Jaybee2

Prices in Thailand are high. Was looking at TVs today. Leaning toward getting the Samsung 55" LED HDTV for $589.00. That's well under 20K Baht. Very similar LG 55" model is $529.00. Could get a 50" one for $479.00. 40 inch models run under $400.

You hardly ever see plasma TVs here anymore. My sister has one. Great in a dark room. Not so good in the daytime.

I'd pick a good wife over friends any day. Friends come and go.

Friends come and go. So do wives.

The friends vs. wife dilemma is a common one, played out in most marriages, soon before or after the knot is tied. Better before, as you then know what you are getting into and can decide if it is worth it for you.

Although friends come and go, if a guy is lucky enough, he's got one or two close friends, who he can talk to honestly about everything, and get an honest take on what he has to say, from someone who understands him, and who he understands where they are coming from. You can't really do that with a wife. Not in most cases, IMHO. There are always things you just cannot say to a woman you love, as she will never understand, and it will only cause trouble.

Old friends are the best ones, but time and tides sometimes split the best of friends apart, especially when wives get involved. But there can be new friends found, who will suffice. Believe me, when you are bereft of good friends (typically male, but occasionally, a platonic female friend is as good, but rare as normally wives/GFs get rid of them first off), then you are on an island, and that is not where you want to end up.

I think the OP has probably got this "word to the wise" figured out already. Let's hope so.

Get a second opinion, perhaps a third.

Be sure to get copies of all test results.

If they refuse, big red flag.

Generally nasal, polyps go way with antibiotic cream and stop picking at them.

Never heard about them going to lungs.

If surgery is a must, consider an alternative to surgery with natural therapy. Call Absolute Health at 026515988.

Most surgery is not necessary today, but a MD will tell you otherwise!

They have a clinic in Bangkok.

Web address is absolute-health.org

Trust no one!

They want your money.

I'm not familiar with nasal polyps. Are they caused by a bacteria? I had a nasal bacterial infection, in the upper nasal passages, which was incurable with antibiotics, unless I took them forever. The anitbiotics were somewhat (not 100%) effective, but the infection came back worse every time I stopped using them. Doctors said I would be on antibiotics for the rest of my life. I didn't want that, so searched for a natural cure. I found the herb golden seal was more effective than the antibiotics, but the infection still returned, after stopping use of it. But it came back much more slowly, so I did two weeks on and two weeks off with the golden seal, and was almost symptom free, it would just be getting to the point of being a problem, when I would resume treatment, and be OK again. You can't really take golden seal all the time, because it is a diuretic, but 2 weeks on , 2 weeks off had the infection well under control.

It was annoying, however, to know I was living with this infection, could not get rid of it permanently. Also, taking the golden seal orally was not effective. I had to make an infusion (tea) and sniff it up my nose as warm as I could stand it. Not fun. It was time consuming preparing it, and since it is also a yellow dye (was used as dye and medicine both by American Indians), I had to be very careful, so as not to get it on my clothes or towels. So a bit of a messy procedure. But what choice did I have? It was that or take the less effective antibiotics all my life, which I am sure is not good for you.

Then I came up with a new idea. Two weeks golden seal, followed by two weeks colloidal silver (1100 PPM, very strong solution), then alternating every two weeks. Soon it was not coming back, no sign of the infection. I continued with the treatment, to be sure. At first, I was sniffing the CS, but before too long, began drinking it. Much easier! After a few months, I got lazy about it, and stopped the golden seal, but continued the CS. No problem. I took the CS every day for maybe a year or less (hard to remember, it was 10 years ago). Eventually, I forgot to restock the CS, so tried to do without it. No problem! The infection was permanently cured! Never came back.

So that it is my story. The antibiotics controlled the infection to a bearable extent, but never entirely got rid of the symptoms, and if I stopped them, the symptoms came back, each time worse than before. Doctors said I had to be on antibiotics forever. They were wrong. I found a cure.

Go back to the hospital where you registered. With your card and get it done.

Speak to some people at work. Must be someone who can go with you to help. ( thai )

Going back to uk seems not viable from what I've read and will take ages.

Because your working here and get the equivalent of the NHS.

It's not free it comes from your taxes.

