WaveHunter

Sorry to disagree with you but if you look at purely science based research in the last few years instead of outdated dogma, diabetes type-2 has been found to be entirely a metabolic based condition specifically related to desensitized insulin response. The research overwhelmingly show this to be a fact. Too many carbs in the diet and non-stop eating from the moment one awakes until the go to sleep is the predominant cause, and for most, the resolution is very simply to control carb intake.

Your smart move would be to go and get a blood test (complete metabolic panel) through a "good" doctor who truly understands nutrition (most don't have a clue!). Contrary to what most people believe, the body not only tolerates fats well at any age, but actually thrives on them as an important source of fuel. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, when fats are not tolerated well, the answer is NOT to cut down on fats, but to look at your carbohydrate consumption...believe it or not! Excessive carbohydrates in the diet is the most prevalent cause of a dysfunctional metabolic state. Excessive carbohydrates in the diet (especially those in heavily processed foods) can seriously interfere with healthy fat metabolism. In. healthy individual, the body is capable of using BOTH glucose and fat as fuel, but if you habitually over indulge in carbs, your body gradually loses the ability to metabolize fats efficiently, so it's no wonder that as many people age, they also develop metabolic issues, and what you describe is a perfect example of this. So, a metabolic panel may provide clues of this, and most importantly, you want to be sure and have the panel include an insulin test, not just blood glucose. If your insulin levels are unusually high, the answer to your problems is very simple...cut down on carbs, and you will be surprised how quickly your issues resolve themselves!

Like everywhere else in the world, the answer is simply overeating 7-11 type processed foods, rich in carbohydrates and eating literally non-stop from the moment they get out of bed until they go to sleep at night. Insulin levels skyrocket when one eats like that, and as long as insulin is flooding the system, the body has no choice but to store fat and not be able to access the stored fat for fuel. Twenty years ago, Diabetes type-2 was practically unheard of in age groups under 18. Today it is at epidemic levels, and it's no coincidence that this epidemic rise coincides with the increasing popularity of fast-foods, 24 hour supermarkets, and targeted snack marketing towards children. Over-eating combined with the "new" sedentary lifestyle of teens and pre-teens where they constantly have a smart phone in hand is the reason...pure and simple.

I recognize that shipping will be far more than the cost of those items but I am including them with other holiday gifts. My concerns is that if those herbs and spices were banned, the entire shipment of gifts worth several hundred dollars would be jeopardized. I had that happen once before and Customs will seize everything in the box even if only one items is on a banned list. SOunds ridiculous but that is their policy. As for availability of those spices and herbs, I know most are available in the US but as a gift, knowing it actually came directly from a local night market would please her.

I want to know if there are any Customs issues I should know about concerning mailing dried herbs and spices in sealed plastic packaging from Thailand to the USA. I plan to send by FedEx. Well vetted information (not guesses or off-topic advice) would be appreciated. And yes, I already tried getting this information from US Customs and it was only vague and seemed to be about "live" vegetation only . I want to be as sure as possible because I will be sending relatively large quantities of each item (10 packages of each item) Items consist of: Lemon grass dried Dried Kaffir Lime leaves Dried Galangal Root Thai Whole Chilies They are all in sealed plastic packages like this:

What is Best market, weekends market, or store In the Pattaya area (preferably Jomtien) where I can buy authentic Thai spices and herbs in packages like these shown that I can Mail to someone in US. I have a friend back in the US that is into gourmet cooking and I want surprise her for the holidays with an assortment of authentic Thai spices that might be difficult to get in America, or at least definitely superior to what she would be able to buy there. If you know an online source that would be even better. Looking for the highest possible quality, and I know nothing about spices and herbs so any help would be appreciated thanks

I agree; it's disgusting! I saw a man let his dog do that right on the beach the other day where a lot of people were sitting all around eating food and trying to enjoy being out on the beach. Then, as if to take responsibility, he took a little stick laying nearby in the sand and stuck it on top of the little pyramid of dog poop, like a flag to warn others LOL. I had the impulse to pick up the stick and hand it back to him like it was an hor d'oeuvre. I didn't but maybe I should have.

