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Post by nomadic on Mar 29, 2019 4:28:04 GMT 7
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Post by nomadic on Mar 29, 2019 4:44:36 GMT 7
It's a long read but while i agree on much of it, not all. I have seen many leave after first being hoodwinked by the smiles but then the culture wears them down slowly but surely. To stay long term you have to accept the illogical things that make no sense to westerners. When a politicians says he can solve Bangkoks traffic jams by keeping all lights on green all the time you get my drift. While the education stays mired in a thousand years ago nothing can ever improve. A friend teaching there told me a Thai uni degree is equal to about year 12 in the west. I could not agree more. When a girl needs a calculator to add up my 70 baht plus 70 baht bill you can see the problem.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2019 6:51:57 GMT 7
Not sure Dan lives in the real world. Street food, accommodation, beer etc., is as easy to find and close enough to the same prices as ten years ago but; considering who he was referencing to write the piece I can see the "slant."
Last night I clicked on a news article from Google linked to the same source and couldn't even finish reading the thread. Old Groaners indeed. Nuff said! I'm certainly not thinking of leaving. Cheers bear
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Post by aussy on Apr 15, 2019 7:51:51 GMT 7
Not sure Dan lives in the real world. Street food, accommodation, beer etc., is as easy to find and close enough to the same prices as ten years ago but; considering who he was referencing to write the piece I can see the "slant." Last night I clicked on a news article from Google linked to the same source and couldn't even finish reading the thread. Old Groaners indeed. Nuff said! I'm certainly not thinking of leaving. Cheers bear
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Post by aussy on Apr 15, 2019 8:27:07 GMT 7
Well very interesting how this article is quick to bring out the anti Thai comments and to use the opportunity to rubbish Thailand. True it is now more difficult to obtain a retirement visa due to the fact that you are required to have enough means to live here. The previous opportunity to go to your embassy and cheat on your statutory declaration by declaring you have more income than you really have has forced some expacts to flee to less restrictions in neighbouring countries and I get that. The comment about Thai degrees being the standard of year 12 students in other countries is just a typical generalisation without any substance. I have been married to my Thai wife for 12 years she has a master's degree and lectures at a university. Like any country there are good and bad students and to say the standard is so low is at best ignorant. Many Thai students take up places at international universities and don't have trouble adjusting. My wife has presented papers in Japan and the UK along with other international students and has spent nearly 5 years working on her PhD try to tell her how easy it is in Thailand. I've lived here in Chiangmai almost full time for the past 9 years. I have a great group of friends am active in the community bought property here married to the most compassionate intelligent Thai woman and have accepted the difference of culture and don't want it to be the same as my birth country. If it was to be like the Uk Us Aust or China etc I wouldn't want to be here. So in conclusion thank you Thailand for letting me stay in your different safe and interesting country. I'll be here while my health is good and in saying that I won't be leaving because of lack of confidence any the Thai health system.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Apr 16, 2019 16:00:38 GMT 7
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Post by Banjo on Apr 22, 2019 10:13:08 GMT 7
I've just spent 8 months in the Thai hospital system and cannot fault it, I'm in recovery from an illness that kills countless people world wide every year. I know three young women who have good jobs after finishing university, a teacher, one in health care and one who works for a major international airline and they all seem smart and well educated to me.
A lot of criticism of Thailand by expats is pretty common in Asia, part of it's disillusionment usually after high expectations, either personal or business, are not met. Usually someone who has struggled in these fields in their home country is not going to find some magic fix in Thailand. Easier to blame the locals for your own shortcomings I suppose.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2019 16:34:40 GMT 7
I've just spent 8 months in the Thai hospital system and cannot fault it, I'm in recovery from an illness that kills countless people world wide every year. I know three young women who have good jobs after finishing university, a teacher, one in health care and one who works for a major international airline and they all seem smart and well educated to me. A lot of criticism of Thailand by expats is pretty common in Asia, part of it's disillusionment usually after high expectations, either personal or business, are not met. Usually someone who has struggled in these fields in their home country is not going to find some magic fix in Thailand. Easier to blame the locals for your own shortcomings I suppose. Nicely said Banjo. Couldn't agree more.
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Post by nomadic on May 15, 2019 6:41:39 GMT 7
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2019 14:46:45 GMT 7
Ah well those of us with O-A's thought it was coming. My bank offers health insurance with an accident cover for Bht 50,000 a year, with a Bht 3000 refund yearly if there's no claim. Fingers crossed finances & insurance will be in order in the approved time frame for next April. Cheers bear
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Post by nomadic on May 15, 2019 19:16:31 GMT 7
yeah, just another thing to worry about next year I guess. do you mean thai or oz bank?
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2019 20:41:49 GMT 7
yeah, just another thing to worry about next year I guess. do you mean thai or oz bank? Thai bank.....not sure it will apply to O visas nomadic. I think it's only if you get yearly extensions in country at this stage; though there was another report stating they'd be checking travel insurance at immigration, and it would be able to be purchased if you didn't have any. Cheers bear
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Post by nomadic on May 16, 2019 6:22:48 GMT 7
I would imagine travel insurance in oz is a lot cheaper than 50,000 baht. I use to think it was less than A$200.00 a year but I guess that was a long time ago.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2019 6:56:56 GMT 7
I would imagine travel insurance in oz is a lot cheaper than 50,000 baht. I use to think it was less than A$200.00 a year but I guess that was a long time ago. The travel insurance I had for twelve months with the twelve months option cost $ 550/12 months + $725 extension. That's the one that self cancelled on my trip home, so you just don't go home until it's time to renew; as it must be purchased in Australia before you leave. It certainly had good cover, more than what they're asking for; and I wouldn't mind betting they aren't thinking there's an actual difference between travel & health bought in the west. Anyway I'm thinking I'll buy it again at Christmas and hope like hell it'll be acceptable. No doubt more will come to light in the interim. Cheers bear "Currently, there are only three listed companies which participate in this scheme, namely Navakij Insurance, Thaivivat Insurance, and The Viriyah Insurance. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that long-stay visa holders have adequate health protection and benefit public and private hospitals in the country. Nonetheless, the introduction to this new rule has spurred worries especially among older and less healthy expats in Thailand as they may not be able to find an insurer that will cover their conditions; or they can’t afford the premium imposed by the insurer. But how open the market will ultimately be and the criteria for acceptable health coverage are not set in stone yet, so it will depend on the final regulations set by the government." www.ajarn.com/blogs/walter-van-der-wal/mandatory-health-insurance-thailand-expats
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Post by nomadic on May 16, 2019 7:05:35 GMT 7
Yeah, I've not had anything in 20 years but at times I think it is silly as you just never know. But the savings over that time would have covered most things I guess. Even being in a hospital for 3 days only cost A$100.00.
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