scorecard

But hold on; maybe they mean their bakery business Puff and Pie has been rehabilitated?

Watch for pickpockets...

Agree. When they announce that there's a totally new management team (never worked before for TG), and announce that 90% of the check-in, cabin crew and Bkk based admin. staff are totally new, then I might start to believe rehabilitation. Whilst the old management team is still there nothing will change. Plus if I take a flight (which I wont ever) and I see/feel/experience a totally different experience of focus on customer, then I might start to be believe the airline has been rehabilitated. Plus if I had a chance to told to the new management team and asked them to (off the top of their heads) list/explain their agreed CSF's (Critical Success Factors) and how they are linked to the organization structure, then I might start to be believe the airline has been rehabilitated. Plus when I see a specific policy that freebie tickets are totally/absolutely banned no matter who it is, plus see a 3 mth / 6 mth etc., report saying clearly no free tickets have been issued then I might start to be believe the airline has been rehabilitated.

Not so sure about that. Plenty of folks who admire him for helping his family.

Agree, 99% chance they will look the other way or will be a valuable part of a system to facilitate corruption and cronyism.

Dr. Sheryl, do you have any comments to share about the very big Nakorn Ping gov't hospital just out of Chiang Mai? Several years ago a farang told me he had a paid member card for that hospital and it provides some discounts, mostly on room and board. He also mentioned that doctors fees, tests, fee for using equipment were very reasonable, both for member card holders and walk-in foreigners. Any comments please? ______________________________________________________ Further, I did go to this hospital perhaps 5 or 6 years ago when they were eroniosly issuing medical cards to all foreigners. The problem was that the ministerial order said 'foreigners' which was interpreted to mean all foreigners. In reality the order should have mentioned itinerent foreigners (workers) from adjoinung countries. The several ladies at the front reception desk all spoke good English. I saw 2 or 3doctors and several nurse to have blood test etc., many spoke intermediate English, some spoke advanced English.

100Baht - cheap charlie...

My guess is that he would respond to any question asking for clarification by saying: "I have a reponsibility to take care of my family". In this scenario 'The Best Person For The Job' approach would not apply.

I'm lost: are you saying 7,500Baht per night for room and board at government hospital, for you and your wife? You also mentioned this saved you 22K Baht. Compared to what?

Before retirement, some 12 years ago, I did many consulting projects in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzen. Even then I used my smartphone to pay for everything. All of the hotels I stayed in quickly set up my phone for the payments.

Thanks for sharing, you mentioned: '... The same hospital offered me private for 7.5k...' Was that for 1 night, or 4 nights, or ...?

Just for clarity re the DVA: - I don't receive the DVA Service Pension. - I do receive the DVA Disability Permanent Compensation 4 weekly payment, at the highest level. - My DVA Gold Health Card covers absolutely everything whilst I'm in Australia with basically no limits, also covers all dental and all transport (ambulance/taxi/whatever).- - But when I'm outside of outside the DVA cover reduces to: Any health service related to the specific disability items that the DVA has accepted in my case. Some Thai hospitals (not Thai gov't hospitals) have an agreement with the DVA (e.g. McCormick and RAM in Chiang Mai). I have been to McCormick they called a hospital admin officer (perfect English, very pleasant look krueng guy), he got details of the medical issue then calls a hotline to the DVA in Hobart (I was in the room in case more details needed) who give an instant answer: Yes they will accept the hospital sending them a bill for reimbursement direct to the hospital,or no they won't. The CM McCormick guy has mentioned they receive reimbursement from the DVA very quickly.

Like many farang I don't have full private health insurance. I do have full DVA Australia Gold health card cover (total cover for everything inside of Oz, but outside of Australia only for the specific items listed for my DVA Disability permanent compensation cover). I hear regularly that staying in Thai gov't hospitals (pvt room and in ward) is pretty good: room, bed, medical care, bathroom, fridge, food, TV, etc., all quite good. And often plenty of English. Also heard of some farang who have obtained a paid member card, some providing discounts on room and med care, tests etc. On the other hand I've read comments where farang were taken to Thai Gov't hospitals when Ill (ill rather an accident) and we're told that the hospital cannot accept them at all. So, would you please share your experiences, any location in Thailand, but especially interested in Chiang Mai area. This post is general in nature and is not focused on Covid 19 matters. Thanks.

She dead, she used her debit card and it zapped her heart, just like lightning.

You're so sad, what a pity.

Sure, some agents are good, some are rogues. I couldn't fault the agent who helped me with PR, sincere, friendly, focused and never once mentioned extra fees / tea money. On the other hand I'm aware there's a Visa agent in Chiang Mai who has been telling people he helps (helps with new and renewal of various Visas) that if farang hold one of the many typical Thai visas for a block period of 10 years they are automatically entitled to PR. No extra official paper work neded, but very very big official fees. Agent also tells people that they must use the same agent for the 10 years, and they must never personally go to the Imm. office, that would automatically invalidate their PR entitlement. All BS of course.

" Thai Banks should issue debit cards that are touch and go. " Agree, so easy, so simple, so fast, great for both customers and merchants.

Total rubbish. Thai folks are wizards at smartphone use, have been for quite a few years. Look around you'll see many older/much older folks regularly using their phones with ease.

