jfchandler

I don't doubt that, Tropo, having seen multiple reports of such from Sin City, Thailand...

My only point was, that bank books requirement isn't replicated at least at Bangkok Immigration, and probably at other upcountry offices as well.

There are instances where one or a couple local offices decide to do their own thing, notwithstanding the broader rules and practices.

Maybe someone can answer a simple Thai election question here...

We live in BKK, but my wife's tabien baan is for Khon Kaen...

Apparently, I found out today in conversation, she's never before voted in her entire life, even though she has some political awareness and preferences...

Question is: Can she somehow vote in BKK or vote absentee for the upcoming election, without traveling back to KK, and if so, how?

Too late. She needed to register for pre-voting a couple of weeks ago. Pre-poll voting is this weekend.

Thanks Why... She mentioned something about thinking it was already too late for her... But was vague on the details...

So next time, I'll have to get on her case sooner.... unless we end up moving up to KK someday... :jap:

From some acquaintances, it's not an uncommon route for Thais wishing to become doctors or nurses to join some branch of the military and thus get their medical training and certifications in that manner, without having to pay some or all of the normal schooling costs that would be associated with medical degrees. They are then committed to serve in the military for some period of time thereafter, working in government-military hospitals, which serve both the military and regular civilians as patients.

Maybe someone can answer a simple Thai election question here...

We live in BKK, but my wife's tabien baan is for Khon Kaen...

Apparently, I found out today in conversation, she's never before voted in her entire life, even though she has some political awareness and preferences...

Question is: Can she somehow vote in BKK or vote absentee for the upcoming election, without traveling back to KK, and if so, how?

However just want to note that the Korean BBQ across from JUSCO is not there anymore.

Just to confirm the above, the Korean BBQ buffet place on Soi 71 is indeed closed/gone...

The name was Go Ki Jip, and there are still references to it on the web in various places, now out-of-date, of course.

However, the same restaurant does have another branch in the Thong Lor area, and we confirmed it by calling and speaking with them today.

Their address says Soi Thong Lor 20 with a phone of 02-714-9300.

The Phra Kanong location was more BTS friendly, whereas the Thong Lor location, I gather, is farther up from Sukhumvit and closer to Petchburi Road.

My wife didn't want to make the trek, so we went back to a Korean BBQ Buffet place we'd been to once before called Dawon, located on the left side of Thong Lor and a quick walk of about two blocks up from Sukhumvit Road and the Thong Lor BTS station. At present, they're offering a pork BBQ buffet, with all the Korean sides, for 290 baht all day, from lunch until closing. And then they're offering a beef version of the same deal for 490 baht, I believe.

For their beef price, I'd stick with the Thai style Best Beef buffet restaurant on Sukhumvit Road near On Nut BTS for 199 baht. But for more authentic Korean style dishes, the 290 baht pork buffet at Dawon is quite a good value. I believe they have a two-hour limit with the buffet.

And today, their service was good and attentive. Asked for more lettuce slices, asked for more chilis, asked for more kimchi, and all were brought promptly... Drinks refilled quickly and charred grill plates regularly replaced. Each table also has its own kind of suction tube to suck up whatever smoke is coming up off the charcoal bucket grill that inset into the tables, meaning you don't come away smelling like BBQ, at least not too much.

I'm not sure YouTube downloads are any particularly telling indicator of international or Thailand to USA Internet speeds...

From what I've read, Google and YouTube use CDN (Content Delivery Networks) to provide their data, meaning it's geographically distributed.

This article below is talking about a live online concert, but it includes the broader background...

Despite the fact that Google has it's own quite impressive CDN, streaming live video (as opposed to progressive downloads, which YouTube has historically relied on) is hard stuff.

http://techcrunch.co...urrent-viewers/

And...

<li>Most popular content is moved to a CDN (content delivery network):

- CDNs replicate content in multiple places. There's a better chance of content being closer to the user, with fewer hops, and content will run over a more friendly network.

