FolkGuitar

It's better to live doing what one lives that sitting around dying slowly of boredom and inactivity. Age has little to do with it. Let's hope that when you are 78, you are in good enough condition to do the activities you love, and not put them on the shelf because somebody else said you are too old. Living life as it should be lived. Age need not be a factor. I'm 75 and ride motorcycle every day (I don't even own a car!) am a certified Dive Master and go scuba diving in the islands all around the South Pacific. I don't see any reason to stop doing what I love just because I'm 75. I see all too many people in their 50's and 60's here in Thailand who are morbidly obese, sitting at the bar with 2-3 empties in front of them at 11am. No... it's not age that matters, is it. If you believe you are too old... you are. Sure, there are some things we physically can't do as well (or as long) as a 30yr old. We do know our own limitations. We've learned that along the way. We all seen 'you.' In every bar and club all over Thailand. 'You' start drinking at 11am, sleep from 3pm until 7pm when you go back to the bar for more. 'You' are 50yrs old, 60 yrs old, 70 years old... it makes no difference. You do only have a few more minutes to live. Let's hope that when we are 78, we can still be men of action, and not 'men of bar stools,' obese, lazy, high blood pressure, pre-diabetic people just waiting to die. Abso-fuking-lutely! This is called 'living,' not 'just waiting to die.' Sure... there are risks. But percentage-wise, fewer old folks die from active living accidents than from sitting around inactive, getting drunk every afternoon and evening. Life before 70 is just 'rehearsal' for the good stuff that comes after!

1. I'm not sure why people post opinions and believe them to be facts... An 'Audiologist' is a 'Doctor of Audiology,' not a technician. Those who pursue the profession of audiology will be required to complete a bachelor's degree and a AuD, PhD, or AuD/PhD combination degree. Not quite a learn-on-the-job technician. 2. Had you actually read my comments in this thread before you posted, you would have known that I DID go to a Hearing Aid store first, but wanted a more thorough exam with more up-to-date equipment. Of course hearing aid shops will do audiology testing, but few have the facilities of a large hospital. That said, they only charge 300-400 Baht for an exam that lasts 5 minutes. The exam at the hospital took 25 minutes. Much more thorough. And what if you do NOT want or need to discuss the results with a doctor? Why should you be forced to pay for something you do not want? I had absolutely no need for a doctor's consult. I just needed a piece of paper to send to a hearing aid company. I've been a hearing aid wearer for the past 25 years. I have the software and equipment to program my own hearing aids and have been doing so for years. I can 'read' an audiogram. I don't need to spend 500 Baht for a doctor to say 'Gee, you don't hear so well, do you? Which is pretty much ALL the doctor could say, as there is no medical correction available for my hearing. Would you be happy to pay an extra 500 Baht to hear that? Especially when you've heard it so many times before... Are you content to pay for unwanted and unneeded services in a hospital?

Yes, I could have declined, except that I needed a very accurate audiogram, with more exhaustive testing than is usually given in a Hearing Aid store. I also hoped that with Bangkok Hospital being the newest, and some consider the best, their equipment had a chance to be new and better as well. I was willing to put up with their policy of having to see a doctor first. However, I would have preferred that they at least inform me of this practice when I called to find out about the cost of an audiogram. At THAT point, I should have been told that I would be required to buy an entire package, and if I wanted one test, I'd have to pay for two of them plus a consultation. Had I simply been told that when I called, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. I didn't want those extras, but I'd put up with them if necessary as I did need a careful exam. I'm quite sure the person who told me the cost of the exam knew that I would have to pay for unwanted tests and consults because of hospital policy, but didn't want to scare off a potential customer. I find that practice rather underhanded. Really? Bangkok Hospital IS a private hospital. Just three days ago I was NOT permitted to see the Audiologist without having a pre-exam by an ENT doctor FIRST, then the ENT doctor would prescribe the Audiolgy test. I specifically stated that I did NOT want an ENT to examine me as I was NOT there for any medical 'problem.' No deal. Either see the doctor first, or no Audiology test.

