think_too_mut

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

But Recaro is a German company. Do you mean that Recaro manufactured them in Thailand? I really didn't know that those prior generation 777 seats were made by Recaro, and that surprises me as they are generally well regarded as a high quality seat company.

Also, I believe your photo is with the new design 777 seats. The old ones were all blue with fabric cover.

Recaro can be a German company but the seats were trusted to "a local contractor", meaning recaro made them in Thai. Nothing special, many manufacture their goods in Thai.

New design seats? That was in 2007. and the plane was (then) I think 17 years old. The design could not be older. On 2 more planes like this I have been but did not see blueish design of the seats. Theye were being sent to Manila, Nagoya, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, mainly. Out of 17 planes with Recaro seats 11 had been refitted with regular ones (after years of passenger complaints), 6 remained and I think they are being discared as A330s arrive.

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

I live in Japan and everybody has National Health Ins or private ins,thats a law.I go for a blood test and Dr consult every month and its less than 20$.Spent 7 days in brand new hosp with all services paid less than 600$.I was in a ward but I don"t have anyone to impress. If your wife is Japanese send her home not for the money but for her piece of mind.Thailand and Thai"s are 3rd world, to a Japanese.Plus she speaks Japanese and can communicate. The biggest fault with the Japanese Medial System,NOBODY speaks english.

I thought they were selling Thailand as a tourist Medical Haven.

Been to Bumrungrad and thought it was cheap.

She could have stayed in the Oriental with a private nurse for less.

Wife is Thai and we live in Japan. She went there to evade rainy season and see family. As a local employee in Japan I have everything Japanese have, health insurance included. There are doctors that speak English, hospitals try to assign them on visits.

As soon as I start speaking Japanese to them, they feel relaxed and speak up in English, mostly enough to get things done.

No way we will do anything serious in Thai hospitals. I wanted to do dental implants and now, that I had them done in Japan (no knife, no blood) I recall horrors I would had had to go through in that BDIC, and they don't do it themselves, send you to some other place.

....Perhaps, they could have done the same therapy in any room, not only in that expensive one....

They could have rendered the same medical care in any room. Choice of room has no bearing on the care provided, it is purely a question of added luxuries at added price (and not at particularly good value for the money from what I can see)

...

Exactly.

What I have shared with TV members was about situations when their wife or partner has insurance and when in pain would accept anything just to get it fixed. There hospitals (although they might had explained the options) obviously try to maximize their income.

There was someone here who reported about hospital price, then no insurance, then hospital said - wait, this way, 10% of the original price for the same no-frills medical treatment. TVs and the Internet in a private room have nothing to do with the treatment as such.

Just few minutes before BKK noon, she was discharged. I spoke to her doctor, she said staying in hospital any longer won't speed up her recovery and that at most critical time she was where she should have been. Now, medications and I will meet the doctor in 10 days from now.

Price: 4 days room and doctor and nursing and whatever...70,000baht.

And it was meant to be a 2 months holiday for her and our daughter while school in Japan is closed.

I suspect the 6,000 figure may include the nursing so room is likely not VIP. As I recall nursing/meals just about doubles the basic room rates.

According to the link that you had helpfully provided, it is not. Room and doctor (I assume). Nothing else, no nursing nor food (I assume).

You may well be right.

One thing that I can recall from 3 days ago - they took her insurance card and, she believes, they made some phone calls to Aetna Insurance (on the card, there is an 1-800 number for any country in the world, to check her entitlements) and, while in pain, she did not realize what was happening and that there was alleged sales gig rolling on.

Cost is cost, health is health, hardly anything like time for negotiations.

I am not trying to get out of this unfortunate situation cheaply, just sharing as I see it developing.

According to the website the standard rate for a private room is only 2,000 baht. With al lthe features you mentioned.

The "deluxe" version is 2,700, essentially same thing but with also a microwave and some free English language magazines.

