peterrabbit

As the doctor told me these instructions/policy had come directly from Her Boss's (big) Boss in Banglamung (I assume hospital) and it was over riding the doctors authority to prescribe Covid medication to their patients which was why She could NOT write a prescription for me. If this had happened in any Western country there would be a hell of a court case being filed right now for large damages, even if that person was a Thai on holiday there. And it would, now doubt, result in a public enquiry to be set up to investigate why it happened in the first place with those responsible to be called to testify and face repercussions for their decisions that lead to it. It's NOT the doctors fault. She told me She had been instructed by her boss, in no uncertain terms, that She could NOT under any circumstances prescribe antiviral Covid drugs to Falangs and this order had come from on high above Her immediate boss from his (big) boss (how high, was it just Banglamung or did it go higher to Chonburi or even Bangkok who knows?) She could not have made it clearer that I HAD to have this medication, but being very unwell I was on my own as to where to go to obtain it. I was just told to "go get at pharmacy".

Memorial charged me 4000b for the medicine and 1050 for the hospital/doctors charges a total of 5050b. "falang special price"

She prescribed Molnupiravir She spoke to Her boss in the hospital who told Her his boss in Banglamung had issued an order NOT to dispense antiviral Covid drugs to falangs (possibly she ment foreigners) so she could not prescribe them for me even though in her medical opinion I absolutely needed them as I am a "high risk" patient.

I didn't know which antiviral drug I needed or the dose, my wife and daughter were given different drugs and doses so I needed to see a doctor who could prescribe the right drug for me. The pharmacies don't have it and wouldn't give it you anyway without a proper prescription. The doctor only gave me a scrap of paper with the name and dosage on it, definitely not a proper prescription which her boss had prevented her from issuing because if she had given a proper prescription then the hospital would have had to dispense the medicine. I went to Pattaya City Hospital after first phoning and checking they were dispensing covid medication as I was feeling so awful I didn't want to be running all round Pattaya trying to get prescribed and supplied the medication. The hospital never told me where I could obtain the medicine, they only said "go to a pharmacy". I rang Fascino's main branch and they didn't have any. If Fascino doesn't have it then the chances of anyone else having it are low to non existent and I was in no condition to start running round town trying to find somewhere, so I went to Memorial and paid "falang special prices" there.

I didn't demand anything. The doctor told me she was prescribing me antiviral medicines because it was necessary that I had them. She then told me that her boss had told her that she could NOT dispense these drugs to Falangs regardless of their medical condition. She said she had asked her boss to reconsider and allow her to prescribe these drugs to me as it was necessary but he had refused to do so because the "Big boss" had issued an "order" from Banglamung to NOT allow these drugs to be prescribed to falangs. Can it be any clearer that an order has been issued, by senior hospital management, not to dispense these life saving medications to foreigners. Now is this "nationalism" or downright racism? I don't see any difference when I am denied life saving medication, even if I am willing to pay "falang rates", just because I am not Thai.

What proof do you have that I would be charged a reduced rate and not charged the "special falang rate" as we are for everything else? I would not call being charged 620b for paracetamol and cough medicine a reduced price. As far as tax is concerned every time I buy anything in Thailand for my self or family I pay tax on it. In England its called Value Added Tax. Everytime I have to licence a motor vehicle or record some other legal government transaction I have to pay tax on it. So your notion that foreigners are living here totally "tax free" is absolute BS. We contribute far more in taxes to Thailand than your average Thai farmer does.

Strange how history repeats itself. Didn't Adolf Hitler, the head of the Socialist Nationalist party of Germany, constantly refer to nationalism, (for the good of Germany), as being the excuse for his barbaric and racist actions against non Germans?

In civilised countries patients are treated on a medical need basis regardless of their race or nationality. Even in wars wounded soldiers are treated on the seriousness of their medical needs and not whose side they are on. Your statement that the government policy of denying medication to patients who are not Thai is not RACIST is false. It is totally racist as you obviously are. Racism is not just the colour of a person's skin or economic circumstances but the ethnic group that they belong to being discriminated against. Why don't you educate yourself on the meaning of racism so you won't make such obvious racist comments in future.

Again you have not read my post as I stated that I phoned the hospital and they told me I could get the medication there. What facts do you have to draw the false conclusion that I can not afford a private hospital? My post is to inform the genuine members of this forum about the government's policy of not dispensing life saving medicine from government hospitals to Westerners. Your posts are all about undermining that message by making false claims and misleading statements. YOU ARE A TROLL

It was based on a racist policy which discriminates against NON Thais in the disbursement of Western produced medication to Westerners. If you ever went to a Western Country would a Thai be discriminated against in such a manor? No they would not so why are the Thai authorities discriminating against Westerners? Read the dictionary definition of racism!

I went to the government hospital because I knew they had stocks of the medicine they have given my family a few days before, if I knew they had imposed a policy of NOT dispensing it to falangs I would not have wasted my time and gone directly to a private hospital. No doubt that if you are so deliberately discriminated against on the grounds of your race, the results of which could potentially threaten your life, you will not be outraged by such behaviour? *Edited*

How can you make such a statement without knowing my personal circumstances. Why do you draw the obvious false conclusion that I am a tourist? I don't expect to get the same treatment as I Thai, I already said I expect to pay. But I do not expect to be deliberately discriminated against and deigned medication precisely because I am NOT a Thai. Here is the dictionary definition of racism which I think you should read:- rac•ism 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usu. involving the idea that one's own race is superior. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based on such a doctrine. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

I do have health insurance, just not outpatient covers as its unaffordable here. As I stated I fully expected to pay for it. Perhaps you should fully read my post because your comments show you have not fully read it.

