Personal Challenges in Thailand

[jaideedave]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Just buy from UK seedbanks, they have no problems posting here and much better prices than FB.

My friend can recommend 'The Vault' and 'Grizzly'.

They come in a plain brown jiffy bag.

 

No need for aircon, they grow just fine at normal Thai room temperature.

So my friend tells me.

Hi Britman, I asked my friend about the heat issue and he confirms that it's the 1000 watt LED light that creates the heat...sometimes as high as 33 C. even with 2 fans..he says during the lights out with 18/6 sched it cools down. Lights on a/c on. He's bought plenty of seeds from Grizzly but 1 pack did get picked up at customs. Look up "Smoking Gun Official" Igram. Good luck. 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, jaideedave said:

Hi Britman, I asked my friend about the heat issue and he confirms that it's the 1000 watt LED light that creates the heat...sometimes as high as 33 C. even with 2 fans..he says during the lights out with 18/6 sched it cools down. Lights on a/c on. He's bought plenty of seeds from Grizzly but 1 pack did get picked up at customs. Look up "Smoking Gun Official" Igram. Good luck. 

240w HLG covers 2'x4' ............ so he's lighting 4' x 8' which is a lot of plants.

My friends 'tent' gets to nearly 40c, but the plants still do OK.

Just leave the tent open.

Edited January 9, 2022 by BritManToo

[Guest Isaanlife]

11 hours ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

My Thai wife and I are both 45. We're in no position to spend the rest of our days here, yet. No savings or retirement plans are possible on our salaries here.

 

Plan is to go back to the US, work for 20 years. I'd get a pension from a public high school, she'd get social security and a 401k from retail or hospitality. Then we'll be back. Or depending on how things go with this country, we might stay over there. Challenge is sticking it out until then.

Thank you for the truthful response.

 

 

[Adumbration]

On 1/9/2022 at 5:01 AM, fredscats said:

Is this in your dreams?  medical visa?  b.ollocks,tourist visa 6 months 2 visits allowed. Laughable to extreme this statement, "dead bodies in street robbed, after death"  ,how u know they were robbed after death,maybe before ?   ,make believe,  "flew in/flew out scammed " LOL  Think you missed the right dept while there sunshine.

  Just Google or Skype any of private 50 hospitals there in Calcutta, nearest point,see recommendations,surely cannot in Thailand 

 

True state run hospitals are overrun and foreigners go there too to for treatment, why oh! why?    ,NHS UK flew out patients there,hip/leg replacements   been myself many times   prostate op 43000 baht quote Th, 700US there,one week private room. India medical hub of the world ( Medifee.com)  How much colonoscopy here in TH   35000baht ish     starts 800 baht there

 

But I do know where you landed....Mumbai,bit of a shock,but just Mumbai,  Calcutta  ? clean,ultra modern,really good,fantastic sights too   2 hours away from bkk    5000baht return,when covid allows

Funny... How @pgrahmm describes India is exactly how I found Calcutta when I arrived there so many years ago to work in Mother Teresa's street hospital.  During my lengthy stay I had three separate incidents where someone broke into our room.  One was at night while we were sleeping, in pitch black I was swinging wildly and then found and connected with the intruder.  I grabbed him and beat him to the ground.  In the darkness he managed to get away.  I was travelling with my girlfriend at the time.  I also had 4 occasions where I had to punch an Indian for groping my girl.  One time was on a public bus with those old school bench type seats.  The guy was sitting behind us and stuck his hand through the gap between the bottom and back of our seat and poked my girlfriend you know where.  I busted that guy's nose.  Oh so many stories from India.  I once put a flower on Tenzing Norgay's grave. 

 

Anyway I assume that Calcutta has changed a good deal since then which much more modern infrastructure.  But have Indian men changed? 

 

 

[Gottfrid]

Having to see all the crazy threads on this forum, just to find a few good ones.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Gottfrid

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/8/2022 at 4:58 PM, fredscats said:

5000 baht return ,nearest point,emergency? insurance cheap enough for accident cover,anything is possible,just two hours away...what was the last topic ?eyes? from 100,000 baht tops to around 10.000 baht India  with better choices,  same same virtually everything         but,big but here , yes Thailand scores better  McCormick CM,rest your weary 80 year old body there

No reputable airline will fly a sick person for same price as regular passenger without a fit to fly certificate.

I guess anyone without insurance is not planning on surviving a severe heart attack or a serious stroke.

[LittleBear57]

On 1/8/2022 at 9:55 PM, Isaanlife said:

Any info on how the hospital works in India if you are just a tourist?

Sorry none, I was speaking on what someone else had advised. They may have.

[sandyf]

On 1/8/2022 at 3:52 PM, LittleBear57 said:

Do government hospitals treat foreigners the same as Thai's?

In my experience - yes.

