SammyJ

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.

I would wonder in much older years, that, like CIGNA did, allow applications but then turned it over to underwriting and they reject it outright or exclude so much that the policy is not worth having--it is just common sense for a profit company--do we really think they are going to accept individuals in their 80's and 90's when the payout risk is so far greater than any premiums paid?

Absolutely correct--and i am not familiar with these companies' rules--do they allow adding the health insurance rider at any time, regardless of age?

Again, i cannot dispute what may happen per UK/EU regs--but what you describe is what happens in the US--especially with individuals seeking insurance. In the US, is a horrible system--i am from the US and lived the system and worked it for many years on behalf of employees, so i know it well. There is no national health--Medicare, which is not entirely free--requiring older Americans to by supplements for the 20% of inpatient coverage not provided--and, crazy, but in the US, that 20% cost can be huge to a patient---plus, one must pay additional for outpatient and prescriptions--the good thing is there is no exclusion for pre-existing conditions with Medicare, or Medicaid which is for those that simply cannot afford any private insurance and their employer, if they have one, does not provide coverage. Employers, can often negotiate, it they have a large pool of employees, better benefits and window enrollment periods where one cannot be denied because of pre-existing conditions--but individuals are often at the mercy of the insurance carriers. I have actually found most Thai companies i have dealt with BETTER than the US. But, again, the US is foolish for how it offers health care--why some politicians wanted a "medicare for all" or offer to expand medicaid, so less fortunate may also be able to have access to decent health care--but, other politicians, and for the life of me i don't understand, an expansion of health care for US citizens. Ridiculous--it's not politics, it's basic human decency.

Exactly, and that is why that additional "barrier" or cost, may make such plans not all the bargain that some may think!

Accepting applications and actually offering coverage are two different things. I also tried with CIGNA global and got the same rejections, based on pre-existing conditions--and, from their end, it seems perfectly reasonable--they are "for profit" businesses--we all know if someone is 60, 70, and certainly 80 or more, the claims are likely to be coming in and be expensive and far more payout than any premiums collected--and then the premiums are also likely to be so expensive that few could realistically afford them. Better to put the money aside and self insure--as it goes back to paying very premiums to pay for coverage that excludes your primary health care concerns. Can you tell me what about being under the UK/EU regs is a big plus--from the Thai regs--I see that most private insurance companies operate primarily in the same fashion--i am not familiar with UK/EU regs, but am familiar to US and Thai practices seem to be quite similar--the US companies would love to be more restrictive, but there are limitations, but not many. There is, of course, no national health--Medicare is overall very good, but not free, as many may think it is--inpatient coverage, if one paid into it, is covered up to 80%, but outpatient care and outpatient prescription coverage must be purchased--as US medical costs are simply outrageous and outpatient dr visits and prescribed medicines are so expensive, one needs that coverage, where in Thailand, outpatient costs are much more reasonable.

This is for the health insurance "rider", correct--you still have to qualify and pay for the life insurance premiums each year as well, correct or not?? That increases an overall cost.

Yes, i agree that brokers can be helpful, and i agree, as i do now, and most of my senior expat friends do--self insure, and as you/Sheryl has advised, look for alternative hospitals that are still very proficient--in Chiang Mai Chiang Mai Ram and Bangkok Chiang Mai, are the two leading hospitals that seem be favored by foreigners/expats, and are, depending upon dr/speciality/procedure, more expensive than most other. But, Sriphat, McCormick, and others are also fine hospitals, with more reasonable rates, and you can often find the same doctors working there some days of each week. I have inquired with most, not all, of the larger, reputable insurance carriers here--CIGNA, Aetna (formerly BUPA), Pacific Cross, LUMA, AXA, etc, and all excluded for pre-existing conditions and all drew the line (except CIGNA) at no new coverage age 65 and up. If you were already with them prior to age 65, then they would still cover you but for ever increasing premiums. CIGNA wrote that they took applications up to age 70, but several friends of mine applied, and after listing all medical conditions on the application, these conditions were not excluded, my friends were told that CIGNA underwriting had decided NOT to offer coverage at all. My congrats to any among us more senior expats who get into our 60's or 70's and don't have something that is a "pre-existing condition", but most of us do ---and to me, anyway, if a plan for which you are paying already a very high premium doesn't even cover one's key medical concerns, what good is it--you are better off, setting money aside and self insuring--but, get a choice of some doctors, and a hospital you like, in advance--do NOT wait, until you have a serious medical crisis to make choices--if an ambulance, Thai local here, comes to get you, you can direct them to take you to what hospital you want.

Not meant to "ominous", meant to be transparent by the insurance carrier that this is what can happen--and, it is all so individual to person, company, etc--what happened to you, may never happen to another, or the rate might go up and not go down--that's the thing, one needs to be aware that it can--many do not understand that, and when rates are raised, they complain, and then the company points to that type of language, which will certainly be included in any contract signed, and say, "See, it's right there that allows us to do that."