"Super deluxe" is 4,000 with this extra 1,300 gaining an "easy chair" near the patient's bed (as opposed to ordinary chair) plus a "futon sofa" (already all the rooms have an extra bed for a relative)

6,500 is the "VIP" room with a separate libving room, balcony, granite kitchen counter etc etc...you get the picture.

in other words what you are paying is not what it costs at that hospital for a private room with its own bath. Its the cost a a top end VIP suite.

If it were me, I'd change to a standard room, insurance or not, as this is absurd... and you'd best make sure your insurance will really cover a "VIP" suite, most policies cover only a standard room.

The standard rooms are absolutely fine.

On admission the hospitals do try to promote the higher end rooms but patients can opt for standard and most do.

I agree. And not sure if my insurance would cover all that excess (Aetna Insurance, through corporate)or would default with reimbursements to what you are saying.

I just knew she was going to visit a doctor, sinusitis (now we know), and heard from her 10 hours later.

Well, she was in that level of service before I knew. Hospital staff, when they saw her insurance card, obviously wanted to sell their top rooms.

After ensuring she has her own credit card (Visa Gold) they were all smiles.

There is one type of room for 6,500B, that's where she is now.

The trouble is - she is not feeling any better. Perhaps, they could have done the same therapy in any room, not only in that expensive one.

I am just sharing with fellow TV members how it can go with top insurance coverage.

I expect you are right that a meal option was not chosen on admittance. The normal private room is listed at under 3,000 baht so would expect the nursing and food might be extra. As they are planing on using this facility for foreign patients (near airport) expect they may have several menus available. A hospital has to be able to supply meals as many patients are on very restricted diets and it needs to be controlled.

Just off the phone with wife. Now I understand. No meals included come with any room but a menu with restaurant quality meals and several options (restricted meals, muslim, vegetarian) is available as room service, like in a hotel.

She would use it but not all the time (not sure how much it is, she thinks it was ~500B when several people came to visit her and she ordered meals for them). Most times the visitors would bring meals for her.

But the price is hefty indeed. Without insurance no way.

As you seem to be getting this information second hand you might want to check this page and perhaps contact Hospital directly as I am sure they have good English ability.

http://www.samitivej.info/srinakarin/roomrates_en.aspx?BranchID=2

Thanks for the link, I checked it, it does not make any mention of meals, not even for the most expensive room. Complementary tea/coffe (that she does not drink) once per day is all.

Unless the meals are so normal that it is not worth itemizing but now I doubt.

It also says "Excludes room service and nurse".

What a rip off even if meals are included.

No, it is not normal. Are you sure it is correct and that she is not without food and water for a medical reason? As I have never heard of a Thai hospital where the room charge did not include meals.

5-6,000 baht/ day is alas pretty much standard for the top end private hospitals for a fully private room...but that does of course include meals, drinking water, and other basic amenities. Semi-private will be considerably less and has the added advantage of the staff being in and out more often (2 rather than one patient to attend to)which IMO makes it a safer situation especially if there is not a family member in attendance with her.

Even in the budget-crunched government hospitals, meals come with the bed rate.

I think there is more to this story. either she is what we call "NPO" (nothing by mouth) for a medical reason, in which case going out to buy food or water is inadvisable, or it's a cover story for spending money, or they do provide meals but she doesn't like the food and is choosing to buy other (understandable given the quality of hospital food.

While I cannot imagine that meals don't come with the room, I can imagine her being NPO and this fact and the reason for it not having been properly explained to her, communication with patients not being a strong point of the Thai medical system.

It is a private room, it has patient's bed, sitting lounge for family, own toilet.

She is not under any diet for medical reasons, they watch her eating food brought from outside.

I just can't believe it, tomorrow I have a call with her doctor and will ask. So far, likely reason could be that she did not understand what they asked her on admittance, there could be a "no catering" option and she picked it and now thinks that's how it always is.

Also, how would they let people eat anything they like, that may interfere with the therapy, even go against it.

My wife has been hospitalized for several (and several more) days at Samitivej Srinakarin.

Private room, 6,000B per day but she has to go and buy food. No meals.