As for the gits go back home for good. Don't mind them.

Your obviously distraught and worried get it sorted soon mate.

And let us know how you get on.

====================

I've just done 15.000 baht at bumrungrad .

Totally knackered. Diagnosed vitamin d deficiency.

Wonder if I can claim on my SCB card 900 baht a year.

Or my travel insurance from lloyds bank comes with account ???

Perhaps a bit of time at the beach could have saved you 15,000 Baht?

Some strange posts here...

The insurance that comes with a VISA card is Accident insurance only.

The social security card is good but waiting lists for non-emergencies can be very very long, perhaps infinit.

Forget about any insurance company paying for this - it is now a pre-existing condition.

300K sounds expensive - why not try as a paying patient at a government/army/navy hospital?

"300K sounds expensive - why not try as a paying patient at a government/army/navy hospital?"

Good idea. The Queen Sirikit Hospital at Sattahip has some excellent doctors and, while the costs are not as low as for Thais (understandably since it's a government subsidized hospital primarily for military personnel), they are considerably less than at a private hospital.

I went there for a hernia operation. Since it wasn't an emergency they scheduled me for 3 months from when I first saw the doctor, so eventually I decided to have it done at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (also an excellent surgeon there and quick, painless recovery). The doctors spoke excellent English, but virtually no one else there did ... so you'll need to bring along a Thai speaking spouse or friend, but overall I was quite impressed with the services.

The insurance that comes with a VISA card is Accident insurance only.

Yes, as I pointed out in the post above yours, the policy shown on Krung Thai Bank's website clearly states that they only cover accidents. The person who claimed and received Baht 8000 following a motorcycle accident was lucky indeed if they paid even that amount.

Clearly some people think insurance companies operate like lotteries where everyone holds a winning ticket.

A friend of mine had hip replacement surgery at Queen Sikrit Hospital at Sattahip. Says the experience was really outstanding in every way. He seems good as new now, and is out taking long walks daily. He has worked in Thailand for about 10 years. Paid into the SS and got the health insurance that comes with it. The operation was fully covered, For awhile he retired, and was able to stay in the insurance scheme for 300 Baht per month. He's back working again now, and looks fit as a fiddle!

agree 100%

Is it just me, or do you get the feeling that the real killers ( if there really are Mafias here!??!) will get off scot free and the charged will be some poor despot, that gets framed

That's two people that have absolutely no idea what the word 'despot' means.

Well, you might just be surprised to find they are on to something, if Kim Jong Un is arrested. You know he disappeared around the time of the murders!

http://www.newser.com/story/196438/kim-jong-un-has-disappeared.html

Wow you must be so bored.

Actually this is informative dont you know thailand has hiv type E the strand of hiv that is easiest spread though hetro sex .

OP isnt trying to entertain you but possible save your life .

So you are advising us to go with LBs , on account of lower risk factor for gay sex.

Glad I used a normal visa run service rather than going it alone.

And yes Thai bus/van drivers can not drive, they tend to floor it and hope for the best. The garlands keep them safe. But if they do die they come back for another life, we as farrang, just die.

How much was the visa run service?

2500 all in. So I spent nothing other than buying an ice cream waiting for the agent to do the paper work... Mine was a V.I.P. bus with just 6 seats.

I have seen 1900 baht services also.

Same price I paid last spring for the VIP van (only 6 leather seats). Was the greatest visa run ever. Included breakfast at 7:00 AM at a very nice English-style hotel, and dinner upon our return, which was around 3:30 PM. Also free water and a snack in the bus, while we watched movies on a big screen with excellent sound. Saw "American Hustle", "12 Years a Slave," and "Lone survivor." All excellent movies, we stopped at a place with great food mid-way, and the day just flew by. We never even had to go to Cambodia. We sat in the shade at an outdoor snack shop, having a soda and ice cream, on the Thai side of the border, while a visa run employee crossed into Cambodia with our passports, waited a very short while for his return, and back through Thai immigration. Smooth as a whistle. All in all, it was a lovely day, spent with good company, and made some new friends!

