MarkyM3

This I can agree with. I just returned to the UK from a 3.5 month stint in Asia, mostly living in Bangkok and I can say I found a number of my day-to-day expenses were close to or sometimes more expensive than they are here in the UK, and the choice of imported foods (and domestic produce) is pretty poor (using Foodland, Tops etc.). Take a look at your next supermarket receipt or Food Panda/Grab receipt and compare to your home country's one and you may be surprised. I earn good money and stay in a high-quality serviced apartment when I'm staying in BKK or wherever. It's certainly cheaper than something in London or Edinburgh but still, my 4* BKK residence was looking for £140/night during early February around Chinese New Year. Hardly "cheap". I first came 20 years ago as a backpacker and have been back most years since, living there for some periods so have seen the changes in recent years. Obviously, exchange rates play a part but the £/baht rate has been depressed for some years now. Where Thailand scores is on lower housing costs (lots of choices), eating local foods and not Western ones, jobs requiring manual labour etc. Not all of which benefit your average tourist vs someone living in the country. Having said that, I was in Samui (Lamai) in February and March and both times it was as busy as I've seen since circa 2010. During my Asia stay, I spent a week in mainland China (which isn't collapsing btw, it has problems for sure but the worst is probably over, though it has a looming demographic crisis still). A very good meal for 6 of us in a mall restaurant in Xi'An came in at £30 thereabouts. I paid way more in BKK for meals only approaching that quality. Other things are way cheaper so I'm not surprised some Chinese won't come. Thailand also has an image problem there as well, I was asked more than once if it was dangerous etc. I also found Vietnam quite a bit cheaper but I still put Thailand comfortably ahead in the experience it offers tourists. Ha Long has to be one of the most overrated destinations in Asia ime.

Private Dancer by Stephen Leather is a very good book imo. Fiction but realistic and some characters are supposedly based on real people the author was acquainted with. That's set in and around bar scene in Bangkok.

Food Panda was the best app for foreigners ime. Exiting Thailand will leave a big hole in the market. Grab doesn't display menus properly in English half the time and has rubbish offers. LineMan - couldn't even get it to download to my Android phone in Bangkok despite switching VPN to Bangkok or turning it off completely and having location services picking up my physical location there. I never had that issue with Food Panda or Grab. I've noticed in Play Store the country of registration can be reset but there shouldn't be a need to do this, never had to do it with other Thai apps like Foodland etc.

Anyone who acquires 14 dogs needs their head examined imo. Unless you're running a rescue centre you're both emotionally invested in. Which does not sound to be the case. The OP hasn't been back here so is this another clickbait AN thing....

They might add some more money to the credit column if they finally get around to selling the numerous aircraft parked up at BKK and DMK, most of which don't seem to have moved for some considerable time.

First time I've seen Gottfrid mentioning WW2...definitely scraping the barrel and explains his persistent anti-British ire 😂 Maybe he can remind us of what he said a while back about the child victim of sexual abuse, badly misjudged that one and now denies he ever said it... Absolute 🤡

Yes, happened to me once. Found a car parked in my driveway and police were called. They said it was acivil matter and I shouldn't attempt to clamp it, damage it etc. Useless. But it seems you can have it towed away, though the advice is ambiguous. The snake who left his crappy Merc in my driveway came early morning to get it so I never found out who it was. Welcome to soft touch UK

Just to follow up...I attended Samitivej this morning and was satisfied with the experience. I saw the doc and had X-rays done. Appears i have a small fracture around bottom of left ankle bone. No MRI touted. Ultrasound therapy was but I declined and the doc wasn't pushy at all. Cost just under 6300 for doctor fees, Xrays, ankle brace and calcium tablets. I'm sure it could be done cheaper but I'm happy. Will return in a month for a check before I leave Thailand for the UK summer. Staff at this hospital were kind and polite and the ambience is good. Plenty of food and drink options and got me at a taxi meter very quickly when I left.

I'm not a troll. That'll be you buddy. I'm calling you out because you cast aspersions on others who don't follow your cult but fail to provide any arguments to debate. Just soundbites or insults. I'll leave u to it. You can't debate.

I'm to the political right, if you care to read my earlier comments😄 Not every GOP supporter is aligned to the cult of Trump. Worrying. Quality of debate amongst MAGA fans really is poor on this forum. Can't provide any facts to back up the soundbites.

Partial quote missing out the second bit...classic MAGA. You haven't provided any examples on what policies Biden followed which stoked up inflatkion. Still waiting for one! Or are you sticking with Spam lol. Meanwhile, Trump is gonna pump up inflation with tariffs. Doesn't quite sit with your narrative.

Every country has different needs and capabilities given a certain set of circumstances - ever considered that? Try harder...like how did Biden directly impact on inflation? That would be a good start.

Still waiting....a link containing a list of inflation rates means sweet FA 😄 You can't debate my friend. Clueless in your words.

Really. Why don't you debunk my points then in a logical fashion? I'm a trained economist btw so I'd say I'm not clueless. And if u read my post above, I'm to the right of the political spectrum. But Trump is a charlatan imo, the GOP could have got a much better candidate. Not fit to lace the shoes of Reagan etc.

