bamboozled

Not bad! Yes, I'm in a stand alone house. Been using gas for a long time now. I don't think the electric is up to it in this house...induction, that is.

That IS cheap as chips! And not particularly weak flame, if it's true: 5kw...whatever that is, I don't really know, but it's "more" than the 3kw versions (I'd assume?).

I think I just read that most can. but not aluminum. I do have a certain fondness for seeing that blue flame.

Thanks! No, I had not considered this option. Yes, the gas tank can be an issue on occasion. Gas is handy, however, when the power goes out. I'll have a poke around with these. I'd be worried my cookware would need to be replaced. Also, I live in an old house that doesn't have great electric....old wiring and sockets that fit poorly and not enough of them. My chef friend also pushes for such a thing!

Hi Grumpy... Thanks for your reply. I was just poking around on here as your reply came in. I did see a Rinnai 3 burner advertised but it was very expensive, if I remember. 9k or 11k. I think it had a small toaster station underneath, too. More than I want to spend but I'll poke around for that brand. One of the problems these days, as I see it, is that I have no idea which brands are reliable anymore. I don't recognize the vast majority of them and the ones I do, like Electrolux, for example, have been sold off to companies that took the name but nothing else.

I've had a couple of these over the years with my most recent being a Smarthome brand double-burner with one side an infrared burner and the other just a regular flame. It was fine enough though perhaps a little under-powered. If I recall, it was very inexpensive, only about 1500 baht 5 or 6 years ago. Suddenly, one day as I was cooking, the glass top decided to up and shatter. That was a bit startling... And not fun to clean up; that tempered glass goes everywhere! So, this isn't rocket science but since I'm about to step out to buy a new one, I figured I'd ask people here if they have any pointers or tips. They certainly range a lot in price. Not sure what 6k buys that 3k or 2k doesn't. I've attached a pic of a random burner just to show what I'm talking about. Thanks in advance! Cheers.

Thanks! Yep, we're suckers for numbers. Sure is a hell of a lot cheaper than broadband at home or paying by the month on phone.

What is the downside to this setup? It certainly appears cheaper than installing broadband and the speed "seems' fast. What am I missing? Why would anyone have broadband instead of this setup? I'm asking because I'm wondering if I should cancel my broadband and go this route. Thank you.

cough cough it sure is!

I'm so glad you did throw in. Much appreciated and your input along with Pib's (and everyone's!) is very positive and encouraging.

Checking now! Thank you!

Thank you. I am going to try the contact lens method first!

This will be my first step, indeed! I do have the 20 baht cheaters everywhere. I just can't get used to, or haven't yet got used to, having to need something that is not part of my body to get through daily life.

Looks like I'll be making an appointment with the ophthalmologist. Thank you!

I second that!

Awesome, thank you!

Incredible amount of good information here, Pib. Thank you very much for taking the time to explain in such detail and break down the various possibilities. As of now, my far away vision doesn't seem to be affected. But I'm glad I can look forward to that deteriorating, too! What you describe, the IOL, seems pretty amazing. And not super, super expensive. I will do some more research about that and for the meantime, try the one contact lens approach and see how that works. It's reassuring to know that this procedure exists. I will copy and save all the info in my computer for when/if I want to move forward with an operation.I guess I have been caught off guard that my eyes have become such an issue. I always had good vision and for some reason didn't expect this to happen until later in life. Thanks again!

I will give his a shot, Sheryl. Who do I need to see for this, an ophthalmologist or simply an optometrist? Why will I eventually need cataract surgery? I did not realize such a thing was a given as we age.

This is all good advice, people, thank you. I'm not in a rush. Perhaps, yes, I can get used to them. I don't WANT to get used to them...is part of the problem. I did read about contact lenses for this issue. I guess they are cheaters in the bottom half and normal in the top half, something like that? It might be worth trying.

But of course! Now I HAVE found reference to the surgery the doctor talked about where one eye is laser corrected for near and the other for far, just after posting my question. Sometimes just asking kicks things into gear. My apologies, doctor!

Great info; thank you again... I paid for a multi re-entry permit at the time of the retirement visa for the peace of mind of not having to worry about it. Money well spent, IMO.

You're right, thank you. I did actually see an ophthalmologist and have my eyes checked. She said I had dry eyes and the above condition, presbyopia, but no other issue. I asked what could be done and she mentioned surgery where one eye would be corrected for near vision and the other eye for distant vision. And the brain would compensate for the difference when necessary. I did not feel 100% confident with this doctor's answer. I don't think she is a specialist in correcting eyes but in diagnosing the condition. I have not found such a procedure that she suggested online, either. So, yes, I will ultimately search out a specialist but I'm doing my online sleuthing first, as much as possible. Cheers!

Thank you, Red. That's very helpful. I may be confusing visas/rules but can I exit and re-enter Thailand before my retirement visa expires and get an extra 90 days? That was the case with the Non-O based on marriage that I used to have.

There are a few eye surgery posts on here but I didn't quite see one about the above condition. To the point: my close-up vision has gotten worse fairly dramatically (in my view) in the last 2 or 3 years. Typical as we age. I need to wear cheater glasses to view anything close-up but distance is no problem. I am finding it hard to accept this. Is there any operation to correct this particular condition? I have searched the internet but feel a bit confused. Perhaps because I don't want to admit that there is no easy solution or no solution at all. Anyone have experience with this? Thank you.

Perfect!