SammyJ

Well, i wouldn't condemn all of Makkro as "liars and jerks" because you found some older bakery items--that is likely true of most stores here and often in the US, as well--if that alone disqualifies a market, then where is one to shop? I have found the pastry items i have purchased there to be fine--in reality, not a lot stays on the "bakery shelves" for too long--Makkro has consistently large crowds of shoppers. Did you really believe that any shop throws out produce or bakery items after one day? You have a better chance at larger markets--Makkro, Big C, etc as they have turn over--the smaller shops simply cannot afford to quickly dispose of products. As to the salmon--you didn't really believe that any salmon sold here was FRESH, did you? It's frozen, or "frozen fresh", a marketing label used all over the world. I read above one can order salmon from bkk that is wild caught, but with any frozen items, one has to have confidence that it actually remained frozen all the way from the US, etc, to here,

While it may not be Baan Twai quality, I think it is also not Baan Twai prices--there is a gentleman who does wood, etc, that has a shop to the right once inside the very large parking lot of Global House. Some friends and I have used him and were very satisfied---it was pre-covid, but i think he is still there---and it was good work for reasonable prices--worth at least a look and discussion, then drive on down to Baan Twai if he isn't to your satisfaction. But, you just may be surprised. And, of course, he does custom work.

Could you share where you have found genuine "wild salmon" for sale in Chiang Mai--it's usually from Norway--farmed, or from Peru, etc--farmed--there is almost non-existent wild salmon" in the Atlantic, due to restrictions (yes, probably ignored by some, but then not sold openly) caused by overfishing--most wild salmon is from the Pacific and very difficult to get here and is "fresh frozen" as it is called--I have seen it in bkk, but not in CM--Makkro has all kinds of frozen imports, so they may have some tucked away somewhere in a freezer--and, no, all there fish is not "terrible", one has to be selectice, as when purchasing any food item. I have smaller packets of smoked salmon for sale at Rimping, Central Fesitival supermarket, and at Makkro, also.

My memory is a bit different than yours from my visits.

Have you ever visited his night time clinic and seen it in action?

good advice--hope he follows it!

Electrolux is the brand, not the model--they may make several various models offering different features--do you have the model number. I would also add that it seems best to take a friend's recommendation, where you can go to see the dishwasher in action and if it does what you want--but also, Google the brand and model number for reviews.

Correct--i got that letter as i had an account that was transferred--i have gotten the letter from any bkk bank, but the statements must be ordered from the branch of your acct--and, as you said, it usually takes 5 days (i have seen it take a bit more or less, it's Thailand after all). And there are small fees for the letter and ordering the statements--i was told by friends that other banks have the capacity to print out the 12 months of statements right at the branch, but Bkk Bank must order them from bkk--seems ridiculous in this day and age, but it has been that way for quite a while and continues to be that way. Hopefully, the OP has allowed time for ordering statements and has the international transfers which will show in the statements.

yes, that is correct!

On several of the lanes of the large garden shops out behind Lotus there are also pet shops, bird shops, etc--i ordered mine from Lazada--large selection and fairly inexpensive (as was the bird feed I also ordered) and delivered to my gate in just a few days.

Siam TV, Thai Watsadu, Global House, etc--but for reviews, Google can be your friend--enter the brand, model number and reviews, and it is likely you can find some independent reviews of the one you are looking at. At home pro, and the shops i listed, you will pay top prices--there are many smaller Thai appliance shops happy for your business that a Thai friend may be able to show their locations.

probably not, but they usually don't need maps--they can stop and ask other Thai for directions and understand what they are told==gps on phones, tablets, cars, is so prevalent--is failing to get clear directions in a foreign country really such a huge burden? Every major shopping mall i have been in here and in bkk and pattaya, all have the floor maps near the escalators.

Good luck to you!

even highly educated does not guarantee a high salary--unless a degree in a highly sought after field

i have lived in pattaya and jomtien in the past for many years, and now for years in CM==let me tell you that there is a lot more pollution in pattaya in all kinds of ways.

Aslo, have TUK, and i think it is Meals on Wheels 4U --which is run by a farang and all English menus and English speaking assistance--if one is looking for a farang friendly delivery--they have been around for quite a few years.

Most wanting money, aren't hiding from the rain, but as was suggested, out making deliveries. Those that simply don't want to go in the rain, nothing can be done. I found GRAB not that helpful and they were in the news months back about how high a percent they were taking from the restaurants, and how poorly they paid the drivers, etc--supposedly corrected, but not sure. I use Tuk and it seems ok, rain or not.

