The true cost of paradise.

[JetsetBkk]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Nobody forced him to have the treatment!

His money, his choice ..... but with only a 14% chance of surviving 5 years, not money well spent.

 

I just checked my "Line" messages from him - it was 2 1/2 years ago and cost nearly 5 million.

But he's still alive. 

Has to eat small meals fairly often.

[JetsetBkk]

3 hours ago, nausea said:

Ali you need is the cost of a morphine drip. And probably a good woman. I don't expect anything better from my later life.. Maybe I'll change from a risk adverse life. Like, nothing to lose, right?

 

My friend had one of those (the drip), immediately after the operation(s).

[Darkside Gray]

On 6/17/2021 at 10:20 PM, The Cipher said:

Health insurance costs $500/mth? Jeez that's rough. Getting old is the worst. ????

That is a cheap one!

[jomtienisgood]

On 6/17/2021 at 10:20 PM, The Cipher said:

Health insurance costs $500/mth? Jeez that's rough. Getting old is the worst. ????

What's worse is as the OP describes it ' Paradise or heaven' looks presently more like HELL on earth...????????

[jomtienisgood]

On 6/18/2021 at 11:12 AM, BritManToo said:

Pneumonia is an odd one, usually reserved for those already dying of something else, old age, AIDs, etc.

Covid...

[jomtienisgood]

On 6/20/2021 at 10:22 AM, Pravda said:

Thailand is now 3rd country I lived in long term. 

 

I like it, but this is no place for old people. I'll be out before I turn 50.

 

To me the best benchmark if the country is worth living in is how the government teats its own people. 

 

Out. 

 

Where would you recommend?? 

[jomtienisgood]

On 6/18/2021 at 4:37 PM, Grecian said:

How many years do you need to work at a Thai company to get SS, presumably for life?

Same as marriage, until death. 55555 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 6/21/2021 at 9:29 PM, BritManToo said:

She's worth 1,000-2,000 a go .......... no more.

I was referring to the mother, who wasn't a professional prostitute, but she got far, far more out of me that 2,000 a go if we divide the amount of money she deprived me of by the number of times we did it during our relationship.

I wonder how much Bill Gates wife got on the same basis.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, jomtienisgood said:

What's worse is as the OP describes it ' Paradise or heaven' looks presently more like HELL on earth...????????

If hell exists, being old is a good approximation of it while alive.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 6/21/2021 at 11:03 PM, xylophone said:

I suppose if something really serious happened, then I might just be able to get myself back to New Zealand to get some treatment.

Unless able to pay to go private don't expect much without a long wait. Apparently short of all sorts of medical personnel and long wait times. My "urgent" ultrasound might happen after a 4 week wait, if I'm lucky.

If it was serious enough to need immediate hospital admission I doubt you'd get a fit to fly permit.

 

If it would need paying for by ACC, they might not cover you if not living in NZ. I was interviewed for post op follow up in NZ by ACC when I returned to NZ after my m'bike accident, but I was still classed as living in NZ at that time.

[thaibeachlovers]

20 hours ago, abrahamzvi said:

Quite frankly anybody retiring, in Thailand or anywhere else, without medical insurance is an irresponsible fool. The older one gets, the more one needs medical attention and I think if I had no insurance, I would get sick from worrying.  I know, medical insurance is expensive and difficult to get when one gets over 65, and therefore long before retiring, when planning to do so, one should make arrangement to get an overseas insurance, which is possible (examples of possible insurers  are Cigna,  BUPA, AXA, AIU and others).

 

If I were in a position of authority in Thailand, I would not allow anyone to get a retirement permit without proof of a non-cancellable medical insurance. I know some would consider my views as anti expatriates, I think it is in the interest of the retirees to make sure they have the required cover.

 

I agree. No visa exempt entry, visa or visa extension without proof of a proper travel/ medical insurance. Too many people ending up trying to get other people to pay for their hospitalization in LOS.

If one can't afford it, one should not, IMO, be traveling.

