FolkGuitar

Chiang Dao Tuesday morning market had a couple of stalls selling local tobacco by the kilo. One fellow was set up just next to the bus station.

Thanks! I've found that most hearing aid clinics only charge 400-500 Baht for an audiogram. Oddly enough, every audiogram that I've had in hearing aid clinics include a 'Signal-to-Noise Loss Ratio' test, which measure one's ability to hear spoken words clearly in various levels of background noise. This is a VERY important test when adjusting hearing aids for a user. This test was not done by Bangkok Hospital. Not as thorough an audiogram, as it turns out, that I actually needed. Fortunately, I had the results from the one done in a hearing aid clinic that I was able to send to my company.

This is especially the case with an audiogram. The test is totally non-invasive, nothing put in-nothing taken out. In fact, all you do is listen to beep tones or speaking in background noise in a pair of ordinary headphones and press a button. That's it. Out pops a piece of paper with your audiogram. And that is all I needed. If it IS legal to do so, and we are NOT required to have a doctor's prescription to get an audiogram in a hearing aid store, with possibly no medically-trained people involved, and we do know that it is... ...then 'requiring' a doctor's exam first, then more audiological tests than had been asked for, followed by another doctor's consult afterwards, and being charged for them despite being told that these were not wanted or needed is nothing more than the hospital covering its a$$ and padding the bill with unwanted and unneeded tests. Hey, if someone wants a doctor's consult and a more complete audiological examination, then this is great. But only if you need all of it.

Samui was great, back in the early '90s, as a place to spend a night or two before moving on to Koh Tao for a few months of quiet tranquility. Not any longer.

I eat lunch in the Old City or around town every day. I am seeing more and more tourists walking around the city than in the past 2-3 years, but it's not nearly at the pre-Covid level. The restaurants in which I eat have fewer than half their tables filled mid-week at lunchtime. Weekends are a bit busier, but other than traffic, which has already become a problem, Chiang Mai has a long way to go. I do see progress, but there is still work to be done. New restaurants and guest house/hotels are opening every week, and the feeling is positive. Agoda and Booking,com are telling us that most hotels and guest houses only have one or two rooms available, but I don't see the people yet.

Then are they really Audiologists? Or are they just people working in Hearing Aid stores as audiological technicians?

You're correct. I am on a crusade to eliminate unneeded medical tests. This is a serious problem all over the world these days. People have been brainwashed into believing that they need mommy or daddy to tell them what's best for them. In some modern countries, it's even the common practice to go to see a doctor in a hospital when one has a headache or the common cold! (Usual procedure in Japan.) Regarding the fellow who administered your audiogram, if he did NOT have a tertiary degree in Audiology, then he wasn't an 'audiologist.' He was a Audiological Technician. Your punctured eardrum required the services of a medical doctor. My needing a piece of paper did not. It just required an audiologist... or even an audiological technician. No interpretation needed or wanted. I had other 'experts' that I trusted more who would do that when they received the paper. The doctor's consult and the tympanogram test were just padding the bill.

Exercising in a park shirtless? Certainly. Just put it back on when you're done. Don't walk around town without a shirt. Fact is, the police 'can' hassle you about it. All too many young backpack tourists think that because it was the norm on Koh Phangan or Koh Tao that it's OK to walk around half naked in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, often with a bottle of beer in each hand. Ask yourself the question; would that be acceptable behavior in your home city?

When we renewed our 1-yr visas two months ago, we made an appointment. We showed up 20-30 minutes before time, had our papers checked in the tent, then went inside and stood on line behind 2-3 people at the counter who did NOT have appointments. They were given queue numbers and told to sit. They did NOT leave their paperwork at the counter. We did. We gave in out paperwork and were told to sit... no queue number given. About 15 minutes later our names were called for photos. Ten minutes after that, our names were called again and we were given our passports. The walk-ins who were ahead of us on line at the counter had still not handed in documents or talked with an Imm officer.

There is no reason why a 78yr old man, if properly trained and in good physical condition should refrain from any activities treated respectfully. I'm 75. I have no difficulties with paragliding, other than getting tired sooner than my younger companions. The family that flies together, ties together! (My wife and I flying one afternoon in Japan.)

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.

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.

My wife wants one of these plastic or ceramic coffee filter paper holders that fit over a mug or small pot, and I haven't been able to locate one so far. I've looked in Starbucks, Central, Tessco Lotus, Doi Chang. Everyone is selling the paper filters, but not the holders. (TIT) I'll probably look in Big C, HomePro, Central Festival, and Makro tomorrow. Have you seen one of these in the area?