So the inevitable happened after the Mrs and daughter caught Covid. Two days later I came down with it and I knew, that like them, I would need Antiviral medicine to treat it especially being an "at risk" patient. As you can only get these Antiviral medicines from a hospital and not a pharmacy I had to go to a hospital to get the medication. I rang Pattaya City Hospital to see if they could dispense the medication - yes they said come now. So I dragged myself out of my sick bed and went to Pattaya City Hospital. I had to wait outside in the heat (with a temperature) while I went through the rigmarole of go this queue then go that queue etc until eventually I saw the doctor who told me she would prescribe antiviral medication for me as I was in the at risk group and I needed to take this medication. (I already knew this and was at the hospital as its the only place I can get it, I fully expected to pay for it but I could not get it from anywhere else but a hospital). So I'm now in the queue waiting for my medication when I get called back to the doctor. "sorry Mr, Big Boss says I cannot give Antiviral medicine to Farang. Have to go Pharmacy. I write what medicine you need for you" If I had not been feeling so ill and having not slept all night I would have unleashed a verbal tirade on her that would have made the galees in Soi Buakhaow blush. I was then charged 620b for some paracetamol and cough medicine I could have got at any pharmacy for far less. Then, knowing full well that I needed Antiviral medication I was sent away to go to a "pharmacy" which I already know cannot supply them. So after this experience and "treatment" at the hands of a Thai Government hospital I was wondering. IS THIS THE TRUE DEFINITION OF THAINESS? In order to be a "true" Thai and do what is expected of you in Thai society are Thais expected to behave towards Non Thais in this way? Please Comment

With Putin just announcing a mobilization for the Ukraine "policing action" then expect a tsunami of single Russian men in the next few weeks. ????

I have been told (by someone who has done it) that if you own a UK house (even if it's rented out and you are not residing there) which you are paying tax on then the pension freeze is NOT applicable. It's something you need to check out with the relevant UK authorities.

Best to look for Industrial aircon suppliers/manufacturers rather than retail.

If you call into your local Immigration office they will give you a list of their requirements. NB Each office interprets the rules differently so its best to find out exactly what they require for whatever visa you have.

You could try Nigel Kelsey the sports injury therapist just off Pattaya Tai (12.921557 100.887487) mobile 0890993845. He fixed my dodgy knee no problem and for only 1000b.

You might try the Chiang Mai forum as there are more artists in that part of the country who could make a one off statue like that.

First reports from Northern Thailand, is that cheap Chinese produce has flooded the local markets undercutting the local producers, while exports have been throttled with non tariff barriers being used called "covid restrictions". Lets face facts, China isn't building all these road and rail links for Thailand's or the region's benefit but for China's benefit, while making their neighbours pay for it. China - win win Everyone else - loose loose ????

Mr DIY own brand double sided tape. It works! ????

Thanks everyone for your replies. After considering everyone's input I think the best thing to do is to stay in the area for a week at Songkran and hand out a load of leaflets to the locals in Thai and English detailing exactly what we are looking for. Hopefully they will find their way into the hands of the landowners who can then phone us directly.

Its Ban Pong in Ban Pong District which is on the 1269 running west from Chiang Mai just south of the Night Safari. Its about 8km from the 108 in Hang Dong. We were there between Xmas and New Year and spent a few days exploring the area to narrow down where we are interested. We did note phone numbers and phoned a few that we thought could be of interest but generally found the following results. 1. It was the owner but they wanted a ridiculous price well above market prices 2. It was already sold but they didn't take the sign down 3. It was an agent, they had sold that land and didn't have any more in the area. 4. Dead phone number 5. We couldn't find the land or it was miles away from the sign 6. There were no signs in the area/soi we were interested in We did ask locals when we came across them but generally they didn't know. We did however come across the ex Puu Yai Bann of Ban Pong and he took our details and will phone if anything comes up. (If I could find a way of getting the phone numbers of the Puu Yai Baan for the villages in the area I would phone them) My idea was to get "land wanted" signs printed in Thai and put them up in the sois we are interested in but the Mrs is dead against it because She thinks the authorities might want to hang us for doing so. So I'm sure that with the local farmers are suffering economically like most people and would welcome a serious buyer for a piece of their land, the problem is how to find them.

So the time has come for the family to move to Chiang Mai and after looking extensively we have decided that Ban Bong is the area we want to move to. Beautiful scenery, close to shops and schools in Hang Dong but out of the City makes it our ideal location. However trying to find a piece of land, 1-2 rai with views, Elec water, land documents etc is proving an impossible task. We have searched the internet, real estate agencies, forums etc with no success because all the agents are really interested in selling resorts. We have found that the small land that is listed is total fiction as it was sold ages ago. We have thought about internet advertising, but it would just attract agents and not the landowners. There must be landowners out there looking to sell some land but how do we find them? If you have any sensible suggestions please reply.