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nkped

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Posts posted by nkped

  1. 7 hours ago, sailingbill said:

    Glad you did well, thanks for the post. My GF had significant vision loss in her 20"s  Took her to Phaythai Siracha. Total disaster. After waiting and the usual basic exam we were told eye doctor not here ,i did call before..  Not a fan BPH and your experience while good for you has me staying with Bumrungrad

    A few years ago I had cataract repair (other eye) at the Rutnin Eye Hospital in Bangkok and had been going back there for annual exams.  That just wasn't an option for something this urgent.

    Perhaps a month before I had some blurring and floaters in the left eye and saw a different, male doctor,  at the BPH eye clinic.  He was a bit of a jerk and said deal with it.  In the US, I might, for the first time ever, be giving some thought to a malpractice action.  I might even consider it here, but seeing Dr. Attaporn and and other doctors in the hospital, that would probably be taking a dump in my own mess kit.

  2. 1 hour ago, BeerBelly said:

    I recall this being discussed on Pattaya Talk years ago. It may have been EvilP who said that "American Breakfast" was the term used for the breakfast served to American GIs way back when. The hot dogs probably came about because when a pork breakfast sausage was described to the Thais, this was the only think they could think, had experience with, or had available.

     

    That was my theory.  Americans eat sausage for breakfast, both configurations.  A hot dog is a sausage, more or less true.  Something got lost in translation.

    My first thought on the original question was some sort of Mexican scramble.

  3. From another lifetime, a certified check would probably be accepted for deposit.  It likely would not be credited until the check cleared.  That might take a while.

    Don't forget the requirement to declare it to treasury if over  $10K.

    Several years ago, brought about $4K in travelers checks to open a bank account.  I'm risk adverse as to carrying cash.  Had to have the account before making SWIFT transfers.

  4. A couple of other things that reflect favorably on BHP.

    The room was a bit warmer than ideal for me but not enough to complain.  The GF noticed and told the nurses, hey, he likes it like a meat locker (loose translation).  Repair guy showed up, fiddled with the thermostat and it was cooler.

    Dr. Attaporn told me to sleep on my side after the surgery.  Said I couldn't, the bed was too hard.  They rolled in a bed with a thicker mattress.

  5. Okay, it is 2020.  Get up on Sunday, May 17 and there is a noticeable problem with the vision in the left eye.  It was a shadow on the field of vision on the right side, couldn't see the tip of my nose.

    Detached retina came to mind, so I googled it.  Yes, that's what it appeared to be and it's an emergency.  Probably should have just headed for the hospital and presented myself, but didn't do that.  Checked the BHP website looking for a doctor specializing in that area who had Sunday office hours.  Picked Dr. Attaporn Suwannik, who is a woman.  It was a good pick and the fact that she was a woman may have been a factor in my choice.  Sent an email.  Nothing was available, she was in surgery, but an appointment for Monday.

    Go in, the standard dilation and shining bright lights in the eye.  Yes, you have a detached retina and surgery should be soon although not same day soon.

    Tuesday, go see my cardiologist to get his input.  Also, got a covid test, not terribly pleasant but not as horrid as I feared.

    Check in on Wednesday, surgery late in the afternoon.  General anesthetic.  Not sure, but I think I may have vigorously tried to escape coming out of it.

    Eye bandaged, couldn't see much beyond light and color but not a lot of pain.  The procedure is an incision in the eyeball and injecting a gas bubble to push the retina back into place.  Sounds strange but it worked.

    There had been some hope of going home the next day, but ended up staying three.  I think it may have been a matter of the pressure inside the eyeball.  The GF stayed over each night, a great psychological help.

    Sent home with with a lot of eye drops.  Been back three times.  Progress was slow, but Dr. Attaporn seemed to think things were satisfactory so no panic.  The gas bubble has not been fully absorbed .  Going back on July 6.

    Improvement has been slow, but no longer oozing blood and the last few days observable improvement in the vision so I actually am optimistic as opposed to cautiously hopeful.

     Yes, the cost was real money--289,673.70 baht.  I have the great good fortune to have employer subsidized health insurance which continued into retirement and which paid the hospital directly.  Even in normal times, getting on a plane to the US would not have been an option.

