Pattaya is a high risk place to visit with all the old self entitled retiree's walking around with no masks on.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, Leaver said:

The UK has a good public health care system,

Are you sure about that? The one I worked for had bad managers and wasted millions of pounds on fancy buildings. Not so good on cleaning wards or taking care of patients for various reasons too many to go into in this post.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Are hearing aids surgery?

 

In case you, and your mother, haven't noticed, there's a global pandemic.  

 

The NHS is better than most.  

 

Do you think the Thai public system is better?  

The NHS is free, which does indeed make it better than most, but bad management stops it being as good as it should be, IMO.

 

As for the Thai public system, I had a far better outcome re diagnosis of problems than I ever had from western public health systems because I could be seen by a consultant any time I wished, so long as I was prepared to wait a few hours to do so. Cost a fraction of what it costs to see a GP in NZ and the chance of seeing a consultant here is extremely poor. I've been trying to have a chronic problem diagnosed for years, without any success.

So YES, the Thai public service is better.

[alextrat1966]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The NHS is free,

I’m not a Brit and I have no idea how the NHS works. 
 

But I’m willing to bet it’s far from free; probably you and your employer pay for it every month! 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, alextrat1966 said:

I’m not a Brit and I have no idea how the NHS works. 
 

But I’m willing to bet it’s far from free; probably you and your employer pay for it every month! 

Of course it's paid for out of taxation, but free at point of use, which means that anyone can obtain the best the NHS has to offer, which can run to thousands of quid for cancer, despite never paying one penny of tax in their entire life, and in some cases not even being British.

[alextrat1966]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

despite never paying one penny of tax in their entire life, and in some cases not even being British.

I highly doubt this is true. 
 

They will provide emergency care without any questions being asked even if you’re not British. BUT afterwards they will either bill it to your country (within the EU) or bill it to yourself, if you haven’t paid tax in the UK. 
 

Fair enough, it’s “free” and the quality of the medical care you get is great, except a few quirks. 
 

But I believe it costs too much for what you actually get. It’s just a very expensive insurance offering very little in terms of comfort and “being close the patient”.

[thaibeachlovers]

33 minutes ago, alextrat1966 said:

I highly doubt this is true. 

Believe it or not- up to you

 

I actually worked in the NHS and we did treat patients that were not British. It was a scam and we were not allowed to ask the patients if they were entitled to treatment. I believe that things have been tightened up to prevent such, and a good thing if true.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, alextrat1966 said:

But I’m willing to bet it’s far from free; probably you and your employer pay for it every month! 

At point of treatment, it is free, but of course there is a heavy taxation burden to support it and other Welfare state coverage. People out of work and the retired need not worry about health treatment. 

[TropicalGuy]

On 1/13/2022 at 2:07 PM, RubenRemus said:

Except the data shows that there is a benefit. 

https://www.deseret.com/coronavirus/2022/1/12/22881114/do-masks-really-prevent-omicron-heres-what-we-know-covid-n95-risk

N95 a high grade mask & difficult to wear properly. Std one layer cloth masks was my topic. 

[Pheat123]

On 1/14/2022 at 6:37 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

I see the opposite in Pattaya, the retirees using masks but the tourists not.

I travel regularly between Jomtien and Pattaya seeing most of the expat retirees using masks.

I am a retiree I don’t where a Mask when I am walking around Pattaya unless told to by the police which has happened once in 4 months 

[The Hammer2021]

On 1/13/2022 at 2:24 PM, Screaming said:

It's a matter of choice, many people choose to smoke and therefore put themselves in danger of cancer. I do not go around and tell them to stop smoking. Also many foreigners are grossly obese, I also do not tell them to go on a diet or stop eating.

The comparison with drunk drivers is more appropriate. It's anti social and dangerous  to others

[HAPPYNUFF]

Its OK, the twits are just exercising their right to die.

[davidst01]

3 hours ago, Pheat123 said:

I am a retiree I don’t where a Mask when I am walking around Pattaya unless told to by the police which has happened once in 4 months 

ignorant attitude to others. how do you feel about yourself>

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, HAPPYNUFF said:

Its OK, the twits are just exercising their right to die.

You are surely aware that the chance of dying isn't that high?

[Pheat123]

15 hours ago, davidst01 said:

ignorant attitude to others. how do you feel about yourself>

I feel absolutely fantastic and I can say for sure I am not scared to death of something that I need to get tested for to make sure I have it

Grow a pair 

[petermik]

19 hours ago, Pheat123 said:

I am a retiree I don’t where a Mask when I am walking around Pattaya unless told to by the police which has happened once in 4 months 

 

15 hours ago, davidst01 said:

ignorant attitude to others. how do you feel about yourself>

 

11 minutes ago, Pheat123 said:

I feel absolutely fantastic and I can say for sure I am not scared to death of something that I need to get tested for to make sure I have it

Grow a pair 

What a thoroughly decent guy you appear to be.....