As said, you can get a visa run in a regular (non-VIP) mini-van for only 1900 Baht. Done that one many times in the past, and it was miserable by the end of the day, all cramped up in small seats, and no breakfast or dinner included. The extra 600 Baht is well worth it. When you are traveling with others who are also comfortable, entertained, and not scared witless by a crazy driver (the driver was top-notch), then everyone is a happy camper, so you are having a nice time with happy mates instead of a miserable time with miserable people.

Fact is, given the numbers you quoted, I am thinking you (OP) spent as much or more than 2500, given the bribes, tips, bus and van for you and your GF. And what use was she? Zero. Did you really need her to tell you "you think too mutt!" lol

So next time leave the girl, and have a delightful day, rather than a horrible, scary experience. For the same money, and no worries.

I think that you, the OP, has had limited experience in Thailand and with Thai women. Simply having worked in the sex-trade does not indicate "ill-repute" in a relatively poor country like Thailand where there are few options for making a living wage. I find the percentage of women who work in the "scene" who I find somewhat distasteful in nature to be about the same as those who come from "good" families. In fact, the higher up the socio-economic ladder the higher is the percentage who I personally find rather distasteful in nature while coming from a background of ill-repute.

That is simply not true. While it may have been true at one time, now there is a minimum wage, which is, in fact, a living wage, unlike the minimum wage in the US. Furthermore, the unemployment rate in Thailand is an enviable 1% approx. As I see it, the fact of the matter is that many lower-class Americans have few options to make a living wage, but I don't see many of them resorting to prostitution. The prospects for a poor Thai making a living wage are much better than for a poor American, who is facing unemployment rates of 6% to 7%, and a minimum wage which is not even close to being a living wage. The vast majority of young Thai women do OK working hard at regular jobs. The ones who turn to prostitution, by and large, have no desire to make a living wage, they want to make BIG money, buy houses and cars, and live a lavish lifestyle.

P.S. My computer glitched on the previous post, which I was unable to finish. This post is because I was not given the option to edit the previous post.

I think that you, the OP, has had limited experience in Thailand and with Thai women. Simply having worked in the sex-trade does not indicate "ill-repute" in a relatively poor country like Thailand where there are few options for making a living wage. I find the percentage of women who work in the "scene" who I find somewhat distasteful in nature to be about the same as those who come from "good" families. In fact, the higher up the socio-economic ladder the higher is the percentage who I personally find rather distasteful in nature while coming from a background of ill-repute.

That is simply not true. While it may have been true at one time, now there is a minimum wage, which is, in fact, a living wage, unlike the minimum wage in the US. Furthermore, the unemployment rate in Thailand is an enviable 1% approx. As I see it, the fact of the matter is that many lower-class Americans have few options to make a living wage, but I don't see many of them resorting to prostitution. The prospects for a poor Thai making a living wage are much better than for a poor American, who is facing unemployment rates of 6% to 7%, and a minimum wage which is not even close to being a living

One of the things that always seems to be missed when talking about this is: Opportunity. By this I mean the opportunity to meet women at home. When I left the UK the pc aspect of the workplace meant it was virtually impossible to develop a relationship other than a professional one. So a traditional meeting place for couples has been struck off the list. Likewise the pub. With increasing prices, smoking bans and the higher cost of living people went out less making another traditional meeting ground less effective.

Then you have the men who are most likely to be 40+ and divorced. Probably too old to go clubbing. So where on earth are these people going to meet a woman who is a possible mate? Believe me I had a good job, lived in a nice part of London and would consider myself good looking and fit and I had to go to the internet to meet women. There are a lot of men who still think the internet is a bit seedy and won't use it. And if they live in a small town it is even harder.

Then they come to Thailand!!!! Bingo! It is like a mirror image of the life they were leading. Suddenly they are meeting more attractive women than they can cope with. Some are out to get their money but some are just out to get their man, and with it security and a better life. What is not to like about that?

So the girls have used their assets to survive. He who is without sin etc. I am not justifying, celebrating or condoning what they do. But I do accept it. And the situation creates a place where a western man can get an attractive Asian lady and not be lonely anymore. THAT IS A GOOD THING.

I am firmly of the opinion that when you meet someone you judge them by what they do now not what they did before. I know if I was judged in the same way i would be found wanting.

