LittleBear57

Not confined to local markets. Shopped at Makro today iceberg lettuce gone up from 79 bht/kilo to 269/kilo other lettuce up 30% second rise this year, tomatoes too up, salads suddenly expensive. Watermelon and Cantaloupe up around 25%, only apples and grapes seemed at usual prices. Diesel prices??, flooding??? or just plain greed. Yes I know some things are seasonal but never to this degree. Off to my local fruit shop tomorrow to see if they have better stock and prices. Just got 5 hands of bananas off our own tree and they taste so much better.

Perhaps that is what it is, some hospitals just don't have the resources, some are ill equipped and perhaps some don't provide a service as good as they should.

Very good that they saved you. My friend had an issue with an infected toe, in the end they amputated it but the foot was still infected and they told him they were going to amputate that too. In desperation he flew back to the UK and went to a NHS hospital they didn't amputate and it was sorted in a few days, he was a very relieved man. Another had an eye infection and needed to stay in the hospital as he needed drops every hour for two days after 9pm he never saw the nurse or anyone again until the morning when he told the doctor what happened and paid up and left taking the medicine with him for his wife to administer. Another friend had big issues at the same hospital and needed a few operations and was in ICU for some time he says the hospital saved his life. Luck of the draw I guess.

There are two types of healthcare in Thailand from what I have seen here. The one which is private for the rich and well insured which is very good if you can afford it. Then there is the one for the poor, like the one where my wife's grandmother was some years ago in Korat. They had 10 beds in a ward for made for four, you had to bring in everything for them towels etc. The bed linen was provided but if it needed washing the patients family had to do it. No aircon or working fans in the ward. Food was provided again by the family. I've seen other hospitals which look a little better but the ones nearby to me seem totally overstretched and run down. Most families will do anything they can to get into a private hospital including selling their farms or land. (Sad!) It was improved a lot by Thaksin (love or hate him) but nothing has been done since to improve things, he only really made a start. So I totally disagree with the initial statement rating it highly.

Thailand owe the backpackers a lot from years previously. First they come back when qualified from University having got good jobs and money in pockets. Secondly they are very vocal about their adventures and sell their experiences very well, so more come. Street traders and food venders do very well from them too. The rich just stay in their little cocoons spending their money in the big hotels just making the rich richer.

Looks like there is nothing stopping your condo pool opening. Get on their case and get them to open it. You are paying for it.

Can't see what vaccine was given. Hope it was an effective one.

We are having a similar discussion about cars the MG5 which looks great. We will be needing a replacement (or to run in tandem) for our 13 year old Toyota Hilux soon which has done almost 300,000km. I will wait a few years until they (MG) have clocked up some mileage. The Toyota is "awesome" which is a word I don't use often. Drove to Phuket earlier this year never gave it a moments thought, total trust in the vehicle. Reliability for me is everything.

An army of local workers then a truck comes along and collects the piles of rubbish. Watched it in May.

Almost every day I see people gathered drinking alcohol no masks or social distancing. Almost all Thais, nothing said or done. I guess rightly or wrongly people are just fed up of the restrictions and more and more people will be breaking them. I guess if you do are you lucky and get away with it or not and get fined.

Don't you have enough problems already???

It's certainly gone in places.

Drop most of the <deleted> in getting here. Visitors must be double vaccinated OK, health insurance OK but no quarantine or Embassy letters and get your own population double vaccinated too (I see a big improvement on this now). Open bars and restaurants fully and lets move on. The latest science is that it is Endemic which basically means it's here to stay and we will all get it eventually, but if you are vaccinated it should be a less dangerous issue. Personally I fancy a trip to Tak province in October but what will the restrictions be? I should be double vaccinated by then which may be helpful.

Leam Sing is my favourite despite having to walk from Surin beach. Freedom is very nice too. Ya Nui also and Paradise. Still prefer the Krabi beaches though.

Had a nice day there earlier this year lovely place only downside is rocks and old coral in sea when swimming.

OK the government have done a <deleted> poor job with this covid like nearly all governments. I walked half the length of Jomtien beach and back today (due to the flood) and about 70% of foreigners were without masks compared to about 1 Thai. Bit of a poor example from us I think, except the jogger who was wearing one whilst running.

Going to immigration from Sattahip this morning, driving along 2nd road Jomtien but the road ahead was flooded so drove down to beach road and hit this. Ended up with a long walk to immigration, who fortunately were both pleasant and efficient. Did put the curse on it as I said to the wife we will be OK in Jomtiem it's Pattaya that floods. The water flowing into the sea was absolutely filthy did nothing to enhance the beach either leaving litter and filth everywhere, still some people were going into the sea, hope their Cholera jabs are up to date.

I have never tried to go inside bank with a UK debit card to get cash is it really possible and do you not have to pay the 180 bht fee?

Don't believe them, they say one thing then when you get there they want a passport and the phone app. Been turned away before not going to rush up there from Sattahip for some little dictator to refuse entry on some technicality. Also wrong time of year to make the crossing on the pathetic rickety old boats or drunken speed boat operators best to wait until November give them time to sort it all out without changing their minds daily, weather will be better by then.

Thailand will be very boring still in October. No alcohol in restaurants bars all closed and all the other nightlife and curfew of course. Personally although not a drinker this is perhaps the most boring time of my life here in Thailand.

Crossing this time of year can be dangerous regardless of Covid 19. Tatty old boats and rough seas. Past experience has proved to me that the rules there are unpredictable and enforced by little dictators who love to turn people away for the slightest reason, so we will not be returning until the rules are clear which knowing Thailand could be some time away.

Hate it at the markets forever catching my head on umbrellas or worse. At the fishing park have to be very careful the shelters from the sun are about 170cm high and they don't take prisoners(ouch!). Struggle finding shoes and socks mostly, as I wear only shorts don't have to worry about long trousers. Years ago a friend bought a small cottage in a village in England dated around 1750 and you had to duck through every doorway, people get taller with each generation due to better diet. Thais are just getting milk and other proteins this will make them taller over the coming years, may take a couple of hundred years though.

Appreciate the top photo as the wife was struck by one a few days ago, fortunately it struck her wellie but they thought it a Krait and chopped it in half.

I've never seen them in the UK supermarkets, bit of a shame really as they are delicious.

If prices are at an all time low why are Makro and the other supermarkets charging almost 50bht a kilo? Guess who's making BIG profits.