- CDN machines mostly serve out of memory because the content is so popular there's little thrashing of content into and out of memory. <li> Less popular content (1-20 views per day) uses YouTube servers in various colo sites.

http://highscalability.com/youtube-architecture

Likewise, even though I've generally brought them with me just in case, I've never had Immigration at Suan Plu (formerly) or Chaeng Wattana (since it opened) ask to see anything involving Thai bank accounts or bank books... when seeking the annual extension of stay for retirement as an American based on monthly income.

Police Probes Hit-and-Run Case

UPDATE : 22 June 2011

The City Police deputy commissioner asserted that the case is proceeding without delay, but the details must be carefully considered as they could affect the army's image.

Really???

I provide my own color copies, and size and cut them to be wallet card size... The photo shop near my home does the lamination for 40 baht.

Thanks SR... More current reports that give no credence to the original post in this thread.

Doctor, I'm not clear about one thing re your post above....

You're using the income method/consulate letter to qualify, meaning at least 65,000 baht in monthly income...

When you talk about providing bank book and bank statements to your local Immigration office that they regularly have asked you for, do you mean...

a. for Thai bank account(s) unrelated to the 65K, just showing you have some funds in Thai accounts.

or

b. the bank account(s) that document your 65,000 plus in monthly income, essentially the backup documents for your consular income letter.

I never carry my actual passport with me, except when going to Immigration or some other official thing where I need it.

Rather, I carry my real driver's license and a laminated wallet-size color photocopy, passport face page on the front and my current visa/extension stamp info on the reverse...

Never had any problem. Always hand the laminated photocopy to hotel desks whenever we are traveling in country, and never had one question it... Just make sure the copy is large and clear enough that they can read your passport number.

Replacing a lost/stolen or prematurely worn out passport book, along with the stamps it holds, is a whole lot more grief than anything that could happen by carrying the other kinds of IDs...and having the real passport safely at home and retrievable if/when you need it.

Seems we're a bit touchy on this point, huh? A bit on the defensive side? Wonder why?

In thinking about this further, I suppose it comes down to a simple point and question that I'll freely admit, I don't know the answer to...

I start from the presumption that as guests in this country, we're suppose contribute to it... and not be a burden on the government or society. I think most farang would subscribe to that notion...

So, when a farang is treated at a government hospital, are the fees they pay covering the full cost or more of their care. If so, then I suppose, it's a break even or better situation for the hospital... generally speaking. And no harm, no foul.

But, if when a farang visits a government hospital, if the hospital's patient charges to you are a government subsidized rate and thus they're having to dip into their government funding that's meant for Thai people to cover the cost of YOUR care, to me, that is wrong...

Published : January 20, 2011 :: 11:01:18

Hospitals count cost of foreigners’ bills

State hospitals in the southern province are shouldering a heavy burden for treating elderly foreigners who cannot afford to pay their medical bills.

Many retired foreigners who came to Thailand with the hope of settling down here are now struggling after spending their pensions wastefully and marrying Thai women, some of whom left them after their money ran out. Lots of foreigners have fallen ill and been admitted to local hospitals. Their relatives back home refuse to pay for their treatment on being contacted by the embassy, Vachira Phuket Hospital’s public relations centre said. The embassies regard the matter as personal. They will provide help to their nationals only in cases of emergency or disaster. “So we’ve treated these patients based on professional ethics until the last moments of their lives. Funeral rites and merit-making ceremonies are held for them,” a source at the centre said.

The state-run Vachira Phuket Hospital admitted a record 377 foreign patients, mostly Britons, in the 12 months to Sept 30, 2010. There were also cases of foreigners who died outside of hospital but were brought in for autopsies. They died of causes ranging from road accidents to drowning and suicide. The hospital last year spent 1.3 million baht treating 17 penniless foreigners. It was the third consecutive year that the hospital had logged unpaid bills. The hospital bore costs of more than 1.2 million baht in 2009 for 22 foreign patients, a 50% rise from the 800,000 baht in costs to treat 17 patients in 2008, the centre said.