Even no water: she has to pay and buy bottles.

Is that normal?

What would happen if she could not move or did not have someone to stand by her side?

Best deals are to be had on the island, turn up and haggle .... prices down to 600bht if vacency before last boats go.

That's what I wanted to say too.

After 5PM, what is sold is sold. They can leave the rooms dormant or get something. Even 3pm they (hotel/bungalows owners) know.

Price too high - for 500-1,000B you are off to the mainland by a speedboat and they get nothing.

Even when Tsunami in 2004. rerouted 10s of thousands of tourists who had no intention to visit nor even knew the place existed, show-up and huggle still worked at Koh Samet.

#13 Centrair Nagoya should be higher up the list; a truly amazing airport.

Perhaps, the surveyers/respondents did not realzi they were inside an airport.

Centrair Nagoya:

To OP:

Koh Samet sees many people coming and leaving, day trippers. Songkran there has no that appeal as on the mainland - since private cars are not allowed, no processions of people dancing in the back of pickups and spraying water around. Many Thais would go to their hometowns or other places more appropriate for that. "Busy" at Songkran at Koh Samet is not a big deal, if that exists at all, I would not worry about it.

My guess, more than 90% people leave between 4 and 5 pm, plenty of accommodation available even if you just show up.

Staying at Ban Phe would work but only if you are ready to put up with slow and cheap boat that takes you to the only pier on the island. Then you have to take a songtaew to the beach, small but still extra cost and hassle.

Or, rent a speed boat (joining with other unkown travellers) and the boat will come straight to the beach where you want to go and come back at time you tell them to be there to take you back. That could cost 1500B or whatever your share is.

White shark speed boat company has tickets for 250 baht per pax from memory. they go every 2 hours i think

That's good then. 250Baht is nothing for the convenience those speed boats provide.

We were staying at the Rayong Resort and the speed boat came there to pick us up.

Went to Koh Samet 4 times, 2 times regular boat ( we had a car to go to Ban Phe) and 2 times speed boat from the hotel.

To OP:

Koh Samet sees many people coming and leaving, day trippers. Songkran there has no that appeal as on the mainland - since private cars are not allowed, no processions of people dancing in the back of pickups and spraying water around. Many Thais would go to their hometowns or other places more appropriate for that. "Busy" at Songkran at Koh Samet is not a big deal, if that exists at all, I would not worry about it.

My guess, more than 90% people leave between 4 and 5 pm, plenty of accommodation available even if you just show up.

Staying at Ban Phe would work but only if you are ready to put up with slow and cheap boat that takes you to the only pier on the island. Then you have to take a songtaew to the beach, small but still extra cost and hassle.

Or, rent a speed boat (joining with other unkown travellers) and the boat will come straight to the beach where you want to go and come back at time you tell them to be there to take you back. That could cost 1500B or whatever your share is.

Is not that flight all biz + premium economy? No classic economy.

Only 180 or so seats (where 420 are possible). Perhaps, that's how they have enough fuel for the 18 hours flight and keep the prices reasonable.

Is that right?

I thought international roaming would give you a first available number (from some dedicated pool of numbers) to make a call from the current position and the receiving party would see it as "Not supported" for translation into name or original number. Even cakling back a missed call from that number would get nowhere.

Further, a prepaid and inserted SIM card would behave just like local card, no knowledge of his Dubai number.

We're talking SMS's here. If I send an SMS from my Thai number it will show up on the recipient's phone as having come from that number no matter where in the world I send it from. Similarly, when colleagues of mine using Etisalat in Dubai SMS me I get notification of the Dubai number it was sent from, no matter where they are in the world. If Thaksin has a Dubai sim card any SMS sent from it will show up as having been sent from that Dubai number. If someone were then to call or text that number Thaksin would receive it no matter where in the world he is, and the caller would have no idea if he was in Dubai or not.

