masuk
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One other factor with getting old is the increased need for prescription medicines.
As I recently mentioned on these pages, my Australian purchased medicine has now finished, and I'm paying over the counter prices in Chiang Mai. My medicines bill has jumped from $28 per month to $135.00.
With a 20% drop in the exchange rate of Thai Baht to Oz$ over recent years, it's certainly getting me worried.
As for mobility, the 8 to 10inch drop-offs from path to road makes it impossible for wheel chairs, leg disabilities, walking sticks to climb down.
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Good to see photos of ordinary people and village life.
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On 5/1/2018 at 7:43 AM, DoctorG said:
As an Australian I think there are waaay too many Ozzies there.
Otherwise I quite like it.
Also an Aussie: agree with comments. solution - move down the beach a bit to the Brit Bogan section!!
Traffic terrible, smokers even worse, litter in the sea and on the beach beyond description. Traffic jams at 4am!
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1 minute ago, jenny2017 said:
I don't think that medicine is more expensive than anywhere in Europe, for example.
In those countries which have NHS, prescription medicine is subsidised. e.g. "lipitor" in Thailand costs B1900 for a 30 day supply. In Australia it is B235.00.
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1) The constant pollution in Chiang Mai province. Every flat surface in my condo has a layer of dust/ash on it each morning. This is what we're breathing, 24 / 7.
2) The high costs of prescription medicine. Something to be taken into account for those planning to retire in Thailand is that there is no NHS for non-Thais. This includes visits to the GP, Pathology tests, prescribed medicine.
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There is no fog in this revolting mixture of burned crop, forest, mixed with used pesticides.
Every flat surface in my room is covered in the gunk and hard to imagine this is what the entire population is breathing. It has also cost friends of mine, 1000s of baht to buy air filters.
In Australia, a lung specialist told me to give up smoking immediately. I've never smoked in my life!!
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19 hours ago, Kwasaki said:
Yep we get change-overs local in the village, I just know it as gas not propane.
Whoops the afternoon sun is on it at the mo.
3It used to be Butane gas, but nowadays Propane. Liquid Propane Gas.
Not a bad idea to have a safety fitting which cuts off the gas if the tubing is cut, falls off or whatever.
In Indonesia, we often had salesmen trying to sell high pressure tubing from the cylinder to the stove. In fact the pressure is reduced to only 6inches/15cm water gauge by the pressure reduction valve (orange in this photo).
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Last week I came back to Thailand through Don Muang. Our plane load took well over an hour to process, and sadly, an 'over 70s' kiosk was not there.
China and Bali are a bit more realistic and have 'over 65' kiosks. Took me 2 minutes to go through Bali Immigration. Macau to China Immigration has 41 immigration desks, all in operation + a 'disability or over 65' line. So nice to see!
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1 hour ago, VBF said:
Apparently, it is (or was at the time) much more expensive in Thailand.
That's FOR SURE!! Here in Chiang Mai, cheese is 300% more expensive than in Australia. (so is wine - sob)
As others have suggested, cheese which is vacuum packed is the way to go. I've found that unopened, it keeps in the fridge for months.
Camembert does not travel well, and on a recent trip, it was in the hold, in an insulated box with my baggage, but ended up tasting pretty awful.
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I'm looking for some help regarding travel from Udon Thani airport to Vientiane, after flying in with Nok Air.
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No one has mentioned the noise factor of a Muslim Country. I was 8 years in Indonesia and finding a place out of earshot of a mosque was not easy at all. I'm not being anti-Muslim, but a loudspeaker calling the whole village to prayer before 0500, EVERY day of the week, became very wearing. The four other calls to prayer through the day were not so bad.
I also felt a bit miffed by being frequently reminded that I was the UNBELIEVER! They just felt that I was one of the four other permitted religions of the country.* They will not eat with you, or ignore an invitation, or accept but not turn up, as you might once have eaten pork or had bacon in the fridge.
In Java, regional stores and supermarkets stopped selling bacon and I had to travel 2 hours to a large city with a Chinese population to stock up.
* only five religions are permitted in Indonesia: Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian. (that's the official policy and terminology). You can NEVER admit to having no religion.
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23 hours ago, NanLaew said:
Assuming that you have already officially reported the cards lost and/or stolen, follow the issuing bank procedures. The six day gap before the theft was discovered should not be an issue. However, they may decline a refund if their policy determines that you did not exercise caution by placing them in checked baggage.