A couple of years ago I had to have a biopsy at the Chonburi cancer hospital and the doctor said I could have it the following day, until the nurse reminded him that i would have to have an HIV test, rescheduled to the following week.

I normally use Bang Saen hospital, the outpatients is in the new building, very clean and modern. Their queue system works well and never have to wait long to see the doctor. Unfortunately the cashier is not so well organised and that can take some time. I had an echo there a couple of years ago and that was 5000 baht.

My cataract surgery at Bang Phaeo government hospital couldn't be faulted and came to about 40K for both eyes, exactly the same as a Thai. My wife's uncle had the same operation but had both eyes done at the same time and stayed overnight, about 2500 baht for the room.

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, sandyf said:

In my experience - yes.

A couple of years ago I had to have a biopsy at the Chonburi cancer hospital and the doctor said I could have it the following day, until the nurse reminded him that i would have to have an HIV test, rescheduled to the following week.

Why would you need to have an HIV test?

Just wondering.

 

I've been to an assortment of Thai hospitals, and not one of them ever suggested I needed an HIV test.

Edited January 13, 2022 by BritManToo

[KhunLA]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Why would you need to have an HIV test?

Just wondering.

 

I've been to an assortment of Thai hospitals, and not one of them ever suggested I needed an HIV test.

Yea, that's a bit strange, and seems to be just padding the bill.  I've had surgery & invasive procedures done, without that test.

Edited January 13, 2022 by KhunLA

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Why would you need to have an HIV test?

Just wondering.

They said it was hospital policy for surgery, maybe only for foreigners. On reflection it was probably nearer 10 years ago.

More of a problem these days if blood is to be drawn, as I am on apixaban I have to let a letter from the doctor, even to see the dentist.

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Yea, that's a bit strange, and seems to be just padding the bill.  I've had surgery & invasive procedures done, without that test.

Wouldn't complain if it was precautionary or otherwise. The biopsy was a proper theatre job and at around £40 all told not a bad deal. Particularly with a positive outcome.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/13/2022 at 4:08 PM, sandyf said:

My wife's uncle had the same operation but had both eyes done at the same time and stayed overnight, about 2500 baht for the room.

For anyone's else's benefit, that is not a good idea. Best having one done and only having the second done if all goes well with the first.

These days it's highly unusual to have to stay in hospital post cataract. Normally done as outpatient under local anesthetic. Of course if both done at the same time one will be unable to see ( eyes are covered post op ) and need help.

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, sandyf said:

They said it was hospital policy for surgery, maybe only for foreigners. On reflection it was probably nearer 10 years ago.

More of a problem these days if blood is to be drawn, as I am on apixaban I have to let a letter from the doctor, even to see the dentist.

I had surgery in a Thai hospital and no mention of an HIV test.

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

For anyone's else's benefit, that is not a good idea. Best having one done and only having the second done if all goes well with the first.

These days it's highly unusual to have to stay in hospital post cataract. Normally done as outpatient under local anesthetic. Of course if both done at the same time one will be unable to see ( eyes are covered post op ) and need help.

Totally agree, both at once is quite a risk.

My half brother had both his done at once by the NHS, didn't have a choice in the matter. His wife has advanced MS and they had to  provide a carer while he was incapacitated, beggers belief.

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I had surgery in a Thai hospital and no mention of an HIV test.

Different hospital, different policies, the cancer hospital works a bit different to my usual hospital.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 1/14/2022 at 10:41 PM, sandyf said:

Totally agree, both at once is quite a risk.

My half brother had both his done at once by the NHS, didn't have a choice in the matter. His wife has advanced MS and they had to  provide a carer while he was incapacitated, beggers belief.

At least with the NHS if it goes wrong it's not going to cost to fix it, and they'd have to provide a carer for her as long as necessary ( more likely to put her into care ). Can't see a Thai hospital fixing a problem for free.

 

I'd risk saying the op would be done by a consultant and not by some learner.

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by thaibeachlovers

[david555]

On 1/8/2022 at 4:50 AM, Emeraldisle said:

Let me look for my crystal ball

Here borrow mine if not find yours.........(yours should be resting on your shoulders ...????

Edited January 16, 2022 by david555

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

At least with the NHS if it goes wrong it's not going to cost to fix it, and they'd have to provide a carer for her as long as necessary ( more likely to put her into care ). Can't see a Thai hospital fixing a problem for free.

 

I'd risk saying the op would be done by a consultant and not by some learner.

 

Take your point about getting it fixed. Guy I know here had an eye problem caused by the hospital, they couldn't fix it and he went to  a private hospital. Not sure if the insurance companies try and recover anything in cases like that.

 

Where I went the CEO runs a clinic on a Sunday, the only day he see patients, I paid a bit extra to have the CEO do the operations, one of the top eye guys in Thailand.

http://www.banphaeoeyecenter.com/en_story.htm