SammyJ

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Jesus you are delusional.

 

Been sniffing too many cleaning chemical as you job as a janitor I guess.

 

Your work roster is not known BEFORE you go on holidays ?

 

unfortunately, it appears it is just a troll--looking to spike meaningless and angry responses--seems this is what this page has become!

You say they will all do the "full test"--what does that consist of?  Might you go from an outside machine one stares into independently to a backroom where you can stare at an eye chart, but  i have never seen here any shopping mall glass shop have a certified optometrist or the types of testing equipment utilized by professional, certified, trained, optometrists  at CM Ram, Vision Center or ones i have seen back in the US.

On 3/28/2024 at 6:53 PM, scottiejohn said:

Maybe I should ask this question a different way. 

My problem is not to do with eyesight but the degradation in lens coatings on my specs.

I bought these progressive specs from one of the BIG high street retailers in CM with added coatings which have partially worn away leaving the glasses useless.

I have asked/complained at the shop but no luck as they say 19 months old!!

 

At 70 YO will my eyesight have changed that much or could I use the prescription they used to order online.  I used the same prescription at the same time to buy ordinary reading glasses (no coatings) which I can still use perfectly well?

 

Thank you all for your responses so far!

"I bought these progressive specs from one of the BIG high street retailers in CM"

wow, I didn't know CM had such retailers--to which shops and where? 

On 3/28/2024 at 6:12 PM, Mike Lister said:

There aren't that many licensed optometrists in Chiang Mai, there is one who works for one of the big chain hospitals who is dreadful. Another is the owner at Vision Center who is extremely skilled and probably the best qualified in the North but again, you are expected to buy lenses from him. The people you've been talking to in the shops almost certainly aren't optometrists, they are sales people who know how to use technology to calculate prescriptions. If those people say they are optometrists, ask to see their license and see what happens.

 

For me, I'd go to Vision Center every time.

Yes, i have used the one at CM Ram and she was good--Vision Center also, but as you said, they will do the testing for free but expect you to purchase glasses.

On 3/28/2024 at 6:08 PM, lopburi3 said:

Opticians should not be providing prescriptions period.  They fit glasses.

Optometrists can test and prescribe but are few and far between in Thailand as is a new profession.

Ophthalmologists are full doctors and can provide surgery as well as testing.

 

Here in Thailand I would advise going to where you do not want to go - a hospital - where most of these professionals work and can provide prescription without expectation of buying from them.

 

That said some optometrists in private practice will provide such a service for a fee - I used one years ago on basis needed for US Drivers License renewal.

exactly right!

On 3/28/2024 at 6:06 PM, JBChiangRai said:

They all do, I went there with my daughter, and we got two prescriptions just to check and verify both the same.

What type of testing did they do--are you talking about the shops which have the machine that you look into for a brief period of time and then it spits out a "prescription"?  

there are few actual trained optometrists who have the proper equipment and are trained how to use it---i know one is at CM Ram--it was the only testing i have seen done that resembled professional testing back in the US, by a certified optometrist.

14 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

Toilet paper everywhere but in the toilet..

Wow, if this bothers you about living in Thailand, then you are in store for some real upsets.  You don't understand that Thais, for the overwhelming majority, do not use "toilet paper", but their "bum sprays" and what you see is not considered "toilet" anything, but only paper tissue, to be used to clean like paper towels, etc--and the rolls, for some restaurants, are cheaper and easier to use than supplying bundles of paper napkins.

On 3/23/2024 at 1:18 PM, Wobblybob said:

We had a look at some in or local Makro and the assistant told my wife that they are very expensive to run. 

correct--and they seem efficient while being demonstrated in Makro or Home Pro, but the store is already air conditioned and has low humidity--once the air cooler is run at home, it is nothing more than an expensive fan--like was stated in an earlier reply--the true portable air cons--require outside venting, and a collection of the water which normally is drained outside--and are expensive to run and very noisy as the small compressor inside the machine which is inside your house (split air con, most common here, the compressor, of course, is outside ur house )--the others that use ice or cold water--not too efficient in a warm humid house--they are simply increasing the humidity within your house, making it usually more uncomfortable, and a constant replacing of the ice or cool water.

google 

black spot--it may not be what you have, but i had it a lot on my roses--I discovered that it came from watering too early in the morning and getting the leaves wet, when there wasn't yet sufficient sun, or heat, to dry the water quickly, and it let to a fungus, called black spot--common in roses and some other leafy plants

could try to spray, but the answer was to trim off the infected leaves as quickly as possible so that it couldn't spread more easily.

On 2/17/2024 at 3:12 PM, Kenny202 said:

Just found a LAN cable, no LAN socket on my notebook

Keep looking--are you sure you have a LAN cable?   I have never seen a notebook that does not have a LAN outlet or more than one.

