Tazmo

You can go to a reputable Pharmacy ( one of the bigger ones ) and speak to the pharmacist in confidence. Many can speak and understand English well enough to hear the symptoms and offer a treatment. They are just or better qualified than Doctors in Pharmacology. In fact people in the UK were advised on this approach instead of flooding the Doctor's surgeries . Another thing you can do is buy a swab ( a long think stick with a cotton wool bud at the end), if there is a discharge, get her to take a specimen and take it to a private laboratory, ask for “ culture and sensitivity “, you should get the what type of organism there is, then to the pharmacy and get the correct antibiotics. Or try what Sheryl has suggested, it might work. If it recurs then you will need to establish whether it is an infection that needs antibiotics. Doesn’t sound serious though. Also bathing the area with good antiseptic could help tolerate the odor.

This is a complex area, and the entitlement of your Thai wife to a "Widow's Pension" from the UK will depend on several factors, primarily related to the specific pension schemes you have and the current UK regulations regarding overseas residents and their dependents. Here's a breakdown of the two main types of pensions you mentioned: 1. UK Government State Pension Your wife may be entitled to a portion of your UK State Pension, but it depends on: * When you (and she) reached State Pension age: * If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 (old State Pension rules): Your wife might be able to inherit a percentage of your basic State Pension and potentially some of your Additional State Pension (SERPS/S2P) based on your National Insurance contributions. * If you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 (new State Pension rules): The new State Pension is primarily based on an individual's own National Insurance record. It is generally not possible to inherit a State Pension from a spouse or civil partner under the new rules, unless certain conditions apply (e.g., if you deferred your State Pension). However, there might be provisions for those who have lived or worked in countries with social security agreements with the UK. * Your National Insurance (NI) Contributions: For your wife to potentially benefit, your NI contributions would need to meet certain thresholds. * Her Age and Marital Status: She would need to be over her State Pension age and not remarried or in a new civil partnership before reaching State Pension age. * Residence: While you live in Thailand, the UK State Pension can generally be paid anywhere in the world. However, certain benefits like Bereavement Support Payment (which replaced Widow's Pension for deaths on or after 6 April 2017) have specific residency requirements. Important Note on "Widow's Pension" and Bereavement Support Payment: The "Widow's Pension" was largely replaced by Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) for deaths that occurred on or after 6 April 2017. BSP is a short-term benefit paid for up to 18 months. Eligibility for BSP generally requires the claimant to have been living in the UK or a country that pays bereavement benefits at the time of their partner's death. Thailand is not currently listed as one of the countries outside the EEA/Switzerland that can claim BSP from the UK. 2. Occupational Pension Most occupational pension schemes provide for a survivor's pension for a spouse or civil partner, but the amount and conditions vary. You would need to contact the Pensions Department directly to understand the specific provisions of your scheme. They will be able to confirm: * If a survivor's pension is payable. * The percentage of your pension that would be paid to your wife. * Any conditions or requirements for her to claim it (e.g., proof of marriage, identity, etc.). * How payments would be made to her in Thailand. Key Actions You Should Take: * Contact the International Pension Centre (for State Pension): * This is the dedicated department for UK State Pension enquiries for people living abroad. They can advise on your wife's potential eligibility for any inherited State Pension benefits or Bereavement Support Payment based on your specific circumstances and NI record. * You can find their contact details on the GOV.UK website. * Get in touch with the Pension Body of the Company you worked for. * They can provide specific details about any survivor's benefits linked to your pension. It's crucial to understand the scheme rules that apply to your pension. * Review your Will and Estate Planning: * While not directly related to pension entitlement, living abroad with a foreign spouse means you should ensure your will is valid in both the UK and Thailand and clearly outlines your wishes regarding your assets. * Be aware of Inheritance Tax (IHT) implications. As a UK citizen, even if you live abroad, your worldwide estate (including assets in Thailand) could potentially be subject to UK IHT, depending on your domicile status. Spousal exemptions for IHT may apply, but it's important to understand the specifics for a non-UK domiciled spouse. Recent changes (from April 6, 2025) relate to long-term residency for IHT purposes. Seek legal advice on this. It's highly recommended to gather all your pension statements and relevant documents before contacting these bodies, as they will likely ask for specific details about your contributions and pension scheme. The above answer is a summary. It’s more or less what others have said.