Company is http://www.anlabeier.com/ I purchased it on Alibaba. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Wall-Mounted-mini-electric-hot-shower_62534462550.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.779d1116Am5HP3 Minimum order quantity is stated as 2, but they will sell you one if you just say you want it as a "sample" Here's a YouTube video they posted: It mounts in-shower or under sink where my old water heater was located (and was very easy to swap out the old one for this one. It delivers a maximum temperature of 55 Celsius, and boosts pressure from what it is now, which is around 3 liters per minute to about 5 Liters. I was hoping it would be more since the standard flow rate in hotels is usually around 7-8 Litres per minute, but maybe 5L should be OK (I'm hoping). Considering that I found absolutely no such products with an in-shower pressure boosting pump being sold in Thailand (i.e.: Lazada) or any of the home improvement chains, I was thrilled to find it, and for over a year now it has worked perfectly. I forget what the shipping cost was, but total cost for unit and expedited shipping (5 days) was around 3,000 THB. Pretty good deal if you ask me ????

Just an update. I bought the water heater / pump that I described in detail. It has been installed for over a year now and has suited me perfectly. Max temperature is higher than I would even want, and pressure, while not as high as I had in my US Condo, is still adequate and a huge improvement over what I had before installation. And just as important, the build quality and reliability of this low priced unit from China seems very good. So, bottom line, if you have similar low pressure issues, I would look into this unit. Oh, and BTW, the Juristic Person's remark that such a unit could damage pipes inside the wall between the unit and the outlets was just a bunch of BS.

I need a unusually good optometrist in the Pattaya area. I do a lot of precise photo-retouching and am in front of a monitor sometimes for over 10 hours a day. I really only need glasses for computer work, but the prescription must be spot-on, and the fitting of the glasses also must be very precise. Back in the States it took me a while to find a really good optometrist that recognized that my needs were beyond what most people need and was willing and able to serve my needs. He did several eye exams over a period of a few days to really dial in the right prescription, and then it required several modifications of the eyeglass fitting over a few more days until they were exactly right. I need to find an optometrist like that, and one fluent in English. Searching Google Maps, I only see two optometrists with a healthy number of positive reviews from Westerners in all of Pattaya; EURO OPTIC (with 14 positive reviews) , and Pattaya Optical พัทยาออปติเคิล (with 25 reviews). If anyone has used either of them, or knows of another optometrist you can recommend, I'd appreciate the feedback. Thanks!

Sadly, I would not base my own decisions on ANYTHING related to "US mainstream policy" lately. It seems to me that much of what is being said from official government sources or most mass media is based on political, rather than science-based considerations. Personally, i discount what politicians or mainstream news commentators report because many have proven themselves to not be credible, and most, whether they lean Left or Right, seem more interested in promoting a particular political agenda than providing factual information and leaving up to the public to make up their own mind I only base my understanding of Covid-related matters on what very well vetted science based sources have to say, not political based hacks (and I include people like Dr. Anthony Fauci in that latter group). It's a real shame these days that you can't just turn on your TV and get trustworthy journalism, as in the days of authentic "journalists" such as Walter Cronkite or Edward R. Murrow, who reported ONLY FACTS and left it to you to make your own decisions. Instead today, we have the likes of CNN's Jim Acosta, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, or Fox's Sean Hannity, all of whom have very political biases and essentially tell you what you should believe, rather than doing the job of a journalist, which is to inform you of truthful, well vetted facts. Today's politicians and journalists just can not be trusted IMO, no matter if the lean to the Left or the Right. Never before in the history of modern civilizations has there been such outright misinformation and propaganda being spread as today! I fully agree with you that it's best to do everything possible to optimize your immune system (i.e.: Vitamin D, zinc supplementation, etc) but that goes without saying. Too many people today have seriously impaired immune response, and science is proving that much of it is metabolically caused (i.e.: poor nutrition). THAT is what people should focus on because Covid should not be one's only concern. You are far more likely to die from metabolic-related syndromes such as Cardiac morbidity, Diabetes, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, and these threats, as well as Covid can all be minimized by following sound nutritional guidelines that promote a strong immune response. As for vaccinations, I believe they are essential for all people where it is not medically contraindicated, but this notion of "mandated vaccinations for all" just flies in the face of science.