1 hour ago, Kenny202 said:

They are saying they have already upgraded us to 1gb and everything their end fine. I rebooted.....no router signal on any of our devices again. Once again had to call them to do something again so wifi is visible. At the same time I was talking to them I did a speed test....same 230 / 390 speed on 1gb! They said it must be my notebook. I did the speed test on my phone....same speed. Oh you need to use a LAN connection? I said you are kidding me? You are telling me that because I am using wifi I am getting 20% of the advertised speed? You want me to walk around my home with a LAN cable? I asked again...So you are saying because I am using wifi I will only get 20% advertised speed, and exactly the same speed as I was getting on 500/500? You are claiming 80% losses using wifi right? "No I am not saying that" I haven't worked in a company with IT people for 10 years but nothing has changed.

 

We have been through this before with them a few years ago....finally got someone out after 10 calls and there was an issue at the local repeater or something. Will monitor it for the rest of the day. They told me we would get an SMS when the 1gb plan is active and finished. Still haven't got that yet so I suspect they haven't even done it yet even though the True operator reckoned its been completed.

He is not saying you will get 20% for wifi---I have same true home internet--when true techs come to test or set up, they connect their laptop to router with a LAN line--the advertised speeds are for wired connections,not wifi--variables if using a various VPS, or how many devices in a home on utilizing wifi at the same time--I usually get 650 to 750, or even 800 on rare occasions on my my True Wifi (i have the 1000 download) and sometimes as low as 500 to 600, which is plenty to watch movies, etc--True fiber has local what they call "nodes" i think ==and when i signed up there was a mix of 8 homes allowed per node--when i first signed up, they told me there were only 2 other on my nearest node--but over the last two years, it has filled up and if all users are on at the same time, it is possible that the "peak usage"  they mentioned is correct--if also, within the household, they are multiple devices utilizing the wifi at the same time--it was suggested you connect a LAN line to a notebook, for example, and then run a speed test--within Thailand--ping bkk, and then ping an outside Thailand site and compare speeds--as that is how a True tech would test it--then if those speeds are good, then you know it is internal wifi issue, not ur fiber connection.

12 hours ago, novacova said:

I considered a membership at a saltwater pool but decided not to, so I just like a change of scenery and like the option of going somewhere else if something is crowded. Plenty of pool options.

I think that saltwater pools are the only way to go.  But, if he liked the other pool and it was convenient, to be upset by a 500 baht charge for a membership--which is for what length of time?

On 10/8/2011 at 3:00 PM, CMSteve said:

It's 50B. Which is great if it's truly ad-hoc, but as I've gained a good 15-20Kg in the past year I need daily usage. ~1500B/month. In this case it would actually be cheaper to go to one of the hotels with full towel service, gym, tv's, newspapers, etc... They are clearly not in the same league.

Which hotels offer "full towel service"?  I have read hotels offering membership to their gyms--which might include use of the hotel's swimming pool, but I imagine that can be quite expensive--but maybe someone has experience with it?

2 minutes ago, Lite Beer said:

Then you would need to show 65,000 Baht monthly income.

Correct--minimum 65,000 international transfer per month, not an average--from what i understand, if you miss even a single month, there is a problem.  Additionally, there is more paperwork/bank documents to gather ahead of applying for the next extension.

On 10/14/2023 at 4:31 PM, Middle Aged Grouch said:

Choose another country as they will hassle you at immigration on arrival  and all the pre registration and mess they create for flights to America in the airport of departure.

"immigration on arrival"--it won't even get to that concern.  No visa, no arrival.

On 10/14/2023 at 1:47 PM, marin said:

Easy if she has a job and assets here in Thailand  that she would have to return for. Otherwise not that easy. She would have to be interviewed in order to grant the visa. 

Having a job and some sort of assets are just a few of the factors considered.  Also, with just those few factors--what kind of job would be looked at, and having worked for how long, what is the salary, and what documentation can be provided to prove the salary--assets--land?  Do many Thai girlfriends have land or homes/condos in their name?

Also, what is often considered are family ties here in Thailand that would compel a return,what previous travel has the applicant done outside Thailand, and funds in a bank account (that haven't just been deposited to help with the visa).

It can be done but it is not an easy task for the average Thai.

10 minutes ago, CapraIbex said:

I would see an Urologist and a Hepatologist/Gastroenterologist at either Bumrungrad hospital or Bangkok Pattaya hospital.

I agree---those are some alarming test results, having gone thru some of the related medical issues myself, and you need to see a specialist and see how best to address them. 

Back in the US, i purchased "non-burst" hoses that addressed such a fear--got them at Home Depot, and they were a little more expensive than the regular houses, but, of course, well worth it.  Not sure if they sell them here at Home Pro, Global House, Mega Home, etc--or on Lazada, but you could probably order them on Amazon.

Whatever the cost, it would be well worth it as a water disaster is a mess you really want to avoid at all costs!

On 12/18/2023 at 7:54 AM, MrBrad said:

It might help to meet with the emergency department at your chosen hospital and more-or-less register your information in their computer.  Give them your home address; they'll find it on Google Maps, take a few screenshots and file it under your name.  I'm not saying that this is a foolproof solution to getting an ambulance to your home if needed, but it couldn't hurt.  I did this at Chiang Mai's Bangkok Hospital, by the way.

On 12/18/2023 at 2:51 PM, Sheryl said:

Depends on your condition.