I can understand the mandatory blood pressure and temperature checks. A hospital must show due diligence before treating patients. There is no extra charge for these. There is, however, a charge for all the other unneeded, unrequested, and time-wasting tests and consultation they insist upon having. Hiding unneeded tests behind the screen of "it's our policy to provide 'packages' to save patients time and money," is disingenuous and a very obvious lie. In fact, I asked the cashier how paying 1338 Baht was saving me money compared with 750 Baht, but she pretended she didn't hear me. If they were to simply tell patients that they can't buy individual tests, and only have packages on offer, it would reduce a lot of angst when patients walk up to the cashier, and give patients a chance to choose a different health care provider.

I was at Bangkok Hospital two days ago. I called first to be sure I could get what I was looking for; an Audiogram (hearing test administered by an Audiologist.) I was told the test cost 750 Baht and I didn't need an appointment. I did NOT have any medical complaint. All I needed was the piece of paper with the test results to send to a hearing aid company. Dispite discussing this with the Reception Desk, I was informed that I needed to see an ENT doctor first. I told them I did NOT have any medical problem I wanted examined, and had no need for a doctor's consult before and after. But that's what I got. I got a doctor's consult that I didn't want. I was given a Tympanographic test also, which I did NOT want, did NOT ask for, but still had to pay for! I also got a bill for 1,338 Baht. Not a lot of money, obviously, but remember, all I wanted was an 750 Baht Audiogram. I was required to see a doctor before the exam, a consult after the exam, a Tympanogram (measure ear drum pressure,) none of which I wanted. I was required to have tests I didn't want. I was required to pay for a doctor's exam that I didn't want. All I needed was the Audiogram to send to a hearing aid company. All too common a practice with hospitals these days. (NOTE: I had an audiogram done the day before at another location (not a hospital) for 400 Baht. I was just looking for a second opinion.) By the way, it WAS an excellent audiological exam by the Audiologist... once I got past the doctor.

May I ask... how many tattoos do YOU have?

Thank you, EricTh. After 20+ years living in Chiang Mai, I too have found that to be the case, which is why I use short sentences in Thai. That said, I don't hold much hope for the directions native English speakers give either, if the posts on ThaiVisa are to be considered. Unless they post a map-linked reference, their directions are often impossible to follow.

When an shop employee does that, I smile and say thank you (in Thai) and then also in Thai say, "Please show me." I usually feel badly that I interrupted their Instagram posting or chatting with other employees, but I don't let that stop me. ???? When asking directions in the street, obviously that won't work, although in Japan, whenever I asked directions, either when walking or on the train, most often the person would go out of their way to take me to my destination and then return towards theirs. That has happened to me on occasion here in Thailand.

There is no Osho in Chiang Mai either, but there IS a Yoshinoya now. Brings back nice memories of my years in Japan.

Those were great times... arriving on Koh Tao, having taken the midnight ferry (the ONLY ferry in those days,) arriving on an island that had no electricity, no phones, no cars, a village with less than 15 shophouses, and just a handful of bamboo beach resorts, mostly along Sairee Beach. There was only one cement building on the island back then, and several dive shops. No noise at night; you could actually listen to the sound of the waves rolling onto the sand... The dive shops had to use generators so they could show the SCUBA training videos. A few years later, the island got electrified, but only between 8am-7pm. Kerosene lanterns for light at night. These days, I can't even imagine going back there because of the changes today, with three villages, half a dozen speedboat ferries unloading thousands of young tourists every day, car rental agencies (for an island 8k long and 3k wide) and non-stop loud music at night. But... if you are a young backpack tourist coming for the first time, it may seem like Paradise. It sure seemed like that to me back in the day. I'd spend a few months diving there every year until it just got too commercialized.

How many times have you asked for directions to a place or an item in a large shop, only to be given something like; 'over that way,' or worse, a brief wave in the general direction of your target. I read real estate adverts that say 'close to Maya and the Old City' when actually it's on the Canal Road nearer to Hang Dong! Someone says 'right across from Panthip Plaza, yet the shop is actually two blocks further north. The 'south side of the moat' is actually two kilometers long. The asked-about place may be right on the S.E corner of Wualai Rd, with a big red sign and a waving air figure in front, but people will still just wave and tell you ' it's on the south side of the moat.' In the USA, we often get rural directions such as 'Turn left where Ariel Fisk's barn used to be before it burned down 15 years ago.' Here, it's an offhand flutter in the general direction. Same problem. Thanks to the Gods for Google Map.