[Pheat123]

1 hour ago, petermik said:

 

 

What a thoroughly decent guy you appear to be.....

Cheers Peter you legendary poster

[davidst01]

2 hours ago, Pheat123 said:

I feel absolutely fantastic and I can say for sure I am not scared to death of something that I need to get tested for to make sure I have it

Grow a pair 

But its complete and utter disregard for your fellow mankind. Complete ignorance. 

[davidst01]

2 hours ago, Pheat123 said:

I feel absolutely fantastic and I can say for sure I am not scared to death of something that I need to get tested for to make sure I have it

Grow a pair 

Please write to us when you're in ICU if you're able to. 

[Irate priest]

1 hour ago, davidst01 said:

Please write to us when you're in ICU if you're able to. 

Maybe just a tad over dramatic

[chalawaan]

 

We are not the Covid police, and it doesn't matter what they think, believe, feel, or do, because Covid isn't going away, life is very fragile at the best of times, and time is running out for them.

Sayonara, bitches!

 

 

[chalawaan]

On 1/13/2022 at 6:46 PM, Ohyesuare said:

The same ones that never wear condoms either, what do you expect. 

Oh I don't wear condoms, unless asked to. I do wear masks, but not in bed! 

Covid will kill more people worldwide by 2024, than HIV has in 50 years.

Eventually, there will be effective Covid prophylactics, but it will continue to kill and internally maim millions, for years to come.

Everyone gets covid customized, like it or not, and for too many of the unvaccinated it's not a happy ending. 

We'll all get Covid, and naturally,  some who are vaccinated will still die. But for now, I wear a mask because it helps keep me healthy until better options are available. I also still <deleted> and obviously do it unmasked, but then again, I vaccinate like a zealot. Today in Thailand HIV is a nothing burger with the PReP and ART drugs that are available now anyway.

There's a difference between understanding the devastation Covid wreaks, accepting it is inevitable, and therefore, enjoying sexy time with vaccinated vixens, whilst still taking steps to minimise risk and spread in the broader community.

It's the outright deniers that will pay the highest prices, so I don't fuss, they're dead men walking no matter what goes on in their muddled minds.

 

 

[Leaver]

On 1/27/2022 at 1:24 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the people and economy destroying lockdowns didn't work very well, and the only reason they are still being used in some countries is IMO because certain politicians love the power they have while lockdowns or equivalent are in place.

The British government has, IMO, woken up and accepted reality, and abandoned the IMO misguided policies of the past 17 months. The sooner we all get governments that wake up, the better.

 

However, it won't be good for those that love telling other people what to do. Imagine, they won't be able to pontificate about people that won't vaccinate or wear masks any more, if it's not official policy.

 

Easy to post like that now, nearly 2 years after the discovery of the virus.

 

Cast you mind back to March 2020, where people were dying, on mass, in certain countries, from an unknown pathogen. 

 

Decisions were made by governments all around the world, at that time, that the best thing to do was to stop people coming to their countries that could have this killer pathogen.  So, borders closed.

 

As time came to pass, and more was known about the virus, people became less fearful of it, and rightly so.  

 

Your post fails to address the main current reason for restrictions / lock downs in certain countries, and that's hospital beds for the covid sick.  You say governments are on a power trip, but in my opinion, they probably don't want to see the collapse of their health service, so will relax restrictions as hospital capacity dictates.  

[Leaver]

On 1/27/2022 at 1:29 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Are you sure about that? The one I worked for had bad managers and wasted millions of pounds on fancy buildings. Not so good on cleaning wards or taking care of patients for various reasons too many to go into in this post.

 

I never said it was well managed.

 

Out of 196 odd countries on this planet, where do you think the UK's health system would be ranked?  

[Leaver]

On 1/26/2022 at 6:36 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

The NHS is free, which does indeed make it better than most, but bad management stops it being as good as it should be,

 

I agree.

 

On 1/26/2022 at 6:36 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

As for the Thai public system, I had a far better outcome re diagnosis of problems than I ever had from western public health systems because I could be seen by a consultant any time I wished, so long as I was prepared to wait a few hours to do so. Cost a fraction of what it costs to see a GP in NZ and the chance of seeing a consultant here is extremely poor. I've been trying to have a chronic problem diagnosed for years, without any success.

So YES, the Thai public service is better.

 

Are we talking about the NHS v the Thai system, or NZ's health system v the Thai system?

 

I was talking about the NHS.

 

Do you think the Thai Public Health system is on par, or better than the NHS?  

 

Do you think the average Thai citizen would get better FREE health care under the NHS than the Thai Public Health system?  

 

Note:  public health system, not private.  

