carnifex

14 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

Maybe this fact explains the sick phenomena of Donald Trump, MAGA, and QAnon.

56% of US adults have a valid passport.  That “60 or 70%” range was pulled straight out of the poster’s butt.

American passport holders

I’m not a defender of US policies, and certainly not a defender of Trump, but this issue of the US not having a high number of passport holders is much more complicated than the raw number would indicate.  The US is a large country with much to see and do. Its land area is about the same as Europe and twice that of the EU. Americans can also travel to places like Hawaii and Puerto Rico without a passport, and could also do so to Mexico and Canada prior to 2001.  As I said, it’s a more complicated issue, but complicated explanations don’t usually make their way into political talking points.

I would be curious to see the percentage of Europeans who have traveled outside of Europe for the sake of comparison.

On 7/1/2019 at 6:43 AM, garyk said:

Wow, that is a huge difference, I was in surgery and had a titanium plate put in my wrist in Colombia. 1600 dollars. And that was about 3 years ago now. 

Apparently we had the same surgery, except they used a stainless steel plate in Thailand. As an aside, I re-injured my wrist the day before returning home and had to have a new plate put in back in the states. Although the care I received in Thailand was very good, the technology difference was glaring.

In the Thai hospital, I checked in on a Sunday evening and they performed the surgery early Monday morning. They put me completely under for the surgery and they used a steel plate. I checked out Tuesday morning.

Back in the states, I checked in and out on the same day. I was only at the hospital for about 5 or 6 hours if I remember correctly. They used a light general anesthesia and a nerve block to deaden my arm from the elbow down. They also used a titanium plate (which is much better in airports).

Thanks for posting the pics from Mexico. 

On 6/26/2019 at 9:33 PM, garyk said:

These is lower middle class folks. 

I looked in newer neighborhoods. And decided that this was the best bang for the buck.

Everyone has different needs.

 

Health insurance? No I had none. I think the total bill was 1600 dollars.  I have been in the hospital in Thailand many times, but never in a first class hospital. When i got hurt in Thailand it was usually in the sticks, and the local hospitals was all that was available. So I cannot comment on that. Although the few times I was in the hospital in Thailand I thought the care was very good and very cheap.

 

I am from south Texas and I am used to Mexico. Keep doing your homework, and good luck if you decide to move. 

This ain't Asia....  Be careful.

For comparison, I broke my wrist in Thailand in 2007 in a motorbike accident. I had surgery at Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya. Although I had health insurance, international claims were reimbursed and not paid directly to the hospital. The cost was about $4,500. I believe the exchange rate at the time was about 35 baht to the dollar.

Your first mistake was not dealing with her when she first showed the crazy. Allowing her to stay around after that just empowers her.

Using TV logic, if it asks for money for a sick buffalo it must be the female of the species.

Sucks to hear this. The handful of times that I met Doug he seemed like a genuinely good guy. Hope he can get things worked out.

I haven't been to Bangkok since late 2008 (yellow shirts took over the airport and all that fun--but that's not why I haven't been back yet). Before that I made annual trips to Thailand and would usually have a meal or two at Bourbon Street Restaurant on Suk soi 22. The owner and I are both from New Orleans and some of the food reminds me of home. I see on the website they only refer to soi 63 now. Does anyone know if the old location closed or do they have 2 locations now?

Also, I read another thread from last year about Thanksgiving dinner. Does Bourbon Street have a buffet on the American Thanksgiving? What does it include other than turkey?

Thanks in advance.

"In the U.S., out-of-state students often pay more tuition and fees than in-state students."

That is because U.S. taxpayers pay income, property and sales taxes that among other things pay most of the costs of University and College education costs in the U.S. Since foreign students come here for an education and then should return home, they usually don't pay their fair share of the costs of their education. Many are even able to avoid the higher foreign student rate by getting a discount to the in-state rate by taking a part time job with the University such as a lab assistant in a sophomore class. About half of the electrical engineering students at University of Texas are from India. If the taxpayer only knew their students are rejected from admission and part time jobs at the University because of the Indian student clique they would probably revolt.

As a tourist, I don't mind paying extra at Thai national parks etc. for what Thais have preserved or paid for through taxes etc. but Dream World? Probably not subsidized by the Thai government.

Dream World sells happiness but happiness is probably better achieved through lowered expectations.

There is also another important part to this. Students don't pay more because they are not US citizens. They pay more because they are not citizens of that particular state. Other US citizens have to pay the higher amount, too, if they're from out of state.

I have to admit that my first experience with the two tier pricing in Thailand bothered me. But on the whole, things just don't cost that much in Thailand for someone from the west. 450 baht is like $13. While I haven't been to Dream World, I do know that similar attractions in the states are much more expensive than this. I don't think it's worth getting upset over.

My wife and recently moved to Bang Saray. When in BKK, I used Bumrungrad whenever I needed medical assistance. What would be equivalent hospital in Pattaya/Sattahip region?

I was in a motorbike accident in May 2007 and both bones in my wrist were seperated from the joints (please excuse my lack of medical terminology). I had surgery at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital where the put a steele plate in my wrist (the bones were jammed too far back for any type of cast, etc). I had follow-ups with x-rays in Bangkok and at home in the USA and all the subsequent doctors gave big compliments to the surgeon. Also, the nursing care was really excellent and the hospital was very clean (moreso than many hospitals I've visited in much more developed places). They earned my respect.

Maybe not your type of area but President Solitaire, Suk soi 11, big rooms and Platinum suite has a jacuzzi and is below your price range.

RAZZ

+1

This is my first choice when I'm in Bangkok. Great, big, clean rooms with large screen (42" if I'm not mistaken) and jacuzzi. Hotel offers free tuk tuk to the skytrain and the Andaman (sp?) Spa located inside the hotel offers one of the best massages around (right down to the room and music they use for the massage). The President Solitaire is probably one of the better bargains you'll find in the 4000 baht range.

I've never stayed at the Grand President, but the same owners have the President Solitaire right around the corner. Very nice place and very good for the family. It's a decent hike from Sukhumvit, but the hotel has a free tuktuk for you at all times. The place is really one of Bangkok's hidden treasures and it's usually where I stay when I'm in town. I think prices may be slightly more than the Grand President, though. Just my two cents worth.