18 hours ago, advancebooking said:

I read your comment with interest. I used to work at a govt uni in isan and when quitting I joined the SS scheme 420 baht a month. I have access to a large public hospital. Is this the same for you? 

 

Are you saying that your meds are for free in the public hospital system. Re wait times, I have found they are quite long in my public hospital that I have access to. 

Yes, it is much the same for me, but you can register at other specialist government hospitals if you need. I'm registered at the local town hospital, 2 public hospitals in Mahasarakham and 2 in Khon Kaen.

 

Yes, the wait times can be long, but if you get referred to a specialist you can normally get an appointment to see them within a week. If you have regular apointments, you can usually suss out the best time to turn up. For example, I have a regular, 3 monthly appointment for the eye doctor. She normally see over 100 patients and most Thais turn up early. I usually turn up abut 3:00 pm, when most people have gone and don't have to wait long.

 

Yes, meds are free through the public hospital system. I currently have three different bottles of eye drops per month (you get 3 months worth at a time at the hospital pharmacy). The subsidised cost in Australia is equivalent to 2,500 Baht per month for the medications, plus about 5,000 Baht co-payment for the doctor visit every 3 months. Here it is all free.

 

I also have private insurance in Thailand, but I recently turned 65. The premium doubled from 25,000 per year to 50,000 Baht. I'm yet to use that insurance, but will keep paying the premium as long as I can afford it. 

Since the OP is obviously very poor only making $5 an hour mopping floors for the Australian Public Service and needs a zimmer to walk around and can't afford a baht bus, I think we should all pitch in to help him have a better holiday.

 

I have some 7-eleven stamps he can have to help get by. Stamps are worth 1 and 3 baht at any 7-Eleven 😉

 

Edited October 17, 20241 yr by Pattaya57

58 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

Yes, it is much the same for me, but you can register at other specialist government hospitals if you need. I'm registered at the local town hospital, 2 public hospitals in Mahasarakham and 2 in Khon Kaen.

 

Yes, the wait times can be long, but if you get referred to a specialist you can normally get an appointment to see them within a week. If you have regular apointments, you can usually suss out the best time to turn up. For example, I have a regular, 3 monthly appointment for the eye doctor. She normally see over 100 patients and most Thais turn up early. I usually turn up abut 3:00 pm, when most people have gone and don't have to wait long.

 

Yes, meds are free through the public hospital system. I currently have three different bottles of eye drops per month (you get 3 months worth at a time at the hospital pharmacy). The subsidised cost in Australia is equivalent to 2,500 Baht per month for the medications, plus about 5,000 Baht co-payment for the doctor visit every 3 months. Here it is all free.

 

I also have private insurance in Thailand, but I recently turned 65. The premium doubled from 25,000 per year to 50,000 Baht. I'm yet to use that insurance, but will keep paying the premium as long as I can afford it. 

 

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that one could register at more than 1 hospital. I will ask about this at the local SS office. 

 

Im the same as you re turning up after lunch. No way will I wait all morning. Complete waste of time. 

 

Why bother with throwing away 50k? I suppose thats not much if its 50k a year. But not 50k a month 

 

20 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Since the OP is obviously very poor only making $5 an hour mopping floors for the Australian Public Service and needs a zimmer to walk around and can't afford a baht bus, I think we should all pitch in to help him have a better holiday.

 

I have some 7-eleven stamps he can have to help get by. Stamps are worth 1 and 3 baht at any 7-Eleven 😉

 

Thanks for bringing these stamps up in topic

I have no idea why they 711 give them to me ,I rejected them.

How do you use these ??

How many do I need to collect ?

Edited October 17, 20241 yr by georgegeorgia

2 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Thanks for bringing these stamps up in topic

I have no idea why they give them to me ,I rejected them.

How do you use these ??

Just bring them in and present them with your next purchase.

37 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Thanks for bringing these stamps up in topic

I have no idea why they 711 give them to me ,I rejected them.

How do you use these ??

How many do I need to collect ?

You're claiming poor and yet giving baht away 😀

 

They are same as coins. The bottom right hand red circle has a 1 or 3 in Thai and that's what it's worth (3 in Thai is like a sideways 3, while 1 is the circle thingy)

 

Edited October 17, 20241 yr by Pattaya57

Am I being mean, I can't help it but to flash my 7/11 wealth 😉

 

On 10/16/2024 at 2:59 PM, KannikaP said:

Tell me how you can run 2 x 30 watt fans, an AC, a PC, lights, TV? and average 60 units per month = 2 units per day.   Not possible. A modern Inverter air-con uses at least 500 watts per hour on Eco setting at 28C.

Oh yes, you are getting ripped off at Bht 8 per unit, that's twice the Govt rate.

 

I use 2 of the desktop fans most of the time March-October during the day.

Dec-Feb, often no fans used.

No TV since 2010; I returned it to the landlord.

One PC.

A/C: Always set at 28℃.  Usually 1- hour a day(mostly after shower to  dry bathroom with fan).

 

In apartment, electricity unit is often higher than house.

35 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

I use 2 of the desktop fans most of the time March-October during the day.

Dec-Feb, often no fans used.

No TV since 2010; I returned it to the landlord.

One PC.

A/C: Always set at 28℃.  Usually 1- hour a day(mostly after shower to  dry bathroom with fan).

 

In apartment, electricity unit is often higher than house.

You don't need to dry the shower, bud. Just let it air dry.