I don't know what you mean by the prepaid card? Sure, he could buy one in Montenegro, and have a Montenegro number, but the point of this exercise is to lead everyone into believing he is somewhere else. If he bought a prepaid Dubai card, that card would have a Dubai number which would show up as such on any SMS he sent.

Never mind mate, he is playing what can be played with locations, where his mobile calls emanate from is part of it.

I tell you-there is no way my goverment would give passport to Sinavatra if USA and EU said no.Do you have any other logical explanation why we gave him passport.Maybe he gave money for it,but then why Montenegro and not some other country?However,if USA and especialy EU said no,there is no way he could get our passport.I am serious!

I concur with that.

Were there some powers that disliked or wanted to meddle, Montenegro would not want to upset them as Thaksin would not have been a good reason for that.

Nobody cared so they did what is according to their laws.

*edit* References to the royal family deleted.

I thought that Thai govt have banned Thaksin from entering UAE.

He is last reported in Dubai?

Or

he Fedexed a simcard to Dubai and had an assistant send the little SMS message.

Lots of ways he can APPEAR to be in Dubai....

He knows a thing or two about mobile phones - all the turmoil started when he sold his AIS to Singapore for 2 bil US$.

I thought that Thai govt have banned Thaksin from entering UAE.

He is last reported in Dubai?

Or

he Fedexed a simcard to Dubai and had an assistant send the little SMS message.

Lots of ways he can APPEAR to be in Dubai....

You don't even need to do that. A sim card from Dubai will show up as a Dubai number no matter where in the world it is used. Do you think the number mysteriously changes just because he uses it in Montenegro?

Is that right?

I thought international roaming would give you a first available number (from some dedicated pool of numbers) to make a call from the current position and the receiving party would see it as "Not supported" for translation into name or original number. Even calling back a missed call from that number would get nowhere. If you are guessing who might have called you, then call their original number, roaming will sort it out.

Further, a prepaid and inserted SIM card would behave just like local card, no knowledge of his Dubai number.

Where will Thaksin end up - literally?

First ditch of the eighth circle of hel_l is my guess.

You may wish for that but let Thai elections confirm.

He can't legally run, your point is moot.

He can be an illegal puppetmaster,

but you saw where that got him and Thailand before.

Popularity is not the same thing as being able to run a country.

Ad Carabo is very popular too, but you don't seem him attempting to be PM.

He's too much of a regular guy to need this B.S. in his life.

A large ego stroked by a PR machine is not a qualification for running a nation.

He ran the country, better than anyone, with him they saw their best days past 1997.

After him they have seen military (who deposed him) and unrests, not while he was in power.

Again, why not let Thai people decide in elections?

Let Thai people reject him (or his proxies).

Where will Thaksin end up - literally?

First ditch of the eighth circle of hel_l is my guess.

You may wish for that but let Thai elections confirm.

After last weekend Thaksin's end is up - literally.

Even Mugabe of Zimbabwe is holding on to power.

Thaksin's end - or his new beginning - might be where he is popular.

The whole game of competitive politics is about popularity. He is still enjoying a fare share of it.

According to TV Vijesti from Montenegro Thaksin is there, as their citizen and with Montenegro passport.

They stress he won't be allowed to stage any disruption to any third country.

As they say, he is not on the Interpol's Red List for arrest, Thai government just asked them (via Hungary) to confirm whether he is there or not. And he is, Montenegro Police said.

Inspecting renovations of some hotel (my guess, previously acquired and the basis for citizenship and passport). Since December 19 2009. Montenegrin passport holders do not need a visa for travel to most of EU countries (Shengen zone).

That statelet won't budge unless there is some high level pressure from the EU or America. Nothing like that seems probable.

They (Montenegro) are in the news, enjoying free advertising, they seem to think it's a good thing for them.

The Top 12 countries were France, Switzerland, United States, Luxembourg, Australia, Belgium, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Denmark, Malta, Sweden.

Of the countries mentioned in posts here, the highest ranking country is Uruguay at # 13.

Bar Malta, the top 12 countries are the source of many of the retirees moving to Thailand (UK missing).