The Grumpy Expat Forum

Here's a map showing the levels of risk of contracting malaria in parts of Thailand. It seems that the risk is low except on the borders. Another map indicates that all countries bordering Thailand are high risk areas.

This is a good one to know when you are out for a drink and want to put the wind up the other boozers. From the NHS.uk website.

Symptoms of alcoholic liver disease

You may not notice any symptoms of alcoholic liver disease until your liver is badly damaged, so it is important to regulate your drinking. (Admin: 'regulate 'probably means 'moderate')

Alcoholic fatty liver disease Admin: Do you know any alcoholic fatties?)

Alcoholic ...

This information and advice is from the NHS.uk website:

The symptoms of a heart attack include:

chest pain: the pain is usually located in the centre of your chest and can feel like a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing
pain in other parts of the body: it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm is affected but it can affect both arms), jaw, ...

Bangkok Hospital is looking for blood. Not in your wallet this time, but in your arm. I wonder whether they charge you for the time you spend lying on one of their couches whilst they suck the blood out of your arm. They sell it to patients so do they pay the donors?

This from Pattaya One:

4th Annual Blood Donation Appeal at the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
25th January 2012


The Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and ...

I have long felt that people should be legally able to choose to dies with dignity if they are terminally ill, in pain and unable to care for themselves. Drawing the line between acceptable circumstances and those which are not may be difficult but I believe that that law makers will be forced to move from the present stance that all voluntary euthanasia is unacceptable. The risk is that a voluntary code might lead, eventually, ...

Appeal for help as child is sent home to die in Sattahip
26th December 2011
26_12_54_2_5

As many celebrate the festive season, there is one family in Sattahip District who are desperate for assistance to help a family member who will surely die if help is not forthcoming. Nopagon is aged 2 years and 7 months and is suffering from Hydrocephalus, a neurological condition where there is an accumulation of excess cerebrospinal fluid within the ...

I can't find any new reference to this on the internet at the moment but the BBC is reporting that H1N1 was found in a dead chicken in Hong Kong and now a cull of all chickens is taking place. Hong Kong authorities have banned the import of chicken from mainland China.

Watch out for imports from China to Thailand!

Bangkok Hospital in Korat, the place where staff seem to be more numerous than patients, has a reputation for pressing patients to use more of the establishment's facilities than is necessary. Here's a real and very recent example.

An expat. took his wife to Bangkok Hospital for an opinion on a minor problem that worried her.

Doctor (after a couple of minutes examination): You need surgery.

Husband: Here we go. What exactly?

Doctor: A general ...

Serious sickness or illness can create some non-medical problems for expats. The British embassy website explains what help can be given to those who need it:

http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help- ... sly-ill-or

Been thinking of taking something proper out.....any suggestions?

I get some from work but it's patchy at best plus it flirts a little with mediocrity when actually needed, but it's free.

You get here all kinds of 'in the event of death' insurance when you open anything from opening a bank account to buying a house or car (how good/claimable it is I don't know) but was interested in something that is good for somewhere ...