And if every farang who is married to a hiso rich thai-chinese doctor was lined up they would reach from here to the end of my nose.

As Talk Talk said, "Life's what you make it". Look back in anger or look forward in hope.

Points well made. I was looking at some pics today, when cleaning out my storage space, from Thailand in 2003. It amazed me to see how young and good-looking I was at the time. No wonder the girls were all over me! lol But I was already over 40, and in the US, although I had no trouble getting dates or getting laid, I couldn't get to first base with the women I wanted. There were two in particular I would have done anything for. The first made it very clear we were "just friends," and she had no interest in a relationship with me. She was 39, looked great for her age. Second one was married, 36 yrs old. She confessed her fondness for me, but, as much as she complained about her husband not showing her enough attention, she was not about to get a messy divorce and put her kids through that hassle. As she put it, I don't feel for him anymore what I feel for you, but he is really not a bad guy, and he is the father of my children.

These were attractive, lovely women, but hardly young. Then I get off the plane in Phuket, and I've got young beautiful ladies throwing themselves at me, proposing marriage, etc. It was a bit overwhelming. Pretty women who were 28 or 30 would give me this sad look, and tell me they know they are too old for me. I was suddenly dating girls 20-26 years old. I would think that my memory exaggerates how attractive they were. But looking at those pics today made it clear that they really were beauties.

In the US I couldn't get a date with an attractive lady much under 40. The ones I dated were 35 to 42, for the most part, but the 35 yr olds were pretty middling on looks, and the older ones were rapidly fading beauties. I even dated one, who was 49 yrs old, older than me, but an ex-Playboy bunny, and still looked good. All those women paled in comparison to the young Thai beauties.

And it wasn't only looks. The way the Thai ladies smiled, and laughed, their care-free, good-natured, fun-loving personalities were also beyond comparison to the US gals.

I'm sure I would have married one, except I was not in a position to move to LOS, and, having recently been through a tough divorce, after a lot of hard thought, decided I was not willing to risk my assets by bringing a foreign bride back to America.

Those, who are not as cautious as me, do marry Thai brides, and I wish them well. BTW, the gals I have dated and had relationships with in Thailand were both good girls and bar girls. In those early years 2002-2004, all three of the ones I got serious with, and considered marriage, were not bar girls, and had never worked in a gogo, ladybar or MP, and one of them was hi-so.

At the massage shop just off Rat-U-Thit that I frequented for many years, all the ladies were well-trained. They were recruited by ads placed in the Thai papers in Isaan, then had to go through an intensive training course every day for 6 weeks, 12 hours a day, which is a lot more than 150 hours of training. During their training, they were housed in a dormitory at an isolated rural location, so no distractions, all business. In return for the course, room and board while studying, and the job, when they finished, they signed a 2 year contract favorable to the massage shop. After 2 years, many of them were then recruited by the pricey shops on the Beach Road, and made very good money.

I was impressed. Atlhough I had my favorites, I never had a bad massage from any of the masseuses there, and that is as it should be.

I know how you feel. I packed in teaching two months ago and I'm heading back to England for a year to get some cash together and come back to start my own company.

All of the contracts I've ever signed break Thai Labour laws but I acted dumb until I needed a get out clause and then pulled up the relevant laws to show my contract was invalid.

Considering the shortage of teachers, the vast majority of schools still think they can get away with too many teaching hours, low pay and zero benefits. It's time for them to wake up, as it is for n00bs coming over thinking teaching is a doddle. I'd advise everyone against coming to teach in Thailand. Yes, I'm a pessimist but too many schools have tried to take advantage of me and the students on the whole are useless as they know they'll get a Grade 1 from the director if you fail them. What sort of education system passes utter failures and then expects students to get better?

US schools do. It's SOP here.

In all the discussion of windows getting direct sun (south-facing), and windows on the side that gets no sun (north-facing), there seems here to be a preference for north-facing windows, since that unit will be cooler. Many condos only have windows on one side and one poster said he moved from a south-facing condo to a north-facing condo because of problems dealing with the heat, and is happy with the north-facing condo, as it is easy to keep cool.