2 hours ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

I use 2 of the desktop fans most of the time March-October during the day.

Dec-Feb, often no fans used.

No TV since 2010; I returned it to the landlord.

One PC.

A/C: Always set at 28℃.  Usually 1- hour a day(mostly after shower to  dry bathroom with fan).

 

In apartment, electricity unit is often higher than house.

Must be hot in there with no Air conditioning 

26 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Must be hot in there with no Air conditioning 

I use a fan in my living room and only turn on aircon in bedroom while sleeping. My electric is only 1100 per month for last 4 months  so seems a good plan and very comfortable.

2 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

I use a fan in my living room and only turn on aircon in bedroom while sleeping. My electric is only 1100 per month for last 4 months  so seems a good plan and very comfortable.

Thankyou for your service Sir 

2 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Thankyou for your service Sir 

I actually served in Gulf War 1 so I really don't need your fake "thank you for your service" over not using an air-con in Pattaya 😉

9 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

I actually served in Gulf War 1 so I really don't need your fake "thank you for your service" over not using an air-con in Pattaya 😉

If you told me it was raining I would have to go outside to check 

21 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

I use a fan in my living room and only turn on aircon in bedroom while sleeping. My electric is only 1100 per month for last 4 months  so seems a good plan and very comfortable.

I don't use any of that last summer we had 10 days over 40 and about 14 days in the high 30this never used a fan and don't have aircon.

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

I don't use any of that last summer we had 10 days over 40 and about 14 days in the high 30this never used a fan and don't have aircon.

How would that be possible,the heat in Australia is brutal and very dry 

Just now, georgegeorgia said:

How would that be possible,the heat in Australia is brutal and very dry 

I don't mind the heat just don't like humidity 

On 10/16/2024 at 1:31 PM, BuddyPish said:

The trouble is that too many people think that a retirement in Southeast Asia is some sort of birthright.

 

You can't move here expecting everything to remain cheap especially when the currency in which your income is denominated is being managed by powers that don't give a monkey's about overseas retirees.

 

Western money is headed one way and in 5 years' time there will be far fewer Brits and Aussies parked up here so if the pain is unbearable and you can't find a way to generate some income, better you consider a move to a country where weak, inflated currencies like the pound, euro and Aussie can still confer the illusion of wealth on you, at least as far as the locals' perception.

 

Countries like Vietnam come immediately to mind 

 

Well, the response to this is that expats should avoid those restaurants charging the western prices.  Tourists will see this too and learn to avoid those restaurants because they can only support the restaurant with foreigners as locals cannot afford western prices.  Once tourists and expats do avoid the restaurants, they will have problems unless they lower their prices so will hav e to close or let workers leave.  That is why in the west, competition means that restaurants have to offer better prices if they want to keep their customers or those folks will go to the cheaper place for the same type meal.

On 10/16/2024 at 2:43 PM, still kicking said:

Just had a pizza in OZ (Dominos) paid 112 baht the last one I had in LOS I paid (from memory ) 300 baht.

Yes being a pizza lover for years, and being in Thailand for years, I am well aware that the price of a pizza here is far more than a pizza in the US.  But, for some reason, the prices have always been higher here and expats and locals too I guess continue to support those pizza shops

10 hours ago, still kicking said:

I don't use any of that last summer we had 10 days over 40 and about 14 days in the high 30this never used a fan and don't have aircon.

 

Yeah I dont use fans or aircon either, keep all windows and doors closed too.

Baht hitting new high after the rate cut.

 

The land of opposite.

As long as you can get a decent meal for 40 Baht including water and ice for free, it is still quite affordable.

15 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Yeah I dont use fans or aircon either, keep all windows and doors closed too.

Must be a sauna in there !

Just now, hkt83100 said:

As long as you can get a decent meal for 40 Baht including water and ice for free, it is still quite affordable.

Can't see anywhere in BKK or Pattaya for that ?

1 minute ago, georgegeorgia said:

Must be a sauna in there !

bare concrete floors keep the gaff cool.

1 minute ago, georgegeorgia said:

Can't see anywhere in BKK or Pattaya for that ?

Welcome to Isaan.

8 minutes ago, hkt83100 said:

Welcome to Isaan.

Yes I thought so 

Although I guess the outer areas of Bangkok may have those prices 

15 hours ago, JimTripper said:

You don't need to dry the shower, bud. Just let it air dry.

 

Every time I take a shower with soap, wash up the whole  wall and the floor.

Then rinse it, and squeeze  the remaining water off the wall and floor.

Then I wipe them up the room with big dry cloth(old worn bathing towel) and run the fan to make them completely dry.

I don’t want soap and water scales build up in my shower room.

Instead, I want to keep that space immaculate all the time.

21 hours ago, advancebooking said:

 

Why bother with throwing away 50k? I suppose thats not much if its 50k a year. that But not 50k a month 

 

Sorry, 50k per year, locked in at price for the next 5 years.

33 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

Every time I take a shower with soap, wash up the whole  wall and the floor.

Then rinse it, and squeeze  the remaining water off the wall and floor.

Then I wipe them up the room with big dry cloth(old worn bathing towel) and run the fan to make them completely dry.

I don’t want soap and water scales build up in my shower room.

Instead, I want to keep that space immaculate all the time.

Seems a lot of trouble 

Do you rent ?

FFS just spray Exit mould in there

Reminds me the guy at work who spends his Saturday night off polishing his stove