wpcoe

9 hours ago, Hayduke said:

 

Those police vinyl boards seem to be getting bigger all the time.....good to see they've got their priorities in order.

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I wonder who owns the printing company.

I wonder if they are electronic on some sort of big screen display?

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand’s Rural Doctors Society (RDS) has completed its mission to help conduct COVID-19 mass testing on at least 50,000 people in 26 locations across Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Nakhon Pathom, with 10,357 people testing positive over the five-day period.

 

The RDS found that 10,357 people, of the 96,087 it tested between August 4th and 8th, had contracted COVID-19.

(Underscore in quote added by me.)

Granted, while 96,087 technically does qualify as "at least 50,000,"  why the discrepancy in figures?

As a US citizen, I lived full-time in Thailand from 2001 until early last year.  I was feeling less content, with the annual retirement extension process & its financial requirements being factors, and left (for Merida, Mexico) in February 2020.  My intent was to spend a few months in Thailand each year as a tourist, but then Covid hit so I haven't been back.  I can't say that I've really missed Thailand in the past 1.5 years, but still plan to visit if/when travel to Thailand becomes practical again.

I have a Mexican Permanent Resident card (akin to a US Green Card) which grants me all the rights of a Mexican citizen, except the right to vote.  Obtaining the card is a "one and done" process:  no annual renewal, no money-in-the-bank requirement, no re-entry permits, no 90-day reports.

I'm happy in Mexico, but for sure, YMMV.

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

has she been to Thailand before? Photos look great but the reality is something else. 

 

Hot, humid, mosquitos, poor food hygiene, bad water, noisy, culture shock...

 

you will have to keep her in a bubble world, no way to acclimate at 92.      

Since her late 90s, my mother lived with my sister and never left their apartment.  It was her choice and she was quite happy and secure in her climate controlled home (in Las Vegas) with TV, books & crosswords to keep her occupied.  Didn't matter what it was like past the front door.  Bubble worlds can and do work for some people.

I had thought that... 

... was a string attached to the US donations.  If the USA didn't attach that requirement, then who did?

1 hour ago, volsfan said:

You have to go to quarantine first, so hotel required.

Well, duh.  I sometimes miss the obvious answer.  Thanks!

On 6/28/2021 at 7:42 PM, ubonjoe said:

8. I would think a hotel reservation would be enough to upload there.

What if I am going to stay in my own condo?  I would legitimately be a tourist, just happen to own a place in Thailand.

On 5/23/2021 at 11:15 PM, possum1931 said:

Spraying a mix of vinegar and water may help, but not when they keep gathering in my kettle.

Don't discount using vinegar/water in your kettle.  I know it's recommended to flush coffee makers out with vinegar/water to remove hard water mineral deposits.  I assume it would do the same for your kettle.  Just be sure to rinse it out well after any vinegar contact.

1 minute ago, thaiowl said:

I have used this stuff for years. The ants take the contents back to their nest and then die.

I've been using that stuff for years, and it does work well.

 I used to crush into smaller pieces for smaller ants until I saw some tiny ants carrying full-size granules back to the nest.  Now, I don't crush the stuff any more.

I have imported the stuff to the USA, Japan and Mexico at various times to handle ant invasions there.

8 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Land borders between the US and Mexico have been closed for a year due to covid and no one knows when they might reopen.  

Not saying you're wrong, but sometimes the official stance and what actually happens in real-time can be different.

I continue to read reports on a local Yucatan Facebook group of folks driving across the border south in to Mexico all the time.   Pretty sure the northbound crossings (into the USA) are happening as well, as folks have pointed out that a pre-trip Covid test is required by the USA only for arrivals by air, and that arrival by land border crossing doesn't need any test. 

"YMMV"

9 hours ago, Jingthing said:

That original signed bank statements thing could be real problem depending on a person's specific situation.