[mstevens]

On 1/27/2022 at 7:36 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

As for the Thai public system, I had a far better outcome re diagnosis of problems than I ever had from western public health systems because I could be seen by a consultant any time I wished, so long as I was prepared to wait a few hours to do so. Cost a fraction of what it costs to see a GP in NZ and the chance of seeing a consultant here is extremely poor. I've been trying to have a chronic problem diagnosed for years, without any success.

So YES, the Thai public service is better.

I hate to admit that you nailed it comparing the Thai and NZ healthcare systems. It's that access to specialists which makes Thailand preferable in my opinion. I tried to get an appointment with my GP recently and the wait was 3 weeks. The alternative was to go to the urgent medical centre where the fee is $80 (my GP is $45). Ultimately I will need to see a specialist and that will take months. If I could fly to Thailand now to see a specialist, I would.....but alas, NZ makes that impossible.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, mstevens said:

I hate to admit that you nailed it comparing the Thai and NZ healthcare systems. It's that access to specialists which makes Thailand preferable in my opinion. I tried to get an appointment with my GP recently and the wait was 3 weeks. The alternative was to go to the urgent medical centre where the fee is $80 (my GP is $45). Ultimately I will need to see a specialist and that will take months. If I could fly to Thailand now to see a specialist, I would.....but alas, NZ makes that impossible.

Indeed the NZ health service is anything but "free". Don't even have discounts for pensioners. I pay the same as some guy earning thousands a month. Even then, I get 10 minutes and never get to discuss all my problems at one time. So my GP sees me for 10 minutes every 6 months. No time for advice on healthy living/ eating etc. No wonder so many Kiwis are obese and unhealthy, as those most in need of medical help/ advice are most likely not to be able to afford it, IMO.

 

I miss Thailand for so many reasons.

Dental was superior in LOS as well.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

I agree.

 

 

Are we talking about the NHS v the Thai system, or NZ's health system v the Thai system?

 

I was talking about the NHS.

 

Do you think the Thai Public Health system is on par, or better than the NHS?  

 

Do you think the average Thai citizen would get better FREE health care under the NHS than the Thai Public Health system?  

 

Note:  public health system, not private.  

Both. IMO the only advantage of the NHS is that it is free. IMO it's just as hard to see a consultant in the NHS as it is in NZ.

However, that's for minor problems. For serious problems the NHS is probably better than Thailand, and certainly better in my experience than NZ. NZ seems to have a problem finding or funding enough GPs, and since covid restrictions stopped nurses from overseas working in NZ, there is ( apparently ) a shortage of nurses working in hospitals, though there were plenty when I went for my vax jab. I asked one and she didn't normally work in a public hospital so seems they recruited nurses outside the public health system to do the jabs.

 

NB I had no personal experience of the Thai public health service other than a talk with a consultant in Chiang Mai. I had to wait many hours to see a consultant, but I had a good book and when I did get to see him he solved my problem in 5 minutes, where the NZ GP misdiagnosed me and didn't refer me to a consultant. I had the problem for years till I saw the consultant in Chiang Mai.

Normally I went to the private hospital in Lamphun, and have no complaints about the service there.

 

A common thread throughout my life experience of western GPs was misdiagnosis.

Edited January 28, 2022 by thaibeachlovers

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

I never said it was well managed.

 

Out of 196 odd countries on this planet, where do you think the UK's health system would be ranked?  

How on earth would I know that?

 

The NHS is free, which makes up for a lot of sins. As usual though, outcome is entirely dependent on the GP. I had some NHS GPs that were completely useless and some that were good and one that was excellent.

I worked in a lot of London hospitals as an  agency nurse, and can't say I was impressed by any, but that was down to the management culture IMO.

The biggest problem that I saw while a patient was that the ward was filthy. The shower wasn't cleaned properly for a week, and they managed to miss the dirt under the beds. Other problems as well, but not going to post a list now.

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, Pheat123 said:

I feel absolutely fantastic and I can say for sure I am not scared to death of something that I need to get tested for to make sure I have it

Grow a pair 

What like rabies, cancer, etc etc?

We want this guy for our leader, he's so  big and tough and strong!

[p414]

On 1/26/2022 at 6:36 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

The NHS is free, which does indeed make it better than most, but bad management stops it being as good as it should be, IMO.

 

As for the Thai public system, I had a far better outcome re diagnosis of problems than I ever had from western public health systems because I could be seen by a consultant any time I wished, so long as I was prepared to wait a few hours to do so. Cost a fraction of what it costs to see a GP in NZ and the chance of seeing a consultant here is extremely poor. I've been trying to have a chronic problem diagnosed for years, without any success.

So YES, the Thai public service is better.

it is NOT free...It is funded mainly by the male/female childless, average wage worker.. Who, I believe, still have roughly 30% of their meagre salary taken from them.. Compulsory...

Edited January 29, 2022 by p414