“These patients are mostly European men,” the source said. “They didn’t take out health insurance. They renew their visas every year and have no savings.” Some of them produced fake financial statements to have their visas renewed. Each foreign national seeking the renewal of his or her retirement visa must have at least 800,000 baht in their bank account or show they have earnings of at least 65,000 baht a month.

The source said foreigners’ savings often were quickly used up on entertainment and women. Some who wanted to build families in Phuket married Thai women who later took off with their money. In a lot of cases, the patients require long-term treatment for chronic illnesses such as alcoholism and liver and heart diseases. The source said the government should review its policy and focus on quality tourism. Stricter screening of visa applications was needed. Foreign residents must be required to have health insurance. The government should even set up a fund to help foreign patients with some of their financial costs, the source said.

http://www.ethailand.com/news/hospitals-count-cost-of-foreigners-bills-64304.html

The understaffing situation at some public hospitals has become worse partly because of the government's extended healthcare programme, which puts more pressure on public hospitals, which are already short on government-provided resources.

Many physicians have left the public hospitals in remote provinces to work in private hospitals in Bangkok and other big cities where they have less work load, better support facilities and more equipment to perform their duties.

The shortage of staff is seen in recent statistics from Medical Council records. It shows that 39,395 doctors are practising around the country, but at least 9,772 more are needed to fully serve the public health system. Dr Chanvej Satthabhud, president of the Trauma Association of Thailand, was recently quoted as saying that there was a critical need for extra physicians to perform emergency treatment for accident victims.

He added that the Medical Council's records also show that we have only 300 emergency surgeons and neurological surgeons working at hospitals across the country, and only 50 of these are now working at rural hospitals nationwide.

The situation in the nursing profession is no better. Thailand needs 180,435 nurses to provide adequate coverage, but the Kingdom now has only 130,710. Again, the shortage is more serious in rural provinces.

Thanks for clarifying that you're only using overburdened Thai government hospital resources in the afternoon... not in the morning...in consideration of the local Thais who have no other option for their medical care... The fact that you avoid the morning rush I'm sure comes as great comfort to everyone involved... Been doing the same for 21 years now, huh?

I have great respect for the Thai government medical system and its staff who try to do their best under often terrible conditions, short of staff, short of money and with far too many Thais to care for than their facilities and funding can support...

And then you come along, and add your burden on top of it all... Great guest for Thailand... Hope you're proud of yourself.

I'm not saying the private hospitals and the doctors at them are all great. They're not.

But all you have to do is read the newspapers lately to see article after article of govt. hospitals being vastly short of money and short of staff, lacking thousands of nurses and doctors because so many have fled to the larger cities like Bangkok for better pay and working conditions. And how those that remain are often the young and inexperienced...

I'm sure it's possible to get good medical care from a government hospital, as each one is different. But the more you venture out of the main population centers, I'd say the greater the risk you're taking of encountering either substandard care or substandard medical facilities.

And that aside, the low-cost government hospitals really are meant for Thais... not farangs....who are supposed to have either their own funds or medical insurance to cover their needs. At a time when the government medical system that poor Thais depend on is already so overburdened, to be a farang poaching on Thai government medical care on an ongoing, lifelong basis is a pretty lowly thing to be doing, IMHO.

Cha am

Lots of apartments

Hospital? not sure but BKK is 2 hr by car

Shopping - small tesco, the Village Mall in Hua Hin

Transport - about 2 hours to BKK by car or minivan

My wife is a nurse's aide at a private hospital here in BKK, and she says there is no particularly good private hospital option in Hua Hin or Cha-Am....

Curious how your TOT connection using the same Speedtest web site produces real ping numbers, but when you switch to True cable and still use the same SpeedTest site, you get the silly, bogus numbers...from the same site...