Yawn. That's just not true.

<deleted>. Actually it's very simple.

I was back in Australia until just recently, in the Northern Beaches area just Nth of Sydney. I paid for everything with my touch debit card. I was living in a very large war veterans village, 99% of the residents over 65 yo, many in their 90s. In the village coffee shop/family restaurant they accept cash but 99% of the residents using their debit cards. Also using debit cards for taxis and more. A side point, in this area most of the banks have removed their ATM machines because of very few transactions to get cash. And some banks have closed branches.

I add a little more. In the converstion/interview I mentioned just above (25 years ago) the Immigration officer never mentioned or hinted in any way anything re tea money and it was not mentioned or hinted at by myself or my agent. My agent was very thorough and very ethical with a solid reputation for no involvement in scams or shady dealings, my belief is that he would have forewarned me in advance if there was a need to have some 'strategy' ready re tea money. My agent never mentioned it in any way at any time. Further; yes I used an agent, however I add the following. I was working with a Thai lady who was a qualified chemical process engineer and a senior member of the business development commitee of the national petroleum authority. Her husband had worked for the same company (both had worked for my company for several years in the US). A couple of years after they returned to Thailand he became restless re employment and decided to start his own business with himself as the front man and his wife behind the scenes because she was a senior exec. of her employing company. She asked me one day in the office "Are you interested in applying for PR?" I responded "Yes I am, but right now I'm not sure how to proceed." Her response "My husband (who I by this stage knew quite well) wants to start an agency / a consultancy focus on foreigners gaining PR and later focus on gaining citizenship. If you're willing he would like you to be his first customer, but because it's a learning exercise for him he would charge you a very small fee." I thought about it for a few hours then agreed and he got started. As it all proceeded I was well aware that he was putting a lot of time and effort into getting it right, as per Thai Immigration requirement/policies/procedures. Given that it was also a learning exercise for me, I now believe that I could have done it myself, but it would have taken many many hours of additinal work and seaching on my part. Bottom line; I'm very happy I used an agent. The twist; just after my PR was approved my agent and his Thai wife both received an excellent job oportunity to both return to the company HO in the states. The job/future/reward level was something they couldn't refuse, both working in the global strategic policy development area, they both accepted and quickly returned to the US.

I heard 'third hand' that the log jam was removed by an order from the Interior Minister gen Anupong. A very powerful ex military general well respected as a very fair/very balanced man.

When K Bank permanently closed their branch at Promenade the accounts were automatically changed to the Big C Don Chan K Bank branch. I heard some customers were unhappy however K Bank staff explained that the concept of 'belonging' to a specific branch is dying; all customers are under the management of K Bank as a total entity. And regardless of location/change of location account numbers never change. At about the same time I called the K Bank call center, for a diferent reason, the call centre office explained it the same way ...the concept of 'belonging' to a specific branch is dying; all customers are under the management of K Bank as a total entity. And regardless of location/change of location account numbers never change. HISTORY: after the 1997 crash banks in Thailand went through mergers and whatever. The end result was that several banks were 'swallowed up' and their original names disappeared. One incident, bank branch in Pattaya closed very quickly, account holders suddenly discovered that the branch was now just an empty room. Further checking revealed that the accounts had been transferred to their Chonburi city branch, however customers needed to go to the Chonburi city branch to 'confirm' their new branch and pay a 500Baht transfer fee. The safe deposit boxes at the old Pattaya branch were moved (no advice to customers) to the Chonburi City branch and customers had to pay a 5,000Baht fee to regain access to their safe deposit boxes. I had held a safe deposit box at the Pattaya branch but 2 weeks or so before the sudden closure I had cleaned out the safe deposit box and returned the keys, I got a receipt for the return of the kesya which also mentioned closure of the safe deposit box account. But I got a letter from the Chonburi branch saying that I had to pay a 5,000Baht safe depoit box relocation fee by xx/xx/xxxx. I called the Chonburi branch which was a waste of a phone call. A day or so later I was going to Bkk for a meeting so I stopped at the Chonburi branch. Quite an unpleasant incident, the lady manager insisted that I pay the 5,000Baht on the spot or she would tell the bank lawyers to sue me. The fact I had a receipt dated 2 weeks before th branch closure for return of the 2 keys and mentioning closure of the safe deposit facility about 2 weeks before the Pattaya closure was not relevant according to the Chonburi mngr. I refused to pay anything and walked out. The same afternoon I was at my lawyers office in Silom Centre and I shared the bank saga. He asked his staff to call the national HO of the bank (about 10 minutes walk away) and make an appointment for a meeting. We went the next morning. Soon after the meeting started my lawyer said to the bank snr lady 'my staff are preparing the documents right now to sue your bank for illegal/unethical harrasment of your own client'. Snr bank lady froze. From the same room she called her Chonburi branch manager and after some harsh words told her to back off. Then she wrote and signed a letter, on bank letterhead, indicating that I was not required to pay any fees at all in regard to the Chonburi situation. My lawyer stood up and said 'OK that's setttled now lets go downstairs (to the banking chamber) and withdraw all your funds and I'll go with you to you to your new bank to finalize your new accounts and deposit the funds. Snr bank lady still frozen as we walked out.