My thoughts were about boosters as much as 2nd jabs. My point is that the hospitals themselves seem very flexible in addressing the needs of expats. The hospitals are looking at this all in a science-based way whereas the government is not. It's ridiculous to be forced to wait 12 weeks for a 2nd jab according to the latest science based reasoning and the hospitals recognize this. They also recognize that just because you got AZ as a first dose that not preclude you from getting Pfizer as a second dose. As for boosters, by the time you need one, I have a feeling that overall supply here in Thailand will have caught up with demand and getting a booster locally will be no more difficult than getting a Flu shot. What's more, unless you are a hospital worker or someone who works in close proximity to those infected, if you have received 2 jabs AZ or Pfizer, a booster may not even be necessary.

My experience suggest that hospitals are going to be very flexible about where you get your second dose, or booster. I got my first dose at PhyaThai in july, and then a little over 4 weeks later got my second dose (Pfizer) at MedPark. MedPark accessed my records from the MOPH database and gave no resistance to me getting my second jab from them and did not make an issue about me wanting the second jab before the 12 week interval. What this means to me is that you are NOT locked into getting subsequent jabs from the same hospital that you got your 1st jab from, and the individual hospitals recognize that every person that is fully vaccinated is one less person that could potentially burden the healthcare system with Covid infections that require ICU care. So, their priority is getting people fully vaccinated ASAP, not over burdening people with red tape. In other words, the hospitals are trying to handle vaccinations in the most efficient way possible, where as the government has done the exact opposite. I haven't been following all of this since my second vaccination but Samithivej Sriracha Hospital here in Chon Buri is offering Pfizer to those over 60 (first vax) so I'd keep them bookmarked for future offerings of 2nd and booster jabs, just to avoid that long drive into Bangkok.

Do you know of one in Pattaya? I found nothing under "laser etching" in Google Maps. Trying to find things like this in Thailand is always SO challenging LOL!

I need to have a small (25cm x 25cm) flat glass plate fabricated that has a laser etched surface with a very fine octagonal pattern etched on it. If that's not available then I need the plate coarsely sand-blasted (as coarsely as possible). Can anybody suggest a local business capable of laser etching glass, or sandblasting?

The beaches of Pattaya really suck due to pollution. There is so much flotsam from offshore ships and fishing vessels that winds up on our beaches here like polypropylene lines from fishing nets, discarded drink bottles, bits of plastic sheeting and food packaging, etc. Local municipality have incredibly poor street drainage and antiquated ways of dealing with sewage so much of it ends up polluting local waters. I've never seen a "resort" type setting that is so bad in my life. Even during the pandemic, it's pretty bad. People on the beach litter just as badly too. It's a shame they have so little respect for the sea. As for safety, surprisingly (here in Jomtien) there is ample lifeguard coverage and roped off safe swimming areas. There really is very little to be concerned about in regard to rip currents or "big" waves on most days. Besides, any competent ocean swimmer knows how to deal with them if they exist, and if they do not know how to escape a rip current, they have no business swimming when they are present. The sea is such an amazing recreational resource, it's just a shame that more people don't show some respect for it,