Nothing better than 'Osho' restaurant gyoza!

I, too, have a healthy dislike of those machines. I've never gotten a good pair of glasses when that has been the 'only' testing/measuring device used. But... there is an old-style optometrist in Chiang Mai. She was the head optometrist for Sriphat Medical Center before she retired two years ago, and now runs her own diagnostic and prescription center on Saturday mornings. She used the old-style 'try lenses,' swapping one for another, adjusting the axis for each eye at the same time, back and forth until each eye is as perfect as it can be. Her prices for frames and lenses are just about the lowest in town, and service is great. I've had three pair made by her and am completely happy with all three! The shop is down a small soi off Moon Muang Rd, Ratavithi Soi 1, 50m in on the right side. There is a ramp leading to the shop door. Get there early... there is usually a line!

1. and 3. May I ask why you needed three sets of hearing aids in just several years? I've been wearing hearing aids in both ears for almost 30 years, and am still going strong on my third pair, only changing as I needed stronger devices. 2. This no longer needs to be a problem. If you buy your hearing devices from the right source, they will also sell you the programming software to go with it. In fact, my software is made for 5 different name brands, so I guess it's pretty common. It took less than 90 minutes for the company to teach me, while on the phone with me and seated in front of my own computer, to learn to program my own hearing aids EXACTLY to my liking, as I don't have to try to explain what something sounds like... I just listen, move the correct slider, listen again, move the slider a little bit more... etc., etc., for all the various frequencies we hear throughout our normal day. Tap a glass with a knife? Oh! Too tinny, move the slider. Strum a G chord on a guitar.... Oh, not enough bass... move the slider so that it is EXACTLY where it needs to be because YOU are controlling the slider, and not where an audiologist 'thinks' it should be because of a number on an audiogram. It is remarkably easy to program and fit your own hearing aids in the comfort of your own room. No longer need to try to find an audiologist who carries your brand.

Perhaps one of the most skilled locksmiths in Chiang Mai can be found in the little shop tucked into the corner stores, just west of the turn onto Wualai Rd from the moat. It's right there at the corner, but it's hard to see it if you drive by. Better to park near by and walk over.

LOL! I like this one! I'd never heard of it before and had to look it up. Pretty wild!

Thanks, Seey. There are enough maps and charts to keep me busy for a while! ????

I can recognize a cold front and a warm front on a map, know what an isobar is, and if my window is open, can tell if it's raining. Might you have links to these? Thanks for all these suggestions, folks. I appreciate it. I'm just looking for some light diversion and a bit of new education. Rainy season seems to me to be a good time for this sort of learning!

I've been giving this some thought... This is just my opinion.... Assuming your audiometric test did not reveal an unknown physical problem, and your concern is only the accuracy of the hearing results, I'd say don't worry. The test just takes several minutes and actually, even with a total soundproof room still relies upon the user to respond to EVERY tone played for accuracy. Missing a bunch still gives enough of an overview of one's hearing; moderate loss, severe loss, profound loss, etc., and the corresponding numbers on a chart. The audiologist (or self ) takes those numbers and plugs them into the hearing aid. That's called... a good place to START fitting the device. Every one of those numbers is going to get tweaked, and tweaked again as you fit your hearing aids and adjust them to your liking. The audiogram is just a handy reference place with which to start. Don't worry if yours is off. You can quickly and easily adjust for it when you're fitting your hearing aids. BTW.... 'fitting,' in audiologistspeak means 'adjusting the various settings to get the most desirable sound quality.

A friend just asked me, offline, 'why' I used the third program as 'ear plugs' vs just turning off the hearing aid or turning down the volume to zero. Most hearing aids don't have an on/off switch. 'Some' have a volume control switch... but not all. Most common today is to see a volume button or rocker, and a program pushbutton. It's faster and easier to just press the button to change program then multiple presses of the volume rocker. Simple as that. ????

