Globenauta

Thank you, Sheryl! That’s really helpful. I’ll definitely discuss with my dr. whether switching to a different statin or another generic rosuvastatin. At Fascino, Vivacor was actually the cheapest of the 3 or 4 options they had, but I’ll check around elsewhere. Also, I generally prefer to stick to meds that are registered with the Thai FDA (it doesn’t necessarily mean “locally made,” just that they are localluy registered). Really appreciate your guidance!

Talafil by Millimed is available at some pharmacies/hospitals and it's registered under Thai FDA

As far as I’m concerned, the issue isn’t whether a medication is made in India - plenty of Indian meds are registered here in Thailand. Rather, I’m concerned about whether they’re properly registered locally, so I can reasonably expect to avoid quality issues and counterfeits. Just my personal opinion, of course.

Thanks for taking the time to share the details! Rosubest doesn’t appear to be registered in Thailand, so I’ll pass. Still, I really appreciate you letting me know!

Oh, so I’m not the only one who had trouble getting brand info from them. By the way, you might already know that the generic version, Talafil by Millimed, is available at some pharmacies and hospitals. Thanks again for the heads-up!

Hi everyone, I apologize if similar questions have been asked before - I took a quick look through recent threads but didn’t spot anything relevant. Plus, I figure things may change over time, so I’d love to get some fresh input. I’m looking for recommendations on a hospital or clinic that offers a comprehensive health check package for my Thai wife, who’s in her early 50s. Ideally, I’d like a good balance between thorough tests and reasonable pricing. If you’ve had a positive experience anywhere in the Samut Prakan or Bangkok areas - whether it’s a private or public hospital, or a health clinic - I’d love to hear about it. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Sorry, I have missed your earlier reply. I’m glad to hear it works for you! Personally, I prefer sticking to regulated medications to minimize unexpected issues. Thanks for sharing!

Is that for Tadalafil made by Millimed, or a different manufacturer? I’m currently paying around 2,300 THB at Fascino. I contacted Medisafe via Line and they only gave me the price, but when I asked for details like the maker or brand name, they stopped replying. Is Medisafe a reputable pharmacy? Thanks!

Rosubet? Couldn't find it here https://www.mims.com/thailand/drug

Apcalis? I never heard of it before :-) I usually check for approved meds on this website: https://www.mims.com/thailand/drug I'm currently using Talafil by Millimed

Hi everyone, I’m currently prescribed two medication: - Tadalafil 5 mg (Talafil by Millimed): 2,316 THB for 30 pills - Rosuvastatin 10 mg (Vivacor): 888 THB for 28 pills I live in Samut Prakan and was wondering if anyone can recommend alternative (possibly cheaper) brands or pharmacies - either online or in-store - especially for Tadalafil. Also, does anyone know if these specific medications are covered under Thailand’s Social Security system (SSO)? Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

Thank you for the advice, Etaoin! I definitely plan to keep my SSO coverage - it seems like an important safety net here in Thailand. I also understand that private insurers can be quite restrictive about pre-existing conditions, leading to coverage gaps. Plus, from what I’ve read on this forum, paying or renewing a private policy can become harder as we age and develop more health issues. That’s one of my biggest worries about staying in Thailand long term. Thanks again for your insights!

It’s unfortunate to hear that this is a common situation... it does seem like a “locked-in” scenario where the insurance company has all the leverage. Essentially, it feels like I have no choice but to accept their conditions or go without (private) coverage altogether, which doesn’t leave much room for negotiation or alternatives. I’m based in Samut Prakan, not far from Bangkok. I haven’t received the list of SSO hospitals yet, but I’ll share the options here once I have them. The system here seems to lean much more in favor of the insurers compared to Western countries, especially with the flexibility to increase premiums and impose exclusions. I hadn’t thought about expat policies as an option, but as you say my pre-existing conditions might complicate things. For context, I have hypercholesterolemia, a family history of heart disease, and I’ve been on rosuvastatin for the past seven years. I’m not sure how these would affect eligibility or premiums for international policies, but I might look into it further. Thanks again for taking the time to explain these points. Your insights have been really helpful!