It's really ironic how they treat Faranags at BHP considering that they bill themselves as a "premiere international hospital" LOL! I've used them several times in the past for minor things like flu shots, check-ups, etc, and every single time, simply getting somebody who had even basic fluency in English was impossible. Worse, the ones who did speak English would pretend to not understand a question if it was something they preferred not to discuss (like their policy on Covid vaccinations for forangs. I have to say though that their doctors are top notch....excellent medical knowledge and skills, compassionate, and comfortably fluent in English. If there is any questions of how disliked BHP staff and administrators are by Farangs, one only needs to glance at their facebook page to see all of the negative / angry comments made by Farnags, especially back in July when BHP did not live up to their word about Covid registration. By contrast, when I finally gave up on them and went into Bangkok for my Covid vaccinations at PhyaThai for jab one, and then to MedPark for jab two (because they were willing to allow me to have it only several weeks later instead of having to wait 12 weeks), their treatment of Farangs was amazing! Very friendly and efficient, many of the staff spoke English better than a native speaker like me! And most important of all, they were good listeners! If you had a question they were willing to carefully and patiently listen to you and then respond appropriately and in an incredibly helpful way. I mean, I was truly impressed at BOTH hospitals. Definitely first-class all the way! It may be a bit of a pain having to drive into Bangkok from Pattaya, but well worth it IMO!

Good to hear they are finally getting smart about timing of second vaccination. Twelve weeks spacing was ridiculous when you looked at science-based information.

It's not a "passport"; it's just a certificate. Right now, I think the Q-policy depends entirely on the destination country in question, and could easily change from one day to the next because so much of the "official" government policies are being driven by politics rather than hard science-based logic. I think in the UK, everybody coming from Thailand must undergo mandatory Q no matter what their vaccination status is. In the US, I think it is the exact opposite at the moment. Once truly science-based logic is the rule, this whole notion of "vaccine passports" will be moot because the science-based reasoning that is fast emerging is that vaccinations are NOT going to protect populations as a whole (i.e.: herd immunity), but only the individual. So, being vaccinated is essential for the individual so that when (not if) they contact the virus, their symptoms will be minimal and probably not require hospitalization BUT the simple truth seems to be emerging that EVERYONE in the world, at some time, will contract the virus (just like the Flu or common cold)...so, proving that you are vaccinated means very little in terms of protecting the population at large.

BHP is a ridiculous hospital when it comes to their policy on Covid vaccinations IMO. Very unprofessional! While a drive into Bangkok Is a pain, it's worth it. From my experience, the professional, efficient and compassionate way that both PhyaThai and Med Park provided vaccinations to me was far superior. Things in Pattaya will probably change for the better in the future but for right now, just hire a driving service for the trip. I've always used Tom's Taxi and they are GREAT...reliable, on time, nice cars, and friendly drivers.

Actually not, on my second vax, they listed both injections but no official looking stamp and signature (that was only on the first one). As I said though, I think the important part of the second "certificate" that listed both jabs is the QR Code. It is the scan of the QR code that an Imm officer will use to determine validity of your certificate, and what the official sees on his screen will be in English, so I see no need to get the paper certificate translated at all. Of course, for peace of mind, it couldn't hurt to get the paper one stamped and officially translated...but that's gonna take a lot of legwork, I think, especially if you live outside of Bangkok.

I don't think it really matters that the hospital name is not in English because down at the bottom under remarks it says the QR code verifies the vaccination through the MOPH, and that's far more "official" than having the name of the hospital appear. Besides, I think the Imm official is far more likely to just scan the QR code and go by what he sees on the screen rather than than scrutinize the piece of paper, which anyone could easily forge, ya know? But yeah, some ham-headed Canadian Imm officer could decide to give you a hard time, so if PhyaThai can have the hospital name also appear in English, that might be a wise thing to do...or if they put an official stamp on it, which they actually did for my first jab as shown below, then you are golden ????

If you look at my certificate that I posed above it is in both Thai and English. I would assume Phyathai would provide same. Just be sure they give it to you with an official stamp and a QR code. Really, I think the QR code is all you really need since Canada Imm will probably just scan that. The cost of a quarantine stay is ridiculously high. Even in Thailand the cost of a mandatory ASQ is around 30-40000 THB for me to re-enter even as a fully vaccinated person ????

Better yet, just save it to your smart phone. ????