The Land Office in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai was very helpful, but we had to keep chasing up the progress. My partner was interviewed and we had to pay a small fee, about 20 baht. It states that I have the right to live there until I die, if my partner goes before me! I cannot sell the property at no stage, even though I paid for it. It would most likely pass to her Mother and Sister. I have a good relationship with them. I am not sure why you need a lawyer?

I would go with the poster who identified/ diagnosed “ confabulation “, it fits with all his untrue stories, eg about his late Uncle who was a Doctor ( as mentioned before) and also about the money the US had given to Gaza. I worked in the of ‘dementia’ and they often confabulate, make up stories that at first come across as real. Then when you fact- check, you realize that you were conned. They have no insight into their behaviour, so not aware that they are doing it!

Chiang Mai University Pharmacy has a selection including Omron. You can get a discount if you have a partner or friend who is a member ( current or ex University Graduate).

I was notified by a message about 2 weeks ago that I had become an ‘ Advanced Member’, however my posts still have my title as ‘ member’.. Can anyone explain why this is so? Or what are the different titles and qualifications. Not a big deal, just curiosity. Thanks

Copying Elon Musk, trying to buy votes. He’s not popular among most of the Thais. I would love to see an opinion poll on his popularity!

Why did Thaksin flee into exile if he was ‘ clean and green’, why did his sister also go into exile? Corrupt Politicians are everywhere, he is a fake! Out to become richer, Trumpian style Don’t be fooled by a few good things that he’s done in the past. A lucky criminal like Trump who is free! All Ex PM’s would have a list of their achievements, and may have opinions on making current changes but in other countries such advice becoming law will not be accepted. He was not elected! He’s already interfered with affairs with Cambodia and many Thais believe he’s one of the causes of the war. He has a history with Cambodia, a corrupt one the Thais believe! Partly why his daughter has been suspended! I don’t hate him but he can be in an advisory capacity, not one of Authority. And go back to prison to serve his sentence first. He was trusted before and failed, can’t blame the military for it all!

The residential program looks comprehensive, providing you’re a Christian or thinking of conversion. Addicts are often lost and Christianity sees it as an opportunity to convert people! If it works for some, then good luck. But you really need to learn about yourself and develop coping skills, self awareness skills etc, instead of believing that some external power has the answer to heal you. 12 Step groups can be therapeutic but should not be compulsory for those who have had a mental illness. They tend to relapse in their mental state , needing to increase their psychotropic medication! The true test of course arrives when you leave such an intensive residential setting, addicts tend to relapse. It’s like being in a General Hospital in ICU then discharged straight to your home! They need ‘ weaning’. It would also depend on how robust their “ long term tools for relapse prevention “ are?? Evidence based practice that I know of, offer a further period of say a month living in a less structured community in Thailand. EG, a ‘ Sober house’. Also Online groups after discharge. Christian group meetings after discharge may be useful if not already happening. But there is no doubt that this service is geared on helping younger addicts and Muay Thai boxing has been used effectively by other Rehabs. This is not a new approach.

sidjameson, I hear what you say and it’s a very relevant question. It was a huge challenge but several factors aided me : First and foremost I had worked in Addiction ( Rehab) for a few years. So I learned a great deal about factors that contribute and saw at first hand how people suffered to rehabilitate but many persevere and succeeded. The first is if you have a partner who is not an addict, but they still need to attend lectures about addiction and the addict behavior. A lack of understanding can lead to the partner not being able to help the person change, but worsen it. In my case I have a partner who doesn’t use alcohol nor other substances, she also doesn’t like bars. So this is a big bonus. Instead we go to Cafes, restaurants in nice relaxing settings in a rural area. There is less temptation. Science reveals a low level of dopamine in addicts. Hence being unable to stop. However in Rehab they are introduced to various forms of activities. Exercising for instance have a therapeutic effect on dopamine levels. Some take up yoga, meditation, caring for pets ; doing community type activities that are rewarding. Addicts have a tendency to be selfish, not able to give to others, they get absorbed into themselves with their addiction. I was actively involved in sports, but gave it up as it was heavily linked to alcohol. Although I was not forced to drink and they were many Muslim players who did not drink. But the temptation was too much. In addition my health conditions needed to slow me down somewhat, so this also helped. Instead I took up other activities that I liked, cycling; walking ; traveling, shopping at markets and cooking. I also did online courses on “ Inner Engineering “ to gain insight into my behaviors and how to control and deal with the challenges. This included aspects of the Mind, body and soul. It helped me to take control of my thoughts and triggers that I would have responded to spontaneously in the past. I looked at the benefits of not indulging in antisocial behaviors and felt better day by day. Often I would use distraction as a means of not succumbing to impulses. Some of our behaviors are impulsive, learnt. It takes time to unlearning certain patterns, eg not turning to a cold beer because you had a busy day or because you are bored. Choose alternatives, be determined and don’t give in to your whims. Using your “ higher power “, the mind tells you a lot of things, but the intellect is able to discriminate with practice. That’s what makes us different from animals ( other beings), we are human because of our intellect. Of course some animals are intelligent and can be trained to perform certain special tasks. It would help to read up on addiction and do research on subjects that would help you know your true self better. You will need a supportive environment and a social circle of like minded people. Not difficult to find once you focus on interests that are not drug related. Hope this gives you some idea. It’s a lot to do with motivation for change, eg some people may change their lifestyle after a major illness. But prevention is about getting there before!

