SteveBull

On 8/24/2022 at 11:39 AM, retayl said:

Non o based on retirement. Thanks for the responses. If I apply for the tourist visa can I extend at any Immigration Office, and is the extension automatic? i.e. are there any grounds on which it can be refused? I’m rightly sceptical of Thai bureaucracy. I’ll be based in Hua Hin.

I can vouch for HH immigration (go to the new big building) - they've always been super helpful to me. The staff downstairs when you arrive will ask you what the issue is, and if they can't do it themselves, then prep you for when you go upstairs to the movers and the shakers ????

Covid certainly made a lot of people rich, incl eight new billionaires I read.

Moderna has now just launched legal action against Pfizer for nicking their ideas incl how the vaccine works to stop the bodies immune system attacking the antidote when it enters the body, something many of the vaccine providers could not replicate, which makes you wonder, if true, how much pfizer helped at all in the whole thing. The numbers Moderna are mentioning re compensation are to say the least 'large' ! 

4 hours ago, starky said:

Reading comprehension not your strong point then?

I guess that's my English degree trashed then.

11 hours ago, Adumbration said:

I will, well at least up until China moves on Taiwan.

I'm here to counsel you again ???? - China has seen the devastation sanctions have delivered to Russia, (though sadly not enough), if you were the Chinese PM, fond of your position, and are about to see your Russian counterpart taken out, and knew the economic consequences, would you invade ?

OK try melatonin ????

(I've no idea why that switched to block writing?)

12 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

One way the government could help would be to have decent education to help Thai people manage their finances and be less vulnerable to predatory lenders.

Yep agreed  - Thailand seems to produce incredible engineers/architects etc all skills that can benefit Thailand and then go out of their way to keep those skills within, and I've seen the maths and physics stuff they give to 14 year olds and it would blow your mind, it's easily UK A level stuff if not more, yet the overall common sense factor and depressingly the woeful lack of awareness of the world outside Thailand, Geography and History etc is so poor. Infact when I was researching schools for my daughter, I don't think I even saw a school with Geography on their curriculum.

So currently my daughter is days away from splitting the atom but can't give me 3 European capitals !!

If you live your life in a state of perpetual paranoia, possibly.

(Your first mistake was listening to the 'old, bitter' guys)

1 hour ago, starky said:

What you call sad I call realistic even the most rudimentary search would provide thousands of times where stories such as these have gone pear shaped. I'm am proud of the many people like myself who have donated and as I oh so clearly stated I wish nothing but the best for the girl. 

 Unfortunately in my over 2 decades living here I have not only heard but seen and experienced how some people here as in the rest of the world react when it comes to other people's money. I poured zero cold water on it and only the blind or the foolish would not believe this has the potential to go wrong. 

Everything in life has the potential to go wrong if your glass is half empty so whats the solution ? everyone do nothing ?

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

His reasoning is self induced because he has a hard time hiring folks, so because of that its laziness and self induced by those unemployed folks.  My GF had to close her salon because of Covid. She had to lay off her 4 employee's, and try as hard as she can, she herself can not find a job coloring hair or working in a salon herself, because they are jobs only a Thai can do and she is from Myanmar.  To work in a salon she must be the owner, and at this time no one can afford what true hair coloring or styling costs.......

Perhaps word has got around how little he respects them. 

I see green shoots in various industries here as Covid recedes so perhaps there's hope yet - don't know where you're from but I'm sure properties will become available, now probably being a good time to barter with a landlord ?

I would offer to be a customer, but all she'll be doing is painting my head !! ????

I use to do the Myanmar border run, people use to say to me it must be a real pain but I loved it. Easy trip (from PKK), initially I used an agent, but it's so easy there's no need, mostly drive there wait and return, the last two I did you didn't even physically cross the border, they would just take your passport in bulk and bring them back. If you do cross the few hundred metres to the other side. there's a couple of wine 'shops' cheaper than Thai side

50 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Many posters  havent a  clue  here what its  like  employing anyone and how many really are.......unsuitable for almost anything, Got a kid  with only half a hand, he works harder than two people as  such he gets  paid well.

Have you just cracked open another bottle ?

10 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Ok so to sum up..self  inflicted ,  no one to blame but themselves, now theyll squeal  like  pigs that they want the govt to help them...the  "poor"

If your kids were hungry what would you do ? Give us an alternative that is open to your average rural thai family .....we're all ears....

As for the govt to help, the irony is amazing, here they get next to nothing from the thai govt, no safety nets here if you're on your <deleted>, whereas in the west you're pampered from cradle to grave and paid not to work, paid to have kids, paid to stay at home to take care of your babies - so where are you from ?

19 hours ago, KIngsofisaan said:

There you go ALPHA MALE.

 

You already answered your own questions.

 

Do you want a maid? A slave? Or do you want someone being with you that is happy all the time?

 

Do you know how to use a washing machine and dryer? Then wash your own damn clothes. Your arms aren't broken are they?

 

She is not your servant, even if you think otherwise.

 

Maybe if she rather do other things than be with you, look in the mirror?

 

The ALPHA DOG is not getting the answers he expects so now he is all upset.

 

The ALPHA DOG initiates the conflict to forcefully get the answers he wants to hear.

 

Maybe try meeting all her expectations instead of her having to meet all your expectations is a good start.

 

Some men just do not get it and never do.

 

If I had a choice between going to footie or going to the ballet (wife's idea), I would go to the ballet 10 out 10.

 

I have seen a lot of football already in my life and can always watch a rerun if I missed it that much.

 

Some men are just so darn happy and blessed to want to please their wives.

 

HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE

 

If you try to make her live your ALPHA MALE life, she won't be around long

 

I suspect she thought her life was going to be better with you and is finding out that is not the case.