In this matter, let me say that living in a north facing condo or room is bad for a person's health, IMHO. You are much better off taking steps to minimize the heat on the south-facing condo, and using air-con (or fans) to deal with the heat, IMHO. The reason is two-fold. First, living in a cool north-facing room is bad for your lungs. Cool air fosters the growth of fungi and other microbes, which you then breathe in.

Once, living in a north facing studio condo, I noted mold growing at the base of the walls. Which means I was breathing mold spores, and other microbes. I came down with a lung infection 3 or 4 times in the course of a 5 month stay there. Using a dehumidifier to dry the cool air helped some, but did not entirely eliminate the problem.

Last winter I ran into the same problem. December was miserable and, of course, I came down with the lung infection again. After 6 weeks, I moved to a south-facing unit, and (after a course of anti-biotics), I had no further problem with my lungs in the following 4 months there. Other times when I stayed in south-facing rooms, I had little or not problems. When you are in a south-facing room, just having a black-out curtain on the south side windows allows you to let in the direct sunlight to the degree you wish, and block the direct sun, when the room has had enough sun to dry it out. I did NOT use A/C all the time, only when really necessary. I used fans a lot. The old over head ones are best, and it is a shame that they seem to be fast becoming a thing of the past in Thai construction.

A 2nd reason, which would only apply for some people, is living in a dark room can cause depression. We come to Thailand for the sun, so why live in the dark?

I think this is great news, and the BIB should intensify their efforts! Bring back the days when you BF a girl, take her to your room, and give her a gift ($$) the next morning bto show your appreciation of what a lively lady she is.. That is the way it once worked in the beer bars of LOS. No prostitution and every one had a great time.

When I go to a massage parlor, I want a massage. No more, no less.

Tony Blairs answer to any unrest in the Middle East is to bomb, he wanted bombers into Syria one year ago.

Well sometimes the history of Henri Kissingers carpet bombing in Asia needs to be re studied.

Does it work, or can it make things a lot worse.

The fact is that any reasonably adequate army, backed by dominant air support, can defeat even a superior force. This was proven when Allied troops swept across France and Germany in WWII, and that was a case where the Allied air force was technologically inferior to the Luftwaffe jets by a large margin, yet sheer numbers of aircraft prevailed. Proven again in Afghanistan when a small Northern Alliance army, on the verge of extinction, suddenly turned the tables, and routed the Taliban, with the aid of US air support. Another example is how easily Saddam's highly touted army was easily dispatched. Twice.

Even in Iraq, the Pershmerga, up against a better-armed ISIS force, has made gains, with US air power behind them (or more accurately above them).

The problem in Iraq is that it doesn't have a fighting force to go up against ISIS. Not yet, at least. Their $100 a day soldiers are not fighters, more like well-paid security guards. When the bullets, shells, and grenades start flying, they will forgo the $100, if need be, as by their calculations, their lives are worth more to them than that.

A real army has soldiers who are motivated by more than their paycheck. They have to be willing to fight, they have to be willing to risk death to achieve their goal, whatever tha may be. Be it fear, patriotism, religious fervor, or patriotism, they must have genuine motivation. So far, the Iraqi army has not shown that it has what it takes to wage war, not even with dominant air support.

Undoubtedly, ISIL is a world problem .Why is the US that us taking action here?

Shouldn't this be a decision of the United Nations.

When will other nations start to take responsibility for keeping the world a safer place for us all?

technically yes, it would be better for the UN to take the drivers seat. However, the UN has repeatedly shown it's very slow to act, and when it does act, it's rarely dynamically. It's like sending a dog catcher to deal with a runaway elephant bull in must. Plus, China and Russia nearly always oppose initiatives by US, France and UK. At the least, they would water down any initiative (under threat of veto) with such provisions as: "Let's ask IS to be more humanitarian" - which translates to 'nothing gets done.'

Imagine if General Patton, when moving his tank corps toward Berlin in WWII was required to get prior UN approval each time he planned to confront the enemy.

I wouldn't want to be among the IS troops being assigned to re-man the trenches around that dam.

I'm not arguing that the USA should wait for the UN to take action. Thank goodness they are taking action. ...I'm asking why the UN has done Nothing ...no debate...no condemnation from Ban ki moon and why have Nato and the European nations also done nothing so far...