It was a problem for me until I happened to get a credit union supervisor who could think outside the box and came up with a solution that was acceptable to the Bangkok Mexican embassy.  She knew a colleague who happened to have a rubber stamp with the name and address of the credit union.  He printed off the internet monthly statements and stamped and signed 12 of them with his management title and then FedEx'd them to me.

Another problem I had was that my account was in the format of John Q. Adams, but my passport said John Quincy Adams.  To the Mexican embassy those were not equal, so I had a bank letter issued with my middle initial, then I submitted a name change to my full middle name, and had a second letter issued with that.  Since the account number & balance on the letters with two "different" names matched, the embassy accepted them.  (All the stamped/signed monthly statements all still had just my middle initial.)

It was frustrating and anxiety-inducing, but in the end, it all worked out.  The embassy staff were never arrogant or antagonistic.  They were sympathetic to my situation but had no flexibility to waive any of the (ridiculous) requirements.  They simply collect the documentation and forward it to Mexico City for a "yea" or "nay," and they knew what worked and what wouldn't work.

On 5/8/2021 at 5:43 AM, Jamin123 said:

Anyone know if US passport can apply for the temporary residence visa at the Mexican Embassy in Bangkok

Unless it has changed since I applied & received my Residente visa in December 2019, yes, you can.  (I'm a US citizen with US passport.)

The folks at the Mexican embassy in Bangkok were very friendly, polite and helpful.  That said, they are very strict with the documentation they accept to prove income or savings.  No statements downloaded from the internet.  Must be original statements on bank/brokerage forms and/or (I think it is "and", but my case was unique) a cover letter with original "wet ink" signature from bank/brokerage official.

Once you are approved, they fingerprint you and put the visa in your passport and you have 180 days from the date they do that to enter Mexico.  Then, within 30 days of arrival in Mexico, you must go to INM (Immigrations) to exchange your arrival card (the one you get on the plane) for the laminated Residente card.  Due to Covid, it took me over five months to get the card in 2020, but I understand they've totally automated the process and you can get the card on your initial visit to INM.

5 hours ago, DBath said:

I would imagine you can just go to Mexico directly and arrange it,

No.  For a Residente visa, the process must begin at an embassy or consulate outside Mexico.

One other thing:  I don't know if the Bangkok embassy will process the application if you are not a resident of Thailand.  I had a series of retirement extensions that showed them I was a Thailand resident, but not sure if that were necessary.  They might not issue a visa for someone in Thailand temporarily, e.g. as a tourist.  If they are not answering your e-mail, try calling.  I know I talked to them on the phone more than once.  (They are fluent in Thai, English & Spanish.)

¡Buena suerte!

On 5/7/2021 at 4:00 AM, Pilotman said:

I guess that the terror of this, and terror is the right word I think, is that people in a coma, or in a supposed 'permanent vegetative state' may be  experiencing  this 24/7.  That is a truly awful prospect. I'm probably making too much of this, but last  night's episode was not a pleasant experience at all. 

That is a horrifying prospect (about people in a coma/vegetative state.)

I realize this is a totally different circumstance, but I became alert while under anaesthesia.  I was paralyzed -- I couldn't even open my eyes -- but I vividly had all my physical senses including the full physical sensation of the tubes down my throat, my inability to breathe on my own, and the doctor snipping bits of my lungs (it was during a lung biopsy.)  I do not wish that upon anybody, but apparently it happens in a small percentage of cases.

In the case of a coma/vegetative state I cannot imagine being mentally alert, fully understanding the situation, and knowing that it is open-ended, i.e. no end in sight.   At some point does insanity set in with emotional detachment?

14 hours ago, Kiujunn said:

No

No

No

 

Quality of care in private hospitals in Mexico is good, but not top-notch.

It's waaay more expensive than Bumrungrad etc. Maybe you haven't seen a lot of bills from both locations to compare, outpatient and inpatient, different fields of medicine.  I have.

It is generally even more expensive than the USA. 

