The Fugitive

Late sixties, minimal straggly and greasy hair. Try to avoid my Mrs doing anything to my hair/head. It is always painful and draws blood. She has invested in electric shears and a mini version designed for ear and nasal hair removal. Instead, I go every 2/3 weeks to a barber for number 0 on head and beard. After that I have cutthroat razor on both head and beard. Always feel better with complete removal. My Mrs says I should be paying 100 baht but it doesn't seem enough so I always give 150.

Great information thank you Sheryl. I have an eye examination whenever I return to the UK by my local optometrist. It has, for a long time, included a digital image of the eye which I understand to be OCT. In the last couple of years I have also been offered an Optomap scan (for additional cost). I have, so far, declined the Optomap scan. In your opinion, is this something worth having?

My Thai stepdaughter is a recently qualified tattoo artist. She is good at art IMHO. I have asked her why she can't draw/paint on paper instead of indelibly upon skin. Her answer; 'I couldn't make any money doing that'.

Archa. Light and refreshing!

Those with bald heads too!

Thanks for your information! Good to know these things for future reference. Myself and Thai family have received excellent treatment at Queen Sirikit Heart Centre and at the Regional Government Hospital both in Khon Kaen.

The irony is that many leave their home country because they cannot afford to pay Council Tax and astronomical Winter heating bills. If those essential expenses are unaffordable for them, how do they expect to pay medical bills when outside their totally free National Health Service?

Same name and date of birth? Then there's your photograph and fingerprints!

Recently booked for 5 people return flights from Khon Kaen to Suvarnabhumi. Total payable 7,700 baht. Paid via my UK Chase debit card and received 1% cash back. I thought that was an excellent deal.

Today had a new seat supplied and fitted to my Honda Click 125. Collected from and brought back to my home. Total cost 200 baht.

Good and valid points! An annual medical by your Health Insurance Company is also likely to be a lot more thorough than, say, a five-yearly United Kingdom, National Health Service health check for persons aged 40 to 74. A UK doctor told me that such checks do not include cancer. My concern would be that if an annual medical indicated an increased risk of a serious disease (even though you had not actually developed the disease) the insurance company might decline to accept renewal of your policy.

Thanks for replying. I'm surprised and sorry your operation in Thailand wasn't a success. I would have done the same as you and gone for the operation here too. From what I've been told hernia repair is very common and doesn't present any challenges for surgeons.

I had a left inguinal hernia repair (with mesh inserted) by UK NHS in 2000. Despite reading some stories I've had no problems since. Did you obtain a quote for this operation in Thailand? However, I suppose if you were returning to UK anyway........

Very good information (as always), thanks Sheryl. I can advise that when checking-in for an outpatient appointment at my UK NHS hospital the check-in machine asks; 'Have you been resident in the UK for at least the previous six months?'. The answer options are limited to yes or no.

Interesting and thanks for your information. I'm pleased you were tested, examined and received medication that was obviously effective. I'm guessing they accepted your case was an 'emergency'. Therefore, everyone regardless of residential status is entitled to free treatment. If they hadn't, they might have moved heaven and earth to get you out of the door without spending any money, telling you to go to your GP. The fact you'd told them you weren't registered with one may (or may not) have made any difference. We shall never know that.

I'm almost at that point. Hoping they raise or abolish the 70 upper age limit!

Many thanks for your information!

Brings the case of Stefan Kiszko to mind.

The traffic cops who stopped him on the moto and later considered he bore a resemblance to the suspect don't appear to have done anything wrong. The chief problem was the victim positively identifying him. Agree that the cops probably offered some sort of deal to the two dodgy 'eyewitnesses' for them to claim they saw Andy following the victim. They also probably deliberately destroyed the victims clothing in 2016 to prevent further DNA examinations. Why he wasn't freed in 2007 when another man's DNA was found on the victims clothing was obviously wrong in hindsight but didn't prove beyond reasonable doubt at the time that he couldn't have done it. Why permission to appeal following his jailing took so long to be considered is totally against the principles of justice.

Being from U.K. I'd never seen the U.S. TV soap 'Dark Shadows' made between 1966 and 1971. Now watching on tubitv. Scottish/English Canadian born actor Jonathan Frid is superb as the troubled, eloquent and kindly English vampire 'Barnabas Collins'. Apart from Jonathan the acting is variable and dialogue predictable and tedious. It's actually more interesting watching for the mistakes and listening for background noises that shouldn't be there!

Phuket hotels seem 'on the ball'. Always insist upon my passport even though the booking might be under my Thai wife's name. A week yesterday checked into a Phuket hotel and they required my passport and ID cards of my Mrs, neice and a friend who went with us.

Agree. It depends how mobile you are and how far out of your way you have to go to your bank branch. I can understand the security concerns now that we are limited to installing their app upon one device only. Changing that device could indicate a potential security issue and that's why they want to see us in person.

Agree it's painless.

Add flooding, albeit deliberately inflicted. Although none for 10 years previously there were two consecutive years when we needed boats to access our homes.

Wonderful coastlines within easy reach on North and Irish seas plus English channel. NHS, free bus travel, more economical breakfast cereals, milk and cheese. Hollands pies and proximity to Europe. Plenty of cheap flights to Portugal and Spain for holidays. Depending upon where you live may have a choice of bus and/or rail transport to your nearest airport.