Simon43, I forgot to mention, the MRI also showed that I had a stone in my bladder ( which I knew about several years ago).

Simon43, the best I can answer you to clarify any confusion is as follows: With an enlarged prostate plus a very high PSA, the medical recommendation is usually a prostate biopsy. But this is an invasive procedure and uncomfortable. Also is is not always 100% accurate. Although they take several tissues samples during the procedure, they can miss tissues that are carcinogenic ( have cancer). From my experience and further research and second/ third opinion I chose a non-invasive procedure, MRI. Some hospitals have an MRI machine that can detect cancer. It is very sophisticated and updated. My report listed findings on all parts of the bladder, prostate and they gave a rating to indicate the possibility of cancer. PI-RADS ( prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System). My score was 2. A score of 2 indicates a low risk of clinically significant prostate cancer. This means based on the MRI findings, it is unlikely that a Clinically significant tumour is present. Of course a biopsy is much cheaper but you have to consent that there could be complications, though rare. Also the results can be inconclusive. It’s entirely up to the Individual, but it would depend on several factors, price, affordability, informed choice, family history and of course the ‘do nothing option’, ‘ wait and see’. Hope this helps somewhat.

I think “ having fun “ means different things to different people. As for instance an earlier poster referred to the life of Monks. For me it used to be the activities you listed : alcohol ; smoking ; unhealthy foods etc etc. However upon retirement I decided to embark on a different lifestyle, based on the premise that I wanted to enjoy a better quality of life as I aged. I was aware of the complications that can be caused by my previous lifestyle. I was also always aware that we were conditioned into believing that “ having fun” meant doing those things! We also inherited from our Ancestors such behaviours. After all alcohol and tobacco has been around in some form or another for thousands of years! I also saw that the lifespan of Thais were much lower than in other countries. Many Thais in villages because of hard work, play hard and drink the stronger stuff and die ‘ young’. So I investigated into “ fun” and happiness and decided I didn’t have to follow the flock. Did an online course which helped me and I changed my social life and drastically reduced time with friends who had “ fun” in a different way. Personally I feel happy with my current lifestyle now and I don’t have to convince anyone. The main thing is that I enjoy my lifestyle with plant- based food, no alcohol , and had stopped tobacco several years ago! I don’t need research to convince me, during my working career I had seen more than enough. Change is a huge challenge, our brain is often triggered into indulgence of previous behaviours. I get fun in meeting that challenge love every moment and day that I enjoy without substances marketed to get us addicted.

I read your post and the replies to gain some more knowledge myself, from others experiences who have had similar symptoms. I skimmed past the cynical ones. But in general you got sound advice ie have a check up with a Cardiologist. I just want to share a bit of information I read recently from research done in North America on high blood pressure. Participants wore a smart watch at bedtime to monitor their blood pressure during the night. The results showed that those who did not drink alcohol had a “ normal “ blood pressure reading. But those who drank alcohol had an increased blood pressure. Of course there may be other considerations/ factors apart from this study, eg genetics ; anti hypertensives ; diet ; etc etc One other consideration that springs to mind is that I would try taking my blood pressure twice a day. First, upon waking, and then last thing at night. For a week maybe, just to see if there are any variations between rest and activity.