    • Upvote 4
  6. On 5/27/2020 at 11:50 AM, sailingbill said:

    I have an OA., That goes away because of the health insurance. I have excellent health insurance but cant prove it because of the form the Thais want. I have more than 65,000 baht/month income but direct deposit has halted with a change in banking laws in the USA I cant prove it  I know about and use transferwise. No guarantee the transfers show as international. So i legally am well qualified  but am pushed to an agent or less likely the Thai elite card. My visa cost go from 3000baht a year to 30,000. I know my choice but do not want the hassle of 800,000 in a bank then proving its still there 3 months later.  The OA was great if you visited your home country every 2 years. No bank, or extensions needed.

    I've looked before and I believe Bangkok Bank codes transferwise the same as my OPM check.  However, the last extension in March, I had the distinct impression they preferred a monthly pension/annuity.

  7. Went to the Outback Restaurant (no longer Retox) the other night.  Rather than a laminated menu, the waitress presented an I-pad or some other tablet with menu headings on the screen.  I did have to touch the heading I was looking for.  Obviously they should be cleaning the screen after each use and I can't speak to that.  

  8. On 5/9/2020 at 1:46 AM, Butch said:

    Thanks Brown1950, I see EVA are still running a LHR-TPE service as well. Hopefully in time Thai will reinstate the other service.

     

    Eva is showing Bangkok-Taipei flights from 1 June on.  Still no transit through TPE and severe restrictions on entry.  Obviously subject to change.

    • Like 1
  9. 2 hours ago, midlifecrisis said:

    The next flights I take will be to places who are unhappy with China and won't let their citizens fly there. Is there any place Chinese don't like to monger?

    I wonder where the Chinese with money go other than the west coast of North America.

  10. 1 hour ago, syed said:

    China is helping many countries to stand on their feet and I commend that.  It is emerging as a super nuclear power that can defend herself from bully countries of the world 

    While the West is busy butchering innocent people of the world with bombs, missiles and planes

    If China was to export a virus to other countries, they would not have let their own country suffer

     

    1 hour ago, jacko said:

    Strange perspective, I wonder if those in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet etc are in full agreement? Perhaps the Uighur have input too.

    As for China not letting it's own people suffer, well they are not big on Human Rights are they? 

    I doubt the PRC would have intentionally incurred the economic costs.

  11. On 4/21/2020 at 9:01 PM, forcebwithu said:

    At least one region is looking into tapping the aquifer for water.

    New study into use of huge aquifer in Isan

    NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A new study will explore ways of bringing up water from a huge underground aquifer for use in four northeastern provinces - Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram and Surin.

    The artesian basin stores about 16,000 million cubic metres of groundwater and was found relatively recently, a Groundwater Resources Department official said on Wednesday.

    The Nakhon Ratchasima-based Zone 5 Groundwater Resources Office is responsible for groundwater use in the four provinces.

    Office director Surat Buaphan said that if the groundwater can be brought up it would be a boon for farmers in the Northeast who rely on rainfall during the wet season for agriculture. Their land lies unused during the dry season due to lack of water.

    Of the four provinces under his office, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum and Buri Ram have already been declared drought-hit zones this year.

    Surin is not included as it has a sufficient supply of surface water, thanks to rain brought by former tropical storm Podul.

    In Nakhon Ratchasima, artesian wells have been sunk at all villages so it was quite certain there would be sufficient water for consumption this dry season, he said.

    Groundwater from artesian wells at more than 400 schools is being processed for use as drinking water, and can also be used by people from nearby communities, he said.

    Of the estimated 16,000 million cubic metres of water in the aquifer, only about 11% of it is being pumped for use. The department study will explore ways of making the most use of it.

    That's how much of the world gets its fresh water.  Don't know how much it would cost to dig the wells and install the pumps for a major city's water supply or how long it would take.

  12. Planes would have to fly and there would have to be some confidence I could get back into Thailand on a reentry permit.  Then there would be the flight itself.  No, it's not just recirculated air but it still wouldn't be great for social distancing.  Couple that with the likelihood of having to wear a mask for a couple of 10-12 hour flights.  Yeah verily, this may be the long tour.

  13. 6 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

    I dont expect the airport to open to tourism this year or until a vaccine is up and running

    No tourist visas, no entry without visa, no visa on arrival?  I suppose it could be done but with just returning Thais and business travelers, doubt there would be many flights.

    We're in unknown territory.

  14. Have a reservation with Eva for 4 June which I have not cancelled so far.  Out of curiosity, checked the seating for the Taipei-Seattle leg.  Of 64 seats in Premium Economy, only 6 are filled at this point.  No, I'm don't really expect to be making the trip.

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