scorecard

Obviously, many posters have still not read the initial report where he explains why he did it this way. And there is logic in his approach.

Hi Crossy, Sorry I can't give you a specific answer to your question. The Chiang Mai office of SSF have asked me to nominate a hospital from this list: 1. Nakornping 2. Maharaj Chiangmai 3. Thep Punya 4. Rajavej 5. Lanna) 1. Nakornping is a giant government hospital, 2, and 3, I can't get clear answers gov't / private, 4. Rajavej and 5 Lanna are local smaller private hospitals. I've called 4 and 5 twice but I can't get clear answers. I wouldn't go near Lanna, I call, my call transferred several times and I get totally different answers to the question including 'farang cannot sleep here' and another lady said you have to pay a yearly inpatients fee of 21,000Baht in advance. My Thai son went to the hospital and asked for the room rate for foreigners with SSF member card. After speaking to many different people who gave very different / unaligned comments my son walked out with no answer. One lady said 'why doesn't the foreigner go back to his home country'. In fact I have nominated Rajavej hospital because they have a quite good reputation and they have an 'International Office' with 2 or 3 very pleasant staff who speak very advanced English, quite knowledgeble, good listeners. This hospital is only about 3 km from my house, and they have a good quick response professional ambulance service. They seem to be unable to give me a clear answer re the inpatient room rate, there seems to be a number of 'if ,,,,' or 'if ####' then the room rate is xxxx. I will go there next week and ask to sit with the international staff an try to create a document with various 'factors' that affect the room rate. ADDED LATER: I just checked my old notes and found at Rajavej, for private room, the most expensive rate would be 1,700 per night, including, Dr. visit, food, nursing fees. All of the above is of course in relation to private rooms. Rajavej also has 2 patient rooms at much reducced rates. I'll ask for more details next week. I can only suggest calling the local SSF office and asking if, in your area, there any participating private hospitals. Crossy, I think you've mentioned you're located in Bkk. Can I suggest call the SSF Hotline 1506. They have an English language option, but sometimes there's not an English speaking officer avalable. If that happens call back until you do get an English speaker because they all seem to be SSF lawyers, pleasant discussion, very advanced English and always very clear answers. Even if you're not located in Bkk I think it would still be worth trying the 1506 national Hotline. Good luck. Please see 'ADDED LATER' note in the middle of the above post.

My question is in relation to foreigners who have continued their SSF Injury and Sickness Benefits after retirement and now pay their 432Baht monthly member conttibution by bank transfer direct to the SSF. (Also called by the SSF 'Voluntary Insurance'.) Coming soon I will start the same 'process'. I've been told to nominate a hospital and my understanding is that thee's two 'ctegories' of hospitals available: 1. Government hospitals. 2. Private hospitals which also provide services to SSF members. I will use this option. I've called local government hospitals and the 3 local private hospitals which provide services to SSF members to ask what the room rate is for inpatients. The answers I've received are quite confusing. I did earlier find a small mention of this via google search which said: - At government hospitals and participating private hospitals which also provide services to SSF members the room rates differ quite a lot however there's a maximum fee for all hospitals (both categories just above) for this item of 700Baht per night including the normal hospital add ons, food and Dr. visit fee. Is this correct? Can SSF members who have continued their membership as abovep lease share their knowledge / experiences re the hospital inpatients fees. Any aligned comments / experiences you can share much appreciated, thanks. PLEASE MEMBERS, I'M ABSOLUTELY NOT INTERESTED IN FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SSF FUND OR OTHER OPTIONS. THANK YOU.

But keeping in mind that most of Bkk is not that w/chair friendly in terms of footpath quality, access to overhead foot bridges / access to the BTS, access to shopping centres / access to ones own living quarters, and the smoothness of the actual footpaths. But with some research / checking I guess there must be some areas which are better that others for all of these points. And worthwhile doing the research to find a 'nicely liveable' precinct. Could perhaps be a nice 2 week project for a team of 2 or 3 older high school kids. (No more than 2 or 3, with one clearly nominated as the team leader, otherwise chaos, lack of coordination, and 2 students doing the work while the rest sit and watch cartoons on the smrtphones etc.)

Err the report is about a stabbing in Yokohama in Japan. Took you 3 seconds to turn it into a Thai bashing comment.