Thanks for the detailed reply, Presnock! It sounds like the government hospital handled the emergency very well. It’s also interesting that some doctors work in both public and private hospitals. I guess location does make a difference when it comes to waiting times. I live in in the Samut Prakan province, but I’m not sure about the gvt. hospitals here - I guess, I’ll have to check my options at the SSO office. It’s good to hear that your private insurance has been so reliable for you and your family.

Thanks for sharing, Presnock! It’s good to hear positive feedback about government hospitals. Do you know if your friends experienced long waiting times for treatment?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice or insights from others who’ve faced similar challenges with health insurance in Thailand. I’m originally from the EU, where public healthcare is the standard, and private insurance plays a minor role. I’ve been living and working in Thailand for the past 8 years, during which my employer provided comprehensive private health insurance and enrolled me in the Thai SSO system. At the end of last year, I left my job, and I’m now figuring out my next steps. One of my main concerns is how to maintain health coverage moving forward. I’ve been in touch with the private insurance company that provided my previous policy, and they’re willing to let me continue paying for the same plan independently. However, this has raised some questions for me: 1. I’ve realized I might not have much flexibility to negotiate premiums or compare other insurance options. My age and some pre-existing conditions developed during my previous policy would likely lead to exclusions or very high premiums with a new insurer. This feels restrictive - almost like I’m “locked in” with my current provider. Is this a common experience? How do others handle this? 2. I plan to continue coverage through the SSO public healthcare system. However, I’ve never used public hospitals in Thailand before, so I’m unsure about the quality of care, especially for serious procedures. I also understand you need to select a specific hospital for treatment - how do you go about choosing one if you’re unfamiliar with the options? 3. Are there any protections in Thailand for private insurance customers? For instance, regulations on premium adjustments or exclusions for pre-existing conditions? I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences with: - Continuing private health insurance after leaving employment - Using the SSO system, particularly outside Bangkok - Managing pre-existing condition exclusions or negotiating with insurers Thank you in advance for any advice or tips!

Hello @Tod Daniels, I came across your detailed advice in the forum, and I really appreciate how clearly you explained the process of changing from an employment extension to a retirement extension. I’m about to go through a similar process (Non-B to Marriage extension) and had a few follow-up questions if you don’t mind. You mentioned canceling the extension at Chamchuri Square up to three weeks before the official termination date and receiving a stamp allowing you to stay until the termination date. Could you clarify if the new extension can be requested before the termination date, or must I wait until that actual termination date to apply? Also, if it’s possible to apply earlier, can I submit the application directly at my local immigration office, or do I need to first notify Chamchuri Square? Thank you again for sharing your knowledge, it’s been incredibly helpful!

Hi @Liquorice, Thanks a lot for the detailed reply! It’s very helpful, and I appreciate your time. Thanks, I will ask the SP immigration office during my next visit. Luckily, the money requirement is not an issue. However, I’m still unclear about the advantages of applying for the Non-O from outside the country versus in-country. Would you say there’s any significant benefit to doing this in Savannakhet rather than here? The Amphur office gave me the attached document (translated via Google). It’s a list of required documents for the Yellow Book, which includes a birth certificate in addition to the passport. I’m in the process of obtaining the birth certificate through my embassy, but it looks like this may take some time. Also, there’s a discrepancy between documents issued in my home country and my passport, which doesn’t include my middle name for some reason. I’m concerned this might cause issues with the Amphur office and Immigration. I’ve already reached out to my embassy for advice and am waiting on their feedback. And no, I’m not from the UK. 😊

Hi Rob, Thanks again for the detailed reply! Here are my considerations, and I would appreciate your opinion if you have any. The HR is giving me confusing feedback, possibly because the visa and work permit are managed through an agency. A few months ago, when I visited the Labour Dept., they mentioned that the visa doesn’t need to be canceled at the same time as the work permit, but I keep getting mixed feedback about this. I'll ask my HR again and see if I can clarify the situation Yes, the main point is if I can get the Non-O without leaving the country or not. I already went to the IO twice, but the communication was difficult, partly because of the language barrier and partly because I didn’t know exactly what to ask. I’ll try to be clearer next time. Maybe getting help from a visa agency would be a good idea. Thank you for the tips about Laos! I’ll keep that in mind if I need to leave the country. Regarding the Non-O, my understanding is that the first application is a two-step process: first, you get a 90-day visa, and then you apply for a 1-year extension. As you may have gathered, I was considering applying for the Non-O based on retirement first, since that would give me time to gather the relevant documents to apply for a marriage-based extension after the initial 90 days. From what you’ve said, I now understand that’s not possible, right? From what I understood after my visit to the SSO and Amphur, I first need a birth certificate to get the Yellow Book. I’ve already made an appointment at my embassy to request the birth certificate, but it’s going to take some time. Also, I have a minor issue with a name mismatch between the documents issued in my country and my passport, which for some reason doesn’t include my middle name. I’ve asked my embassy how I can resolve this and I’m waiting for their feedback. Regarding the SSO, they told me that I have until the end of the year before being “timed out” from the SS system. I hope I can get everything sorted before that happens. Thanks again for your continued help! 🙏