 

Okay, I was relying on second-hand reports.  Now we can get first-hand data from you!  Can you share the prices of Thai vs Mexican private hospitals from your experience, please?

My first-hand experience with a cataract operation at IECO in Merida versus what Rutnin in Bangkok charges:

- My cataract surgery in 2021 at IECO was ~US$1,400.  (I previously said $1,100 from memory, but I just went back and re-added my receipts.)

- The most recent post I can find (from 2017) quoted Rutnin as THB85,000 (~US$2,725 at today's exchange rate) for a lens that corrects astigmatism (which my IECO lens does.) 

- Rutnin would have been about twice the price of my Mexico operation, assuming no price changes at Rutnin since 2017.

21 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Thank you for your very detailed and very intersting post

can you talk about the beaches and the sea?

I see on the map the city is not far from the sea side

the acces is easy? How are the beaches? Clean? Public or not?

no problem for swimming here? (Pollution, dangerous sea currents or waves?)

 

Also what about the food? there are a lot of markets? The products are cheap?

And the restaurants offer?

 

In your opinion what is the biggest problem for a westerner living in this city?

 

tyia for your answer

I can't give any first-hand info about beaches & the sea since I haven't ventured out in that direction.  I'm the same guy who lived in Jomtien for 12 years and never once went to the beach.

There are frequent buses from Merida city center to Progreso, the biggest of the nearby beach towns.  I believe it's about US$1 for a 50 minute ride.  You can Uber to Progreso in about 35 minutes for about US$20, I hear, though you'd need to find one that just came in from Merida in order to return that way.  Progreso is where the cruise ships stop (when they are operating.)  The pictures I've seen of the beaches there seem nice enough, though occasionally there are issues with sargassum (sea weed) clogging the beaches.  The beaches are mostly, if not all, public.  Several scandals hit the news recently where folks had erected fences to make the beach in front of their house private, and they've all had to tear them down after public outcry.

There is a foodie scene in Merida, but I don't think it's as large as even Pattaya.  Check out https://midcitybeat.com for an idea.  There is a nice variety of mid-priced restaurants on Paseo Montejo.  Paseo Montejo is a large tree lined boulevard with old mansions and trendy restaurants.  I'm not a foodie or food snob.  I just like tasty food for US$10 to $20 (or less) per meal, and have a nice selection of options there.

There is a big wholesale/retail food market in Merida city center, and Santiago Park near my house has a small wet market with meats, fruits & vegetables. There are two "Slow Food" markets on Saturdays that offer local, generally healthy, food options.  Mexican grocery chains are supplemented by multiple Walmart, Sam's Club and Costco locations.  And there is a large number of Oxxo and SiX stores, the equivalent of 7-11 and Family Mart.

Generally, prices for stuff I buy range from reasonable to cheap.   Basic staples like bread, milk and eggs are cheap.  Amazon Mexico continues to grow and bring in more items as an affordable shopping option.  Amazon USA also ships more things to Mexico these days,  but some things are puzzlingly expensive.  I wanted to order a US$20 pack of MiracleGro plant food from Amazon USA but the shipping was over US$130.  Go figure.

"...the biggest problem for a westerner living in this city"?  Hard to say.  For first-time expats from NOB (North of the Border), I'd say culture shock-lets in general ... lots of little things aren't "like they were back home," but folks who are expats living in Thailand already have dealt with that.  Maybe the language would be the biggest problem, even though it's easy enough to get around with English only, although maybe not as easy as it would be in Bangkok or Pattaya?

10 hours ago, webfact said:

He called on the authorities to get their fingers out.

As in, pointing at the problem for a photo op, or as in, out of their a**es?

http://v.pinimg.com/videos/mc/720p/f4/b2/58/f4b25843d64b06fe4120f2536c3afc1d.mp4

(Watch the big dog's front left paw.  I missed it the first time.)

Surely the best pork pies are the ones emanating from City Hall being told by the Mayor's office?

So, I could be driving around Thailand on my license that expired in 2007?