[Robin]

All things are relative and depend on which 'home country' you are comparing with.

I can only compare with UK.

Covid restrictions forced me to stay there 9 months last year.  I found that I was spending about 30 UK pounds at every weekly visit to local supermarket.  Here wife spend less for both of us, and we probably eat better.

Uch talk of cost of health care in Thailand.  I think I get better care here than I did in UK.  Even before Covid it usually took 1 week to get to see my GP.  Thailand I can get a walk-in appointment any day.  Care in Thailand is equivalent to private care in UK which costs more that private care in Thailand.

Doctors here seem to care and not as in UK, where they would prefer anyone over 65 to go away and die without bothering them or NHS.

Living in UK has extra costs that Thailand does not; e.g. heating;  I was paying about 1 pound a day in utility costs, mainly heating last winter.  Fan on Thailand is cheaper.

Where you choose to live depends on many things other than cost.  At the moment, I chose to live in rural Thailand (Phayao) but I would prefer to be able to travel without restrictions.  Hopefully this will change one day.

[NoshowJones]

On 6/18/2021 at 2:21 AM, Kinnock said:

My health insurance is my biggest single cost living in Thailand- so yes, it's a major consideration when planning to live here.

 

My property, car and motorcycle are paid for, I have no debt, and the Mrs is very cost effective - so insurance is easily my biggest cost.

 

With MTL I have a fixed annual cost until I'm 90, but don't plan on living that long.

 

Though I think I'm healthier living than in my home country, where the sun only shines for 3 days a year.

Insurances are filled with legal jargon and small print designed to allow them not to pay out for claims, but supposing you do live to be 90 and not made any claims, they will think nothing of just saying "your 90 now, thank you for your custom, bye bye" even when you have paid in for the last 30 odd years.

[NoshowJones]

On 6/18/2021 at 7:02 AM, BritManToo said:

Not noticed much difference between the 'gross abusers' and the 'health nuts'.

Same chance of cancer, dementia, lung disease.

Maybe slightly reduced chance of heart disease.

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn't make you live any longer, although it may seem a lot longer.

Living a healthy life style certainly does not guarantee living to a healthy old age, and avoiding certain illnesses, but it sure gives you a better chance.

All the heavy drinkers and smokers I have known since I came to Thailand are dead except one, and he has lost a leg.

[jomtienisgood]

9 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Living a healthy life style certainly does not guarantee living to a healthy old age, and avoiding certain illnesses, but it sure gives you a better chance.

All the heavy drinkers and smokers I have known since I came to Thailand are dead except one, and he has lost a leg.

A dog jumped in front of his motorcycle??? ????????

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, jomtienisgood said:

A dog jumped in front of his motorcycle??? ????????

No, diabetes, probably caused by heavy drinking. 

 

[NoshowJones]

On 6/18/2021 at 2:41 PM, Excel said:

That say it all.

 

However To add to that Roy Castle died of Lung cancer aged 62 and he never smoked nor did Bobby Moore who died aged 51. The UKs Queen is 95 , her husband was 99 when he died and her Mother was 101 when she died but her Sister who did smoke died when she was 71.

 

So what does this all tell us ? absolutely nothing except when your time is up it is up, so enjoy it whilst you can.

Roy Castle performed in smoky night clubs playing the trumpet a lot, which was well documented at the time, the UK royals you mention live or have lived to almost 100, and would all have had regular medical checks and the best of health care. Princess Margaret, as you mentioned was a smoker and died at 71, about 30 years below the ages of the other royals who didn't smoke. What does that tell you? There will always be exceptions like Bobby Moore, but you never mentioned how he died, myself, I don't know.

[Excel]

6 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Roy Castle performed in smoky night clubs playing the trumpet a lot, which was well documented at the time, the UK royals you mention live or have lived to almost 100, and would all have had regular medical checks and the best of health care. Princess Margaret, as you mentioned was a smoker and died at 71, about 30 years below the ages of the other royals who didn't smoke. What does that tell you? There will always be exceptions like Bobby Moore, but you never mentioned how he died, myself, I don't know.

