has most things you could need, plus it's cheaper than some parts of Thailand and there are not too many farangs or tourists. Currently I am about 3 hours from the city but long term will likely move to the centre, or further to Hua Hin.