The Fugitive

It's a question of degree. For example, if your wife runs a shop, she needs to go to the wholesalers, take meal and toilet breaks. It is not unreasonable for her husband to assist her in her business on such occasions. If wife opens a second shop and her husband runs it then that is 'crossing the line' IMHO.

Absolutely! There was a posting maybe only a fortnight ago when an immigration officer was quoted as saying; 'Of course you can assist your wife with her farm. You are a married couple and that's what couples do'.

Very good question. I'm over 65 too. We have a family friend who is headmaster of a local school. Everytime we meet at social occasions he asks when I am coming to his school to teach English?

Good info on this thread thanks. I'm looking for them too. I use mine in a USB adapter. Recently, one card limited itself to read only and another died completely. My USB pens seem to be longer lasting. Anyone else found that to be the case?

Would agree about delays. One example only last week. My niece was coming home for the weekend from college. Distance 156 km. Rail journey time is 1hr 30mins. I was concerned as we set off in the car 15 minutes late to pick her up. My Mrs said; 'No worry, trains in Thailand are always late'. Correct, when we got to the railway station her train was running 30 minutes late which finally became 45 minutes.

Can't beat the old nationalised British Railways methods. More passengers requires more trains and increases operating costs. The solution; raise fares to reduce passenger numbers. If that doesn't work then reduce the number of carriages to make journeys intolerable. That'll discourage those passengers!

Used to drink lager (and wine with meals) only whilst on holiday. It's the temperature. Thirsty at breakfast time. Living in Thailand only drink lager when thirsty, wine is too expensive. Now in UK and have no desire to drink alcohol at all.

Agree. In my small town we only have one branch of one bank, that being SCB. Recently, they displayed posters about not accepting payment of bills 'over the counter'. Outside, they have an ATM, passbook update machine and cash deposit machine. Possibly, they may instal a virtual telling machine also, then everything is covered and the branch could be closed. However, it is always busy. All banks have branches in our nearest larger town, only 11 km distant.

Exactly! I use 'Big Linux' which is most user-friendly, detects which software your computer needs and talks you through everything. Otherwise, 'Linux Mint' is perhaps closer in appearance to Windows and just simply works.

If your machine has 8GB RAM it's probably more than adequate for what you need. I would get it fixed. I have three laptops, all with 4GB RAM dating from 2009 through to 2012. All work well enough for internet browsing, office functions and audio/visual. As already mentioned, a free download of Libre Office is lighter than Microsoft Office. Alternatively, on-line Google Docs are good enough for me.

Going further, are we confident that the insurance company would've coughed up if the lady hadn't consumed alcohol? Is it possible that they could argue that you have a duty to take reasonable care of yourself and that would include looking where you are walking?

That's interesting thank you. I know that in the UK there is a shared insurer's database. Presumably, same would apply in Australia?

We have a friend who is a male nurse at our local Community Hospital. Same as in UK, he visits three times per day and provides such as electric undulating pressure relieving mattresses for the dying. He attended my mother-in-law whilst she was dying last year. When off-duty he came around to our house and kipped down on the floor with the family and friends watching over. In addition, a doctor visited once daily. Something you don't get from the UK National Health Service.

Very good question! I guess the yardstick should be; 'Would a reasonable person have fallen in that way if they hadn't been intoxicated?'

Can confirm several hotels I've checked into in Phuket have demanded my passport. Watched the staff examine the immigration stamps and discuss them between themselves. On the other hand, where the booking was done by my Mrs, I sometimes don't get asked to show either my passport or pink card.

That's what is great about Thailand. In UK I needed stitches removing and went to the NHS hospital nearest to where I was working at the time. They point blank refused to remove them for me.

On the subject of Government Hospitals versus private High Street Clinics; Mrs experienced numbness and aching in one leg. She saw a GP at our local Community Hospital who prescribed rheumatism tablets. No improvement so she went to a High Street Clinic. The doctor did the same. She then went to another High Street Clinic in the next town with the same result. Later on lumps appeared in her leg. Finally, a tumour doctor at Regional Hospital diagnosed Schwannoma. Fortunately, not serious (at least when they occur in the legs). Moral of the story, in this instance, private High Street Clinics were no better than our local Community Hospital.

My Thai mother-in-law died 12 months ago. She was sent home to die. Fortunately, plenty of family to assist. Same as UK NHS she had 3 fifteen minute visits per day by a nurse. However, in addition, one daily visit by a doctor, something you don't get in UK.

Only if you're lucky. My mum was dying of ovarian cancer aged 88 in a UK NHS hospital. I was promised all the help I needed at home (I lived alone). When the time came for discharge the hospital social worker told me that no domestic/auxiliary nursing would be provided by the council because my mum "didn't need it". Medical treatment provided by NHS is three fifteen minute visits per day by district nurse.

Thanks for that. What has caused the dramatic lowering in your opinion? What is the ideal pressure for a normal domestic water consumer?

I suffer from piles. My water pressure is more than adequate for the cleansing process and I prefer it that way even though things do get most uncomfortable.

At least the lady did communicate! The only reasonable answer would have been that to continue their banking relationship with you would be unfair to those in the EU who they can no longer serve. As you do, I don't believe there isn't scope to 'look the other way' if it suits them.

How long have you had to go without water all day several times a month? Can understand if water main renewal works are in progress.

Local car wash guy collects ours. Seems to do a good job. Tyre walls look like new! Charges 280 baht for cars and 180 baht for motos. Don't have a coin-op automatic car wash locally.

No, mainly when out and about, on the road, in a restaurant or sitting by a river (for example).