All my visa extensions for the last 10 years (Non-B) have been handled at Chamchuri (BOI), though I actually reside in Samut Prakan. My current extension, which expires at the end of this year, will likely be canceled soon due to my employment ending, and I’m now exploring my options. From the helpful replies I’ve received so far, I’m getting mixed advice. Some suggest that I can apply for a new extension based on retirement or marriage, while others, like @Liquorice mentioned I may need to leave Thailand and apply for a new Non-O visa. I’d like to understand where I can get the most reliable information on this process. Should I consult the immigration office, or would a visa agent be more reliable in this case? Additionally, if I do go to immigration, should I visit Chamchuri, or go to Samut Prakan? Any guidance, or even recommendations for reliable visa agents, would be much appreciated! Thank you all in advance!

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone could recommend specific agencies that handle marriage visas in the Samut Prakan or Bangkok area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I’ve been thinking, and now I’m wondering: due to my time constraints, would it be possible to first apply for an extension based on retirement (since it seems easier), and then switch to a marriage visa while on that extension? Also, are there any agencies or consultants who can assist with this process and provide guidance? Thanks again!

Thank you, Recom, So, if I understand correctly, I should apply for an extension of my current stay based on marriage, rather than applying for a completely new marriage visa. This can be done without leaving the country - or at least, that’s my understanding. The challenge is timing. My company may cancel my current visa within a month or so, although they weren’t clear on the exact timeframe. That might not give me enough time to gather all the necessary documentation for the marriage extension. I visited the Samut Prakan immigration office, and they provided me with the attached list (which I translated using Google). Since I was married in Europe, obtaining the marriage certificate here is quite a lengthy process. I also understand that if I can't get the marriage extension while my current visa is still valid, I may need to leave the country, return on a temporary tourist visa, and then apply for a new marriage visa. Does that sound accurate? Thanks again for your reply!

Hello Rob, Thank you very much for your response, and apologies for not replying earlier. My employment has already been terminated, but my employer is holding off on canceling my WP for about another week. They've also mentioned that they could delay canceling the visa extension for about another month, though I’m not entirely clear on how that process works. Based on the preliminary information I received from the immigration office, the Non-O based on retirement does seem like a much easier option. To apply for the one based on marriage, I would need, among other things, a marriage certificate (translated and legalized), which is quite a lengthy process (we married in Europe). For this reason, I’m leaning towards applying for the retirement-based Non-O. My question is: if I switch to a Non-O based on retirement and later receive a job offer, would it be possible to then switch to a Non-O based on marriage to be eligible to work? Or would I need to apply for a completely new visa? Regarding Thai Social Security, that's a good point. My company has been paying it, and I’m planning to continue. I visited the SSO, and they told me I have until the end of the year to make the payments. I’ve also started gathering the necessary documents to apply for the yellow book, which includes a birth certificate (quite a hassle to get). Thank you again for your help!

Thanks a lot, DrJack! I now understand that I need to change the reason for the extension, rather than applying for a new visa altogether. It seems that I should be able to do this without leaving the country: my current extension would need to be canceled by my employer, and then I could apply for a new extension based on retirement (or marriage). However, after reading the entire thread you linked, it seems the OP encountered issues with getting the extension approved in the end. I’m also wondering whether it would be better to apply for an extension based on retirement or marriage. Since I’m planning to search for new job opportunities, would either option affect my ability to work in the future? Lastly, if I do find new employment, could I switch back to a business extension, or would I need to apply for a new Non-B visa? Thanks again!