Yes, you most certainly are thinking correctly! One thing you may like to do is take notice of the various 'options' that the different brands and models offer. Question them. Will you really need the telecoil if you don't live/move in an area where the theaters and halls are equipped for telecoil? You do have to pay extra for it, but if you basically don't need it, why include it? Most better brands offer 3-5 programmable programs. How many do YOU need? I use one for 'normal, everyday walking around.' I use another in noisy restaurants when I want to have a directional mic pointing at the person sitting opposite me so as to reduce the sound of the people at tables behind and beside me. I have a third program that I set to ZERO sound. Ear Plugs. I use that when I'm on the motorcycle or in very noisy places. I never use my 4th program. One thing most people don't realize is that the guts of these major name brands are all made in the same few factories. One factory for everybody's microphones, another factory for everybody's speakers, another factory cranks out the ear domes, etc., etc., and the Brand Name assembles them... or they buy assembled components and just snap 'em together with their brand name on them! However, sticking with one of the name brands is a great way to go. Finding a reliable source online 'can' save you a considerable amount of money. The really better hearing aids generally start around $2500-$4500 each, but find the right place and you can cut a thousand off the price. Personally, I use a place in Indiana called Hearsource (www.hearsource.com) They carry Widex and ReSound, as well as lower end models. Great for buying, great customer service, great repair when needed service (I've only needed twice in 20 years) Good luck in your search. Getting good hearing back feels nice...

Request to Weather watchers in Chiang Mai. I'd like to locate a few professional quality online daily weather map sites for Chiang Mai province. For those of you used to nautical and aeronautical weather charts... this is the sort of thing I'm looking for. I have been studying up on how to interpret them (my 10th grade Earth Science class all but forgotten) and would like to put together a clickable list of good chart sites for weather interpretation. Thanks.

1. Sorry, I don't know. I have never seen it in use. But modern hearing instruments are being designed with user friendliness involved. The fitting software that audiologists use to adjust the hearing aids simply isn't that complex, and could easily be put in phone app size. It's actually much easier for the user to get the correct fitting as they no longer have to 'translate' their hearing into words the audiologist can understand regarding the quality of sound. The user can be listening to, for example, music, and adjust the sliders back and forth until they 'hear' exactly what they want, rather than saying; 'No... too much... take it down a little.... no that was not enough... take it down just a little more.... hmmmmm.... almost, but can you get rid of the snarly sound? (if you are controlling the adjustments yourself, you avoid all of that, and get it exactly to you liking!) 2. Yes and no. Which do you prefer; heavy bass, light bass, heavy mid-range, heavy treble, etc.,? Of course, each of these can be modified... a bit. Each model of every brand has a slightly different sound quality. Although the higher priced models will have 'better' sound quality, is it the particular range that 'you' wish to hear? 3. Sure.... they love to have their incomes cut by modern technologies. I've never had to wait for a queue number in an audiology office or hearing aid shop.

One of the shops I visited today was Audiomed. They told me that they would have to special order Starkey. That means one would not be able to listen to the voice quality of the different models before buying, and that voice quality really does change from model to model. You're welcome. If you have other questions, just message me. There is so much misleading info out there, much of it put forth by audiologists who need clients to be chained to their services in order to make a living. A lot of it just isn't true. You CAN adjust your own hearing aids without having to go to Audio school for 4 years, but the audiologists tell you that you can't. They won't even sell you a copy of the adjustment (fitting) software. But many of today's hearing aids can be adjusted with a Smartphone... if... the audiologist will teach you how. But then, they don't make any money when you come back to have an adjustment. If you plug into some of the audiology forums, you can read what different audiologists are saying about these new self-adjustable hearing aids. They ain't happy.

I went looking around today, and found two shops that would 'special order' Starkey and ReSound brands (two leaders in the market,) but would not offer the same factory 4-year warrantee, only 6 month, and could not provide repair services. So, I was incorrect. Recognized name brands ARE available in Chiang Mai, but...