If the bank or card company needs a police report, get one. Otherwise don't waste your time and instead, read up the terms and condition of your missing cards, especially your liabilities and see what the bank says.
FWIW, The chip-and-pin 'security' isn't applied 100% in Thailand and a whole lot of other countries as well. I have seen requests for customer PIN that came up on a POS machine being bypassed by the sales clerk. Similarly, in the many outlets that do want your PIN to complete a sale, they also ask you to sign the receipt that clearly says NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED.
Before Bangkok Bank changed cards from VISA to Union, TOPS supermarket asked me to sign for each transaction. Not once - ever - did they compare my signature against the one on my card. I feel a bit happier now that a 6-figure PIN is required, but 50% of the time I'm told that the Union connection is broken, so I have to head out to an ATM.
When travelling, I keep my passport, tickets and cards in a travel wallet, and that's with me the whole time.
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I'll be in Hong Kong over Christmas, and looking around for bifocals. I have the frame.
As I use my glasses outdoors, I like to have the self-tinting ones (actinic?)
Does anyone have the name of a reliable optician in HK and the sorts of prices I might expect?
I asked around in Chiang Mai, but the prices weren't much less than they cost in Australia.
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A piece of string or seaweed is often the most reliable.
If it's horizontal, means there's a strong wind.
If water is running off it, rain.
...you know the rest. It's accurate......
Chiang Mai has been hot and humid the past 10 days. The forecast - raining and cold.
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14 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:
You could buy a printer for that!
You're not wrong. I bought a brand new Canon printer (made in Thailand) with scanner, at an Australian Post Office store for AU$29.00 (725baht). Ink lasted 3 months, as expected, then refilled.
Here in Chiang Mai I get the bulk tanks refilled for 100baht each.
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Many stores have the staff sitting around in a corner, chatting, and totally ignoring the farang customer.
It's often up to me to break up the happy chatting and ask for a bit of service.
I know a lack of common language on both sides is a huge problem in this country, but it's such a total contrast with other ASEAN countries.
Home Pro is an exception, where staff will go and seek out an English speaker to help this mute farang.
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I haven't seen lamb chops on sale in Chiang Mai, but Perne's restaurant does a very nice lamb forequarter once a month, with mint sauce!
If he did lamb chops, they'd be rather popular I'm sure.
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I'm sure my single re-entry cost me 1000 baht a year ago. Maybe there's been a price increase.
WARNING: if you should leave without a re-entry permit, you're in trouble on return. I believe you must re-apply for another extension based on retirement. It's much safer to get a multiple and then if you're running late for a flight, you don't have to worry about the extra ten or fifteen minutes it takes to get a single re-entry permit.
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On 16/07/2015 at 3:57 AM, NormanW said:
It's behind the main police box office.
Amazing sight.
looks a bit like a DC3
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South East Australia is notorious for its high pollen counts in the Spring. A lot of the grasses and weeds imported from Europe a century or so ago, produce very large amounts of pollen.
Moving to a drier state cured the problem.
No doubt these weeds and grass cannot grow in Thailand, and is safer for those of us with allergies.
It's just a pity about the pollution - i.e. Chiang Mai from burning crops and diesel exhaust.
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Unlikely that anyone from Australia will bring one, as firearms are prohibited.
Farmers, hunters and gun club members must be licenced.
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Well, I'm certainly hoping I can proceed with my non-immigrant A-O visa once I'm back in Chiang Mai.
e.g. getting a police clearance when I haven't lived in Australia for 5 years now.
Hopefully, the Royal Thai Constabulary have not kept a record of my 100baht fine for driving my new car and red number plate out of the district where I bought it.
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1 minute ago, Tanoshi said:
If your 65 or over and in receipt of the State Pension you can simply apply by post for a single entry 90 day Non Imm O Visa from the Thai Embassy in London.
Within the last 30 days of that Visa you apply for a new extension at your local Immigration using the same method and documents that you previously used to obtain your extensions.
Interesting information, thank you.
I wonder if this rule applies for Australians, and if the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra does the same thing.
Any ideas??
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If it's the same huntsman that seems to come with each delivery of firewood in Australia, I'm told it contains enough venom to kill a blowfly.