 

On the scene interventions of the type people are used to from EMTs in their home countries are rare here so there is less value to having an ambulance vs getting to hospital on your own if that is physically possible.

 

I would say, if able to walk  at least short distance, and if there is no contraindication to being moved (as in case with possible spine injury etc) Grab taxi (or equivalent - app that lets you input the destination) to hospital of choice is best as you will reach the hospital and thus start treatment sooner.

 

good idea as well to think through ahead of time what hospital you want to go to in an emergency.

Yes, likely better as you suggest--the local Thai ambulances are quick on the spot, as the poster earlier mentioned to the restaurant in 7 minutes--we have used them several times for a quick family emergency transport ride to the hospital--you can tell them, as we did, which hospital we wanted them to go to--however, a key point in understanding these FREE ambulances is that they are mainly TRANSPORT to a hospital--they do not, from many instances i have been directly involved with, provide any medical attention on the way--how, if you call Bkk-CM or Ram hospitals, they have more fully-equipped ambulances, and i believe they will provide some medical attention, but, they usually only have one--and for them to find your location, perhaps late at night, may take time, and that is, of course, if their ambulances are not otherwise engaged--and i doubt they provide this service for free--if you have insurance, it may cover it??

But, back to the govt, free local Thai ambulances--I must be clear to sing their praises--when we needed them at my house, they arrived literally in minutes, were very helpful, got the person on the gurney carefully, into the ambulance and off we went, racing to the hospital--driving fast, but carefully,  They were incredibly helpful in a few difficult, but thankfully, not life or death, situations.

On 12/21/2023 at 12:59 PM, lopburi3 said:

Go to a hospital for ophthalmologist eye exam and they will provide and you have medical check at same time.

Having gone recently to CM Ram to see an ophthalmologist for an eye infection, she recommended we see the hospital optometrist for an updated eyeglass prescription.  So, at least ophthalmologists at Ram, as is the case for most medical doctors do not do the eye exams for prescription eyeglasses--they are medical doctors--in Thailand, it is difficult to find a real, trained optometrist, who will do a complete and accurate eye exam--most definitely, those machines in the shopping malls that eyeglass shops use, which spits out a prescription after gazing for a moment into it, are not accurate, nor are most others who pretend to do an eye exam and who have the necessary equipment to complete an exam accurately.  

We did end up seeing the optometrist as Ram and had a good exam and received the eyeglass prescription--so, you might try there.  I will add that the best, most western, most thorough eye exam, I have experienced in 20 plus years of living in Thailand--whether it be in Bangkok or here, was done at Vision Center here in Chiang Mai--however, they do the exam for free and do expect a purchase then of eyeglasses.

23 hours ago, Dan O said:

Your were one of tge people recommending it doing it ???

 

Yes goigle can get you some additional info but it may or may not be accurate based on who posted it.  Gather additional info is good but it does beat going to a doctor. If you don't think they know the medicine properly then ask questions or get a second opinion 

i absolutely was NOT one of those here who recommended using it.  I know from family and friends the damage that can be done.

As to Google, I am not recommending reading what some random, individual posters have put up--I am advising sites like the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Web MD, the CDC, and depending on if organs are involved sites like the National Kidney Foundation, National Institute of Health, etc--and I look at not just one, but look for a consensus among these outstanding resources for medical information--they are often far more up-to-date than many doctors.

And, it is not so I am able to counter doctors, but so that I can confirm and understand better what I am being told by doctors--also, there are countless tales of doctors and mistakes and wrong, expensive medication being prescribed, so I always want to confirm drugs prescribed are actually helpful and will not carry serious side effects.

As with the Norfloxacin, it is not that it should never be used, but it is a drug of last resort, not first as potential side effects can be very serious and permanent, but here and the US, i have seen doctors prescribe it first, seemingly unaware that it carries the strongest warning possible about the dangers of its use???

9 hours ago, Dan O said:

They typically dont list issues of concern if there is no basis. Thats part of the reason you should not self medicate in instances like this. You have no idea if its a parasitic infection, a bacterial infection or some other issue the may not react as you think to your medication of choice. I would take my chance in a doctor 's possible ignorance over social media recommendations and ignorance. Google MD licenses are not recognized in most all countries

I agree---you can see that a number of posters recommended Imodium and norfloxacin when those are not really the appropriate treatments.  Sometimes, even doctors are not up to date on medicines--in the US, it is the pharmacist who is licensed and must undertake ongoing training, etc--here, not so sure--if one uses a consensus of reliable sites, Google can assist in understanding the side effects of medicines prescribed, side effects that perhaps no one warned you about,  I learned a long time ago, that one must be their own advocate, whether in the US or here, when it comes to medical treatment.

7 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Its not a good idea to be self diagnosing and medicating yourself without consulting a doctor as you really have no idea of the true problem or the effects of the meds your guessing will fix the problem 

I have found that some doctors here, and even in the US, are ignorant of the side effects of some medicines--the "...floxacins and quinss-" have the strongest US FDA warning on them, use only if all other medicines do not work and only under the guidance of a doctor--the tendon damage can be severe and permanent--there have been cases of individuals Achilles tendons rupturing.