 

Lot of Thai's get married to farangs thinking they will be taken care of and have a better life.

 

Until they learn about the ALPHA DOG!

 

You need to settle down and understand her needs and expectations.

 

You are a grown man that can take care of himself.

 

How about being a real man and take care of her?

 

 

 

 

You were doing so well (love the broken arms comment) but then you had to ruin it by prioritising ballet over football ! I'm gonna file that under an unintended slip as the rest was good ????

With a weary acceptance wasn't it always likely that given a fantastic story such as this, the tone of the thread would be negative! (sigh).

Most of the negativity on this just reinforces the deserved perception of the online expat. 

I know two thai teachers and they both work their <deleted> off well beyond their contractual hours to do the best for their students, often having to act as a social worker for the poorer students too,  so why does anyone suppose that AseanNow staff are anymore trustworthy (I'm sure they are) than a teacher ? 

3 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Not in my experience. I just had a procedure 2 weeks ago  at a hospital where the package price was on their website in Thai language. But that's what I got  -- except as a farang I had to pay for the PCR which is free for Thais.

 

All this while my wife was out of town.

 

Yep, it's highly unlikely in my experience a respected hospital is going to rip you off and that kind of scenario is usually dreamt up on expat forums. The price is the price, if there are small nuances, like your PCR then that's something that has to be sucked up. At the end of the day you go to hospital hoping for the best, and if they do that for you that's all that counts. 

Plus of course there has to be some benefit of being a local right ? It happens in all western countries so I don't see the problem really. Infact when my UK doctor found out I had moved to Thailand (and to this day I still have no idea how he found out), I was sent a letter saying I had been removed from his surgeries list, and all future treatment could be chargeable.

On 8/24/2022 at 9:50 AM, jerrymahoney said:

Your wife is always with you when you end up at the hospital planned or not-planned?

Errrrr yep  - you think the hospital lies in wait for single falangs ? - then quickly get out their single falang spreadsheet ? lol. 

Actually no once I had an eye infection pre wife days so went alone - all morning in hospital, full eye examination, consultant called in on a day off as it looked nastier than it turned out to be, an arm full of meds to take away - around 1,500 baht I think it was. Expensive ?

On 8/23/2022 at 3:28 AM, Richard 2020 said:

Can it be that they never leave the house?

 

I live here permanently now 32 years!

And double, and even higher, prices for farang, I see daily!!!

In almost all tourist facilities, in parks, in hospitals even more so, due to the farang-friendly decision of the government, for some years even in de government hospitals!

 

Or you just don't want to see that...???

lol how many times has that picture been used by the outraged double pricing people. Have you been there or just googled it ? 

I'm never in the house, still never been 'double priced to my knowledge, trust me the wife would pick it up. Perhaps I don't go looking for it, or the amounts are so trivial it doesn't set off my stress levels ? Accept it or take your business elsewhere and miss out on some great experiences for the sake of a few coins. (which at the end of the day also go to the running costs of those areas)

On 8/22/2022 at 4:46 PM, internationalism said:

from 2019 the governmental hospitals can add 25% to foreigner bill. Siriraj hospital in bangkok has posters on all wards since then.

that charge suppose to cover vip treatment - shorter lines for tests, treatments, seeing doctor's consultation. In practice they don't have internal procedures to facilitate that, so it just double pricing.

For hospitalisation a foreigner will be offered the most expensive room. I was quoted 7.5k for a private, so I opted for a common room for 2.5k. They took an advantage of me because I needed urgent hospitalisation.

After that hospitalisation I have shopped around I found a neighbouring hospital charging 3.8-9.5k (or 2.9k in a double room) and 1350b for a common. That prices are all inclusive. The first hospital doesn't publish their prices and doesn't offer choice between private rooms, the second does.

 

 

But surely that happens everywhere right ? Hospital competition is the US is cut throat with a massive range of prices and in the UK, if you wish to go private you will be gouged to death before you've got anywhere near a surgical gown. I don't know if it ever got off the ground but the UK were looking at foreigner surcharges due to the amount of foreigners using the NHS for free having paid nothing into the system (all the expensive stuff such as HIV treatment, births etc etc) so I guess, and it's only a guess that the Thais are going down the same route of setting fees commensurate with how much you've paid into the system.

In Hua Hin's main hospital they have a VIP option 250 baht I think it is - if you don't pay it you've got a hefty wait in the busiest hospital in stifling conditions, if you do pay it you are taken to a different area and seen within the hour. They could put another zero on the end of that and given the options I would still pay it personally.

On 8/22/2022 at 4:08 PM, Lacessit said:

How do you manage to get treatment at an Army hospital? Thai ID card? Married to a Thai? An army connection?

Just walk up - I have got a Thai ID card and married to a Thai but the only thing they've ever asked me for is my passport.

I thought I had broken my foot a few months back, they x-rayed it (not broken), strapped it up, consultation with a bone doctor, few painkillers etc - 400 baht !

Played Nikanti a few weeks ago - world class but you have to buy the golf/meal package at I think 5,500 but very highly recommended - as for Amata Spring, forget it, there is no way a mere mortal can walk up and play on the Japanese billionaires playground at any price ! 

38 minutes ago, Lorry said:

There was a discussion in the local business community whether double pricing would be a good idea. The chamber of commerce (if I remember correctly) than published an official decision to double-price foreigners (there were no Chinese tourists at the time, foreigners were farang).

 

Much later, they drove their point home to me when I was double-priced for a cone of ice-cream, it is as ridiculous as it is disgusting.

I avoid that place, but I suspect that nowadays 7/11 doesn't have double pricing in Huahin. Wouldn't surprise me, though.

I think you can rest easy - I've lived there for years and to date I haven't come across a single case of 'double pricing' and being married to a Thai I'm pretty sure I would have spotted one by now