While I am not sure about "not treating age itself as a factor for exclusion", of course, they must--of course, they would never reveal how many more elder seniors they signed up, but do we really think most everyone else cuts off at 65, but Cigna is going to sign up those much older--again, pre-existing conditions or not--it just goes against the "for profit" model under which they operate--knowing the likelihood of payout out far more than ever making in premiums. I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

Sorry, i just disagree--I have had extensive years working in the insurance industry, and don't question your medical knowledge---it wasn't just what a friend "told me"--I had seen his written application--it is just isn't common sense, nor risk to profit, to issue policies to much older senior, regardless of pre-existing condition--when you say seniors with "risk factors" someone at 80 alone has a risk factor that insurance companies rarely, if ever, will take on for NEW coverage, continuing coverage, yes, but with extremely high premiums. And, honestly, do we really know many 80 plus who don't have some kind of pre-existing conditions? And those may be minor for a younger person but not for someone 80 plus. These situations are far more common in the US, then here, or in the UK/EU due to national health--in the US, minus any national health, young and old, seeking private insurance (again for older, depending upon qualifying, or not, for Medicare) denials are not uncommon. Besides CIGNA, from my direct contact with brokers and company agents, Pacific Cross, Aetna, LUMA, CIGNA thailand, AXA, all stated clearly, NO new policies written for those 65 and older--why are they doing that--they simply don't even want to consider and play the game with what pre-existing conditions one may have--they don't assume the risk as their analysis tells them overall it's a financial loser for them.

I don't recall a question about current or previous insurance, but it might have been there and i just don't remember.

Yes, probably never in my lifetime--that study form 2010 a dozen years ago. Also, the fact that Tricare is available to some US citizens, but not others????

My friend had a retirement benefit from his former company in the US--it covered health care until he reached medicare age--he paid for services here and then could file for reimbursement--but once, 65, he lost that benefit--decided to self insure when he researched (ph calls, emails,) directly with brokers and leading Thai insurance companies--many,m highly thought of--Pacific Cross, Aetna,. LUMA, AXA, CIGNA thailand--I think those were it--all were told, no new coverage age 65 and older--so, he went the self insure route, then got more information about trying CIGNA international/global--and was told that they would accept applications up to age 70--spoke to agent directly--but, now see that they say, they will accept applications even beyond 70, but accepting an application, which is then turned over to their underwriting dept, and being offered a contract of coverage are two different things. So, my friend, now age 67, completed an application and submitted--expecting that there may be some exclusions for HBP---my friend, NEVER a bout with any kind of cancer--never had a heart attack or stroke, and HBP controlled well with medication--but, underwriters came back and declined to offer any coverage. The agent had no explanation other than to say, sorry, underwriters make the decisions, not her. Also, to think that any company will offer new insurance, not to an long time ongoing client, but new coverage to an individual 75, 80 or beyond defies simply how "FOR PROFIT" insurance companies operate--even without getting into any sophisticated explanation of what they consider, simple common sense dictates that offering an individual of 80 plus years health coverage is a non-starter--the premiums would have to be astronomical --sure the 80 year old may not mind paying 500,000 or more a year in premiums, knowing that they could have millions in coverage--well, of course, the underwriters know this---the do not assume the risk of millions in payout, when the odds of collecting enough in premiums over how many years make it good the carrier--and if there were multiple claims, etc--underwriter's job, not to assume unreasonable risk for their company, So, again, NO, my friend did not have insurance when applied, and was denied--he has returned to the self insure plan. Remember, that most coming to Thailand from the UK/EU have a national health program of some kind--in the US, there is Medicare for retirees--but neither Medicare nor national health help retirees here--strangely, US military and some US federal employees may use TRIcare, which will cover them here--good for them--I find it ridiculous that for an American citizen who has paid into Medicare one's entire working life, not to be able to access it regardless of where one lives. Overall medical care here is less expensive and would save the medicare system money as opposed to having treatments, surgery, back in the US--seems unfair and makes no sense to lose such an important benefit that one has paid toward all their working lives??

Some yes, but not all--personally, in the US, no carrier would underwrite NEW coverage for an individual 70 plus, 80 plus, --again, individuals, but for most, who have qualified for Medicare, that is not an issue, otherwise they couldn't obtain or afford insurance. Like I said, i believe your experiences, but would love to see the individuals who are 70, 80 plus still be underwritten with new coverage--that's what you have seen? The simple reality is that even without fairly significant pre-existing conditions, insurance company underwrites know that anyone that age is a likely (yes, there are exceptions) ticking time bomb for health issues and to underwrite insurance--gosh, the premium would be exorbitant--and yes, a broker can help but nobody overrules the underwriter--I actually helped my friend talk directly to the CIGNA global broker we used, asking, why could the policy not be written with exclusions--btw-none of the pre-existing conditions involved cancer of any kind, but fairly common HBP, which so many seniors have--the broker apologized and was sympathetic, but said, it was not her decision--they simply did not want to assume the risk--and this friend was only 67 years old--go figure??

I certainly believe you, of course, to your experiences, but in dealing with CIGNA global my experiences, and those of several expat friends, who went to them, thinking they would be accepted=-=-all rejected?? So, just goes to show that there is not, it appears, a consistent practice.