Here's some comparisons between my True Cable 20Mb/2Mb and TOT 6Mb/512Kb ADSL to London and San Francisco at 12:45-1:45pm/today/Tuesday. (Note: True ping times are bogus). Also, included results to a server in southern Thailand (ping times appear OK). All download times seem real world. Seems True is running a little speedier than this morning. TOT is running about its normal speed. Now, I'm on TOT 6Mb in writing this post; now need to switch back to the True 20Mb connection....in browsing it's definitely noticeable in how fast web pages appear between the 20Mb and 6Mb plans.

To London on True 20Mb/2Mb Cable

To London on TOT 6Mb/512Kb ADSL

I can't vouch for this myself, but my wife relates it from the Channel 3 news report on this...

She's saying, in addition to the mother and victim-daughter being doctors and the daughter being a military officer, that supposedly the father of the family is a deceased military officer as well...

If true, that would add another wrinkle to this... military vs. military.

Separately, it kind of sounds like the military guys might have delivered a different car to the police...

No one's saying who the alleged driver was...so presumably we can assume, it was someone of some prominence and rank.

It's great to have a low cost housing option in any number of places upcountry...

But what happens if the OP needs good medical care and/or hospitalization?

And when he says a "supermarket," I'm presuming he means one where he can buy some variety of western products...

And then there's the access to regional transportation issue someone mentioned above.

When you start factoring in those and other similar kinds of considerations, the options get quite a bit narrower.

How come the Ping/Latency is better to the US then to Europe?

Fewer hops maybe.. maybe slower hops to Europe...maybe more bandwidth to the U.S. I've noticed that pings to the Europe are almost always slower than to the U.S. Heck, maybe the routing is to the U.S. west coast first, across the continental U.S., and then from the U.S. east coast to Europe.

Gah! horrible news for me.

I got 4.7 Mbps to London this afternoon...on my True 10 Mbps cable... at 236 ms.... What's to complain about...

Here's the Internet transmission lines map I was seeing lately... Not sure of the date/currency on this...

I'd tend to agree generally, Pib... There's a couple things at play here...

For some uses/destinations, the content may be housed on servers locally or regionally, such as with Google or Apple or other big players who use content distribution networks (CDNs), meaning that those quicker times of the 20 Mbps plan to BKK and Singapore might yield some advantage.

But for true international connections where the content really is being pulled from cities in the U.S., I was interested to see the results of our little comparison... Actually, I had hoped to see a bit more of a consistent advantage with the 20 Mbps plan over the 10 Mbps plan for those international pulls....

But it didn't really surface consistently in our experiment. I think Pib's right about True having a certain amount and speed of true international bandwith, and what you get is what you get... Of course, local factors such as the cabling in his neighborhood vs. mine also could play a factor, I suppose. Though, Pib's setup presumably is new and tight, whereas my neighborhood is older and the outside pole cabling here in central BKK looks like a spaghetti factory has exploded!!!

I will say, though, (like Pib re his prior TOT DSL plan) the results above are definitely better than what I had been getting before with my True 8 Mbps DSL plan. That may be because, at present, there isn't as much local network congestion here in BKK on the cable system compared to the True DSL internet system.

One of True's CSRs told me recently that the two networks run separately, and that an outage in one doesn't mean an outage in the other. I have no way of knowing if that's true or not... But I was trying to get a sense of whether keeping a DSL account with True as a backup, in the event the cable network goes down, would be a useful or practical consideration.

Not exactly scientific...but an interesting comparison, tests run within one hour of each other this afternoon 4 - 5 p.m.

Pib's 20 Mbps True Cable BKK

JFC's 10 Mbps True Cable BKK

BKK:

Pib: 15.65

Jfc: 10.21

Singapore:

Pib: 15.73

Jfc: 10.21

San Francisco:

Pib: 2.58

Jfc: 3.14

Wash DC:

Pib: 1.98

Jfc: 1.56

London:

Pib: 4.01

Jfc: 4.7

San Jose:

Pib: 3.91 (some hours earlier in the day)

Jfc: 3.45

Los Angeles:

Pib:

Jfc: 3.65