There's truth in all of that. There's also the care gives who think they are doing a good job but in reality are upsetting people continuously. One of the major hospitals in BKK banned a 'help / comfort' group from coming to the hospital. Snr. Thai Dr observed 2 mid aged Thai women yelling loudly at an old well dressed Thai lady in a wheelchair. Dr. saad to the lady in the w/chair in normal voice "Can you hear me OK?" Resposnse yes my hearing is excellent. Dr. asked the 'caregivers' "Why are you yellin at her?" Response 'at our training course we learned that to old people in w/chairs are deaf and you have to yell at them so they understand what you are saying'.

Possibly also meaning he needs you and others to joke with him and help create a not too serious environment.

True, there's very little hi-so / low-so stuff in Phils. Everybody talks to everybody, lots of silly comments and fun.

When I go shopping with my family to BIG C etc., etc. Insist on getting my w/chair out of the van and ready to roll. I have a 5 year old granddaughter and a six months grandson. One, or both sit with me on my wheelchair. Oldest one knows to slowly apply the brake handle when she wants to get off and she simultaneously says to me and her father in English "I walk now". Folks in the mall stop ans stare and there's all sorts of comments. I ignore them, son ignores 99% of the comments but occasionally says "do you want to ride too?" This usually brings a very quick disaapear act from the person who commented. This is life, we cope very well.

I'm in a wheelchair because of lower back and knee degeneration, but I force myself to get around the house without sitting in my w/chair by holding, touching furniture etc. In other houses, buildings, offices etc., I try to do the same but I keep in mind that I must not interfere with the progress of walking people. I had simple stanless steel barriers / supports installed in several places in the house, just wide enough for my body e.g. at the kitchen sink. A couple of times every day It's my turn to stand in my supports at the sink and wash the dishes. I do it and achieve the goal because I'm determined to. But of course there's other folks who need more help from family etc.

I try as much as possible to book night flights (where available). And after take off I take a sleeping pill. In my experience quickly after take off the cabin crew dim the cabin lights and then turn off the cabin lights. It's my observation passengers like this and many get some sleep. I get a good sleep. All refreshed and no jet lag.

Melatonin is NOT spedifically designed for jet lag.

I try as much as possible to book night flights (where available). And after take off I take a sleeping pill. In my experience quickly after take off the cabin crew dim the cabin lights and then turn off the cabin lights. It's my observation passengers like this and many get some sleep. I get a good sleep. On the opposite timing (daytime flights), I've tried double sleeping pills etc. I never get any sleep.

As already posted several times, he did it for a specific logical reason. It's there in detail at the start of the thread!!!!

Of course, in many projects commitee members get paid a quite high 'meeting allowance', plus reimbursement of travel, accommodation and meal costs.

His reason, in full logical detail, is earlier in the thread.

The Australian Old Age Pension is exempt from personal taxation.

Another version. When my Thai son was appraoching his wedding to his long-term Thai GF, son discovered that his to be brother in law (full on mid aged loud overweight ladyboy LB) was telling all of son's GF's family and extended family that by Australian law when a farang or a Thai child of a farang gets married to a Thai lady then every member of that extened family is entitled to a payment from the Aust. gov't. of 50,000Baht a month for life regardless of age employed / unemployed etc., and the ladyboys had already made a long list of names, ID numbers etc. Son confronted LB and told 'this is not true', there is , call the Aust. embassy and check and son gave him the Aust. embassy tel no in Bkk. Meanwhile family friend/Thai lawyer told the LB this claim was not true. Son asked 'did you call the Aust. embassy and check? Answer 'NO, because embassies tell lies'. Son had a not expensive large plastic banner made and put it up at his GF's mothers' house. Banner inluded the number of the Aust. embassy. A couple of peole called the number and were told '100% not true'. Son put up a second banner aimed at LB, saying 'khun xxxx (the LB) will be contacting you to apologize for his totally untrue claims about a monthly payment from the Aust. Embassy'. LB disappeared for 6 mnths but copped hell from the family when he reappeared.

WHich is not a positive.

Good point. But it's obvious they also need to urgently get their own house in order.

Years back AA often had flights DM to CM for 99 Baht. NOK Air also.

They need to change their assessment re who they will accept into their party, especially for high positions.

Well IMHO he deserves to be bashed, every day.

Apologies, my error, thanks for fixing it.