I thought everybody knew he died of cancer, bowel and liver I think. But my real point was when your time is up it is up. Some people take pills and potions for this that and the other, some people don't bother and don't want to know, but at the end of the day we all have to die.

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, Excel said:

I thought everybody knew he died of cancer, bowel and liver I think. But my real point was when your time is up it is up. Some people take pills and potions for this that and the other, some people don't bother and don't want to know, but at the end of the day we all have to die.

I am almost certain it was lung cancer.

[Excel]

3 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I am almost certain it was lung cancer.

No I just Googled it , I was correct

https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/tina-bobby-moore-die/

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Robin said:

I chose to live in rural Thailand (Phayao) but I would prefer to be able to travel without restrictions.  Hopefully this will change one day.

My wife lived in Phayao for a while. I liked the place more than Chiang Mai.

It was great as a base to visit the surrounding areas.

You picked a good place to live.

[NoshowJones]

2 minutes ago, Excel said:

No I just Googled it , I was correct

https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/tina-bobby-moore-die/

Oh Oh. One of us has made a boob here, I was referring to Roy Castle, I had no idea of how Bobby Moore died, though I know now.

[jomtienisgood]

53 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

No, diabetes, probably caused by heavy drinking. 

 

Don't take it too serious, I was just kidding..

[1FinickyOne]

17 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Oh Oh. One of us has made a boob here, I was referring to Roy Castle, I had no idea of how Bobby Moore died, though I know now.

don't worry, you will forget by next week...

[1FinickyOne]

30 minutes ago, Excel said:

at the end of the day we all have to die.

so, do I have like 6 hours or does that stretch on to midnight? not that it matters much

[jomtienisgood]

24 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

so, do I have like 6 hours or does that stretch on to midnight? not that it matters much

Just enough time for a few drinks. 5555

[NoshowJones]

On 6/19/2021 at 5:31 AM, simon43 said:

Why did you choose an insurance company that can 'dump you' when you make a claim?  Choose a company that is legislated by EU or US rules, where they are not allowed to dump you, no matter how many times you claim, and where they are not allowed to increase your premiums if you do make a claim, other than age-band increases for everyone in the same age group.

What insurance company does not use a lot of legal jargon that you would need a law degree to completely understand? and of course not forgetting the small print.

[NoshowJones]

22 hours ago, abrahamzvi said:

Quite frankly anybody retiring, in Thailand or anywhere else, without medical insurance is an irresponsible fool. The older one gets, the more one needs medical attention and I think if I had no insurance, I would get sick from worrying.  I know, medical insurance is expensive and difficult to get when one gets over 65, and therefore long before retiring, when planning to do so, one should make arrangement to get an overseas insurance, which is possible (examples of possible insurers  are Cigna,  BUPA, AXA, AIU and others).

 

If I were in a position of authority in Thailand, I would not allow anyone to get a retirement permit without proof of a non-cancellable medical insurance. I know some would consider my views as anti expatriates, I think it is in the interest of the retirees to make sure they have the required cover.

 

If insurance companies would play fair with their costs, and come up with policies only for government hospitals, which should mean a much cheaper rate, stop being the money grabbers that they are, then maybe more of us would get health insurance.

[NoshowJones]

15 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

If insurance becomes mandatory, then it should be mandatory for insurance companies to insure anyone who needs coverage. No more cherry picking with exclusions for preexisting conditions etc.

 

That might not work very well with private insurance companies. In countries that have public health insurance schemes, on the other hand, it's feasible.

"No more cherry picking with exclusions for preexisting conditions etc" and the most important thing, age.

[abrahamzvi]

22 hours ago, caughtintheact said:

If someone can afford all the costs of health care without insurance, would you make them an exception and not call them names?

I would accept and apologize for my adjective, if people can prove that they have the means to be uninsured, which would mean having vast reserves, as with advancing age, medical costs can and mostly do substantially increase, even at government hospitals.