BangkokHank

We would complain less if we were not charged more.

While the receptionist is obviously not responsible for the clinic's pricing policy, a receptionist is generally the first point of interaction between a business and its customers. In a properly run business, he should report to his manager that the policy of charging foreigners more was getting some pushback from foreigners. Then the manager can either change the policy (which they won't do), or just tell him not to tell foreigners that they are paying more (which would be the sensible thing to do). If he hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known. The fact that he told me suggests that didn't think there was anything wrong with charging foreigners more. Maybe he's used to dealing with foreigners like you who prefer to say nothing and pay more. I will visit the mall management tomorrow and point out this dual pricing that is taking place in their mall. They probably won't/can't do anything about it, but they should at least know that one of their biggest tenants has a policy of charging foreigners more.

It's also only 70 baht for them. Would you accept it if your supermarket charged you 70 baht extra for being a foreigner? After all, it's just 70 baht - and you're obviously a rich foreigner. I guess you don't understand the concept of principles. In that case, perhaps you could pay the extra 70 baht for me - since it's such a small amount?

A shopping mall near my home in a Bangkok suburb is currently undergoing a complete renovation. While walking around the mall a couple of weeks ago observing the work in progress, I spotted what I thought was a brilliant addition to the mall: A very large, modern looking health clinic. This is such a practical idea, because there are many health-related things that do not require the use of a hospital, such as blood tests, etc. Yesterday I went back to the mall to check if the clinic was open, and it was. So I asked them what it would cost to have a fasting insulin test. The man working at the reception responded with, "We only recently opened, so we don't have our foreigner prices yet." Ha. Not a good start. I countered with, "So you have different prices for foreigners and Thais." He said yes. So I asked, "And the prices for foreigners is lower, right?" I was actually not so surprised when he answered that no, actually foreigners have to pay a little more. When I asked him why, he just mumbled something about "hospital policy". The actual prices were as follows: Price of the test (for foreigners): 420 baht. Plus a 250 baht hospital fee. Price for Thais: 350 baht (plus the hospital fee). Conclusion: The main benefit for me of having this conveniently located clinic just minutes away from my home is that now I don't have to go as far as I used to to get overcharged for medical care. I wonder why they feel the need to charge foreigners more for things? And I just hope that the other shops in the mall, like the supermarket, don't get any ideas from them.

I experienced the same thing about thirty years ago in Udaipur, India. After a bad meal, it was coming out of both ends at the same time, and luckily the toilet and the sink in my hotel bathroom were placed in such a way that I could do both while seated. Maybe that is so common in India that they design the bathrooms that way?

I visited Uzbekistan for the first time three months ago. It was one of the most amazing of the more than 80 countries I have visited in my life. It's beautiful, friendly, safe. And with direct six-hour flights between Bangkok and the capital Tashkent, I plan to go back every September/October, when the weather is great there while we are experiencing the worst of the rainy season here in Thailand. Here are some of my photos from the trip:

And all the Thai authorities are going to be concerned about is the damage to Thailand's reputation - and not the unnecessary death of this unfortunate accident victim.

Another dangerous vaccine whose sole purpose is to make money for its producer, at the expense of the health of young women everywhere. I read the below great book about the fraud involved in pushing this vaccine on a gullible public when a friend wanted to vaccinate her daughter: https://www.amazon.com/HPV-Vaccine-Trial-Generation-Betrayed/dp/1510710809/ Unfortunately, I was unable to prevent my friend from having her daughter vaccinated. The only thing good that I can say about this vaccine is that it's not quite as deadly as the COVID "vaccine". If someone you know is thinking about getting this vaccine and you don't want to bother reading this book, then at least read some of the reviews of it.

Yes, it seems that it's just a matter of no seats being available during the busy holiday season. I just checked 12go for a random date in February, and train tickets are available on that website then. I only discovered 12go recently on a trip to Uzbekistan. What a great way to book train (and other) tickets, especially in the less transparent countries!

To the OP: Last year, I needed to transfer money to my brother in the US. The bank asked me if he has the same last name as I do. When I said yes, they processed the transfer without further question. Apparently Thais understand the concept of helping a family member in need, and the recipient having the same last name is a good indication of someone being a family member. I remember wondering at the time if I would have been able to send money to my sister, who has a different last name due to marriage. In the case of the OP, is it possible that your brother has the same last name as you but your daughter doesn't - due to being married? If that is the case, then perhaps you could try sending the money to your brother and asking him to give it to your daughter? It's at least worth a try, I think.

Even if it wasn't a scam (which it was), you are under no obligation to give money to random people simply because they ask you to. You did the right thing. In these situations, I sometimes tell the person, "Oh, I was just about to ask YOU for money - because I'm having problems as well. So let's just call it even."

It's going to take him a lot of step ladders to make back his fortune.

Their purple urine matches their purple hair.

My money is in a brokerage account in another country, and the account is not accessible by ATM. The only way to get money from the account is to transfer it to a bank account in my name anywhere in the world. Your way of doing it should work for me as well. I could transfer the money from my brokerage account to a bank account in my name in Cambodia, then access that money in Thailand via ATM, thereby bypassing any tax that the Thais would try to impose on it. Thanks very much for the idea. So the obvious question: How difficult is it for someone not living in Cambodia to open a bank account there? I guess it must be possible, as you have done it. What are the requirements to do so? Thanks.

My wife works, but my partner doesn't. So I spend time with my partner while my wife is at work.

I have been sleeping in front of a fan for nearly 30 years, and somehow I'm still alive - perhaps because I don't point the fan at my face because it's my body that I want to cool while I sleep, and not my face. Anyway, anyone who believes such a silly thing deserves to have higher electricity bills: https://inmykorea.com/korean-fan-death-myth/

I seldom use an air-conditioner (which is the biggest user of electricity in a home), as I find that a powerful fan keeps me cool enough for a fraction of the cost. Doing that keeps my electricity bill in the range of 600-800 baht per month. I just point the fan at myself. I don't need to cool the whole room to cool myself. Try it.

I couldn't have said it better myself. The people running this website clearly have a political agenda, and anything that goes against that agenda is suppressed. That is not a formula for success.

Toxicity and negativity don't bother me. But censorship does.

Control freaks? Wannabe dictators?

Thanks for the advice. How did I make it this far in life without you?

I don't know the idioms from every English speaking country. This particular idiom, in this context, is a British one. I speak (and teach) American English.

I don't know what "kicked on" means.

I lived in Ho Chi Minh City from 2015-2021. It was common for Vietnamese students to approach foreigners in the park near the backpacker district to practice English. In fact that's how I met most of my Vietnamese friends. The Vietnamese are different from Thais. They actually ARE interested in practicing English, and they often lack the money to pay for lessons. Unlike Thais, they are not too proud to ask for a free opportunity to practice. So especially in a place like Quy Nhon, where they don't see many foreigners, I would accept what this woman said at face value. I don't think she intends to cheat you. But if you are afraid of being cheated, just pick the restaurant yourself - if you decide that you would like to eat something together. Or just tell her that you're not hungry.

At first I thought the headline of this article said "Construction tycoon jailed for poaching leaves", and I thought, "Stealing leaves from a tree is not such a serious crime. There must be more to the story."