Simple. Because they have the US to do it for them.

Using a knife on someone who has broken into your home at night, maybe.

You'll need a gun for that.

Chewing is part of digestion, metabolism. It adds saliva to the mass that is swallowed and aids in proper digestion. People without teeth do not have proper metobolism and suffer from various ailments, as a result of not chewing.

You should do both; the body loves chlorophyl

Agree about chlorophyll. I buy spirulina and chlorella, and mix them together with almond milk. Thniking about getting some moringa, also.

I'm in the US. Giving some serious thought to moving to Thailand. But I am concerned about getting health food there. Organic food, herbs, supplements, and things like spirulina, chlorella, and moringa. Especially the herbs, which were near impossible to find on my last trip, earlier this year. Also wondering how much to worry about pesticides, herbicides, and GMO food in Thailand.

I make green smoothies everyday and they are nutricious

1. for storing for 3 days - best is to freeze it

2. where do u find kale, i have searched Entire bangkok, but the curly kale that we get in US is simple not availble in bangkok, where do u buy it, let me know, i will buy some for me too

3. there is no need to crush chia seeds

i grind few tablesoon of my flax seeds, use it for a week, then grind again on sunday

It has always been my understanding that when you grind flax seeds, you must eat them with 20 minutes, or much of their nutritional value is lost. I eat flax seeds every day, always fresh from the grinder.

Obviously this ladyboy does not look at her best in these photos, but I'm willing to bet that she looks good when made up and dressed in the bar.

We don't know what happened here, except that someone was attacked which may or may not have been an act of self defence.

I know this:

1/ I have been to that bar myself, and many other ladyboy bars and I have never been attacked or ever seen any of the "girls" acting in any threatening or violent manner at all.

2/ I have seen many men be incredibly rude and insulting to ladyboys in Thailand, and I have witnessed farang men physically assaulting a ladyboy for no reason.

Like I said, I don't know what happened here, but the poor quality of reporting probably means I never will.

You need to read the Pattaya news clippings a bit closer. Every week there is at least one, and sometimes several, reports of lady boy assaults and thefts. It's a big problem here.

And we're pretty sure we know what happened. The guy told the lady boy to bugger off, probably in much strong terms. If you've been here long enough, you know the outcome of that. A high heel being used as a weapon. Definitely not very lady like.

This is an assault. Pure and simple. Charges should be pressed. Even if the victim isn't still in the country.

Using a high heel as a weapon is standard procedure for Tha LBs. I've been in a couple of fights with LBs. or better said, have been attacked by LBs. The one will not soon forget me, as she got the beating or her life.

With the other, it was pretty much of a stand-off, she gave up, and I walked away unharmed. She never laid a heel on me, as she was a big ugly one, so I wasn't stupid enough to get close range, where she could clock me with that heel, which she was swinging with ill intent. I got in a few good kicks, which made her even more angry, but every time she charged me swinging the heel, I was able to dodge her.Lucky for me, I was sober, and am pretty quick, or it might have gone badly for me.

BTW, there is not way the LB arrested for the recent assault on the American would look good with any amount of make-up. Or any amount of plastic surgery, for that matter. IMHO.

Obviously this ladyboy does not look at her best in these photos, but I'm willing to bet that she looks good when made up and dressed in the bar.

We don't know what happened here, except that someone was attacked which may or may not have been an act of self defence.

I know this:

1/ I have been to that bar myself, and many other ladyboy bars and I have never been attacked or ever seen any of the "girls" acting in any threatening or violent manner at all.

2/ I have seen many men be incredibly rude and insulting to ladyboys in Thailand, and I have witnessed farang men physically assaulting a ladyboy for no reason.

Like I said, I don't know what happened here, but the poor quality of reporting probably means I never will.

You need to read the Pattaya news clippings a bit closer. Every week there is at least one, and sometimes several, reports of lady boy assaults and thefts. It's a big problem here.

And we're pretty sure we know what happened. The guy told the lady boy to bugger off, probably in much strong terms. If you've been here long enough, you know the outcome of that. A high heel being used as a weapon. Definitely not very lady like.

This is an assault. Pure and simple. Charges should be pressed. Even if the victim isn't still in the country.

.