Really....how come it was a worldwide phenomenon then, Einstein? Oil price spikes, commodity price spikes due to C19 and Ukraine war ring a bell? And...you'll find the Fed is responsible for interest rate policy, not Biden. Interest rates are they main tool used, as you should be aware. Thick as mince like most MAGA cheerleaders. Seem to recall a debate on here about Biden and the price of Spam lol. Said a lot.

Interesting how Trump took credit for stock market increases in his 1st term and lambasted the economic performance of Biden, including inflation which he had no control over, and yet his see-saw tariff frenzy has disturbed market confidence and triggers price increases for imported goods which are going to hit US Joe Public, some of his own supporters, hard. The US markets under Biden generally did very well because he largely left alone and let the Fed drive policy and private companies do their thing. Thankfully the Fed is still out of his hands, though I'm sure he'd like that to change. Financial markets require credibility and transparency, meanwhile he still thinks he's running The Apprentice or something. Also interesting how his cheerleaders here now try to swat current events away as market disturbance. Don't remember Trump promising this stuff in his election pronouncements. Trump has got some good ideas about border controls and anti-woke policies but he's been bankrupt 6 times and some of the stuff he comes out with is laughably stupid. He strikes me as totally insincere and with a giant ego. Surely the GOP could have found a far better candidate than this guy. The Dems would have been defeated by any semi competent candidate

Agreed. 💯 As mentioned above, I've already booked up to go to Samitivej tomorrow to see the specialist Sheryl recommended. I think she missed that post and just saw the other response I made to Edward Flory re: military hospitals. I had no intention of using one, I was querying his assertions that anyone can use them etc. Money isn't the issue here at all, and I have full travel insurance anyways (I never travel overseas without it). I'm not bothering to claim for tomorrows consultation and other stuff (X-Ray etc.), not worthwhile once excesses are factored in. I was mostly averse to paying over the odds for an MRI or the hassle of getting an insurer to agree to pay for it if claiming on insurance, given I'm returning to the UK for the summer in early May (whether there is in fact an English summer is another question...!). Cheers all.

Hi Edward, Thanks for the input. But I got this answer from Google AI... "While Thai military hospitals are primarily for Thai military personnel and their dependents, expats can sometimes access them, but they are not the primary choice for foreigners and may have limited availability. Here's a more detailed explanation: Primary Focus: Thai military hospitals are intended for members of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and their families. Limited Access for Expats: While not impossible, access for expats is generally limited and may depend on specific circumstances, such as a medical emergency or a lack of alternative options. " ...so I'm a bit doubtful it's an option? Did you have a specific circumstance enabling you to register?

Hi All Thanks for the inputs, particularly Sheryl's invaluable guidance. I'm already booked into Samitivej on Thursday morning to see the doctor she recommended and will agree to an X-Ray and take it from there. I'll likely leave the MRI, if it's recommended, to the UK since I return there early next month. Thanks 🙂

Thanks for the response. But if you read my original question, I didn't ask for the cheapest. I was asking for recommendations within striking distance of Sukhumvit and Asoke, which is where I live. If I wanted the cheapest I'd go to a non-profit. Sheryl has kindly provided the names of best doctors at 2 of the main ones around here which I contacted, which is a great help.

OK well i got zero replies lol. [EDIT - thanks Sheryl, our posts crossed] Made enquiries with Bumrungrad and Samitivej and they are similarly priced for doctor consultation except an MRI on one ankle/foot is 6k baht cheaper in S at 19k baht. Add another 9k on for contrast dye. I'm rather shocked at these costs tbh but I know these are leading hospitals here and charge accordingly. I was told previously in the clinic that X-Rays won't show up muscular injuries. So hopefully it's something an X-Ray could show up. I will go for a consultation and X-Ray but tbh I'm not sure I want to pay 30k baht for an MRI when I'm back in the UK in early May and can very likely get it free plus after treatment if I go to A&E.

Hi, I posted up this topic at beginning of March... ...WellMed treated me and advised if it hadn't improved by end of month to go to hospital for an MRI. Well it hasn't unfortunately. Improved for a while but has now regressed again. Can walk but it's painful after a while. At this point, I'm wondering where the best place to go is within striking distance of Sukhumvit/Asoke. Made an enquiry to Bumrungrad and they want up to 3000 baht just to see a doctor initially. I can pay that but I'd rather the doctor is commissioned after the scan. Any views on Samitivej? I'm returning to the UK in early May so don't necessarily want a long treatment plan but I would like to know what's going on.

Yeah, was wondering about that. I'll use Google Maps to pick a clinic near me. WellMed on Suk25 looks ok. Thanks.

Turned my left ankle/foot 10 days ago, all my weight went onto it. Can walk now but it's painful after a while and the the ankle is still swollen and has pain. It might just be a case of healing with time but I'd like to have it checked over. Currently using Volteren on it and just trying to rest it as much as possible but easier said than done. Looking for any clinic recommendations pls. Cheers

The 5% growth figure is a manufactured illusion. It's nearer to 2% of real growth in reality, if that, and China has major structural and demographic issues plus stagnant wages and a slump in consumer spending. Anyone who has invested there (that includes me, sadly!) will be aware of this. Financial markets are in a long term bear situation in the absence of any convincing government support, not the piecemeal measures that have been taken thus far. There's also a looming trade war with the US and the huge export surplus China has relied upon can't be expected to continue. So I wouldn't expect China to provide loads of tourists in future until they get sorted. That is not going to be any time soon.