Health concerns?

[joe552]

Having had a recent health scare here at home in Ireland (with free access to medical care) I was wondering how those who retire to Thailand plan for such events. I'm not talking about paying medical insurance, and having access to hospitals, but thinking if you got sick (say, with a stroke or heart attack), who would look after you? Day to day, who does your shopping, maybe some personal care, the kind of services that I can access freely here? Is that something that should be built into your retirement budget?

Any views appreciated.

Having had a recent health scare here at home in Ireland (with free access to medical care) I was wondering how those who retire to Thailand plan for such events. I'm not talking about paying medical insurance, and having access to hospitals, but thinking if you got sick (say, with a stroke or heart attack), who would look after you? Day to day, who does your shopping, maybe some personal care, the kind of services that I can access freely here? Is that something that should be built into your retirement budget?

Any views appreciated.

Get yourself a decent "BOYFRIEND" whom you can trust with your pin number, he won't wipe your arse but he will get someone in to do it for him at your expense.

Finding someone to look after you in Thailand is cheaper than just about anywhere in the world. The main problem would be finding someone reliable - so make friends with people who would know how to select someone before you get sick.

[Khor tose]

Having had a recent health scare here at home in Ireland (with free access to medical care) I was wondering how those who retire to Thailand plan for such events. I'm not talking about paying medical insurance, and having access to hospitals, but thinking if you got sick (say, with a stroke or heart attack), who would look after you? Day to day, who does your shopping, maybe some personal care, the kind of services that I can access freely here? Is that something that should be built into your retirement budget?

Any views appreciated.

Hello Joe and welcome back. I might rely on a Thai boy special or boy Friend to take care of me, but I think I would be better off with a lot of Farang friends, and trust one of them to do all the money things. I already have a couple of close friends in Chiang Mai and we do watch out for each other.

[Smiles]

Joe, you'll be perfectly fine, just as long as you don't ask, or take, directions from Khortose.

EWE ... or was that NWE ... or was that SWN ... or was that WNW ... or was that H1N1?

Oh that reminds me, buy your "Boyfriend" a pickup truck so he has something to throw you on and rush you to hospital when you have your stroke/heart attack.

[Khor tose]

Joe, you'll be perfectly fine, just as long as you don't ask, or take, directions from Khortose.

EWE ... or was that NWE ... or was that SWN ... or was that WNW ... or was that H1N1?

ROFL. Now let me see from Seattle I head South until I get the Vancouver BC and then take a twelve hour flight to the East. Of course if I get there and they only speak Russian what airline am I suppose take now? Would that be assbackwards or El dumberthenshit?

Having had a recent health scare here at home in Ireland (with free access to medical care) I was wondering how those who retire to Thailand plan for such events.

Very few do - and even fewer think about how to access their "retirement budget" if they cannot do so
themselves (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/gay-thailand/where-there-will-t18055-30.html?hilit=attorney#p182991).


I might rely on a Thai boy special or boy Friend to take care of me, but I think I would be better off with a lot of Farang friends, and trust one of them to do all the money things

Each to his own, KT - personally I don't see why an old farang should necessarily be any more trustworthy than a young Thai.

[Khor tose]

[quote="Khor tose":2hjsay4l]I might rely on a Thai boy special or boy Friend to take care of me, but I think I would be better off with a lot of Farang friends, and trust one of them to do all the money things
Each to his own, KT - personally I don't see why an old farang should necessarily be any more trustworthy than a young Thai.[/quote:2hjsay4l]

I am just thinking that someone more familiar with the West would know how to deal with all the legal stuff from embassy notification to contacting family, seeing the will is carried out, especially if bequest are to be dealt with in say England. To my thinking a Westerner would, in almost all cases, be far more proficient in handling the foreign requirements involved in someone's death. For example, how many Thais have heard of a death tax or understand USA's IRS reporting requirements. In no way did I mean that a Thai would be less trustworthy just less capable, but I did say money so I can see your point. Next time I will use estate. You might also consider that the word trust has a lot of meanings. My usage is to rely on their ability to do what is asked (per Merriam-Webster). http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trust

[Bob]

I am just thinking that someone more familiar with the West would know how to deal with all the legal stuff from embassy notification to contacting family, seeing the will is carried out, especially if bequest are to be dealt with in say England...

If I start taking a dirt nap, KT, just dump me in the Ping. And hopefully some hungry and enterprising soul will have me on a barbeque spit prior to floating all the way to Lampang....

[Khor tose]

I am just thinking that someone more familiar with the West would know how to deal with all the legal stuff from embassy notification to contacting family, seeing the will is carried out, especially if bequest are to be dealt with in say England...

If I start taking a dirt nap, KT, just dump me in the Ping. And hopefully some hungry and enterprising soul will have me on a barbeque spit prior to floating all the way to Lampang....

Come on now, no one can eat meat all covered with Michigan Freezer Burn.

I suppose it is a good idea to get a very reliable boy friend or indeed just a friend to check that you are OK on a frequent basis. But believe me if you suffer a stroke, heart attack or any other serious and life-threatening conditions in any country not just Thailand, you will need to get to a hospital as soon as possible and preferably within the hour as much damage can be undone in that time.

But for me, well while the private hospitals in Bangkok are good (can't say the same for much of the rest of Thailand) you may want to think about getting back home, being repatriated in the terminology - this costs money and real money too.

For instance if you suffer a stroke and want to be repatriated to your home country then you will need to have at least a doctor escort and possibly a nurse too. You will have to travel in business class along with the escorts, they will have to have business class return tickets. Finding a hospital bed in your own country could prove difficult and transfers by ambulance from the airport to the chosen hospital will be costly.

Insurances will pay for all of this of course but it is surprising how many older expats (and tourists) do not have travel or health insurance having to cover the entire and considerable costs of hospitalisation and repatriation out of their own funds.

No embassy will help to pay for hospital or health care fees, but they will contact relatives in your own country and they may send a representative to visit regularly. They can also liaise with the foreign affairs dept in your country to find a hospital or hospice or care home bed.

Make a will in your own country and in Thailand let everyone know where the will is kept, complete and have authorised an Enduring Power of Attorney and have someone you really trust to administer this, this could be your lawyer in your own country, a friend in Thailand or a member of your family - assuming you are not estranged from them. Even with a Thai will go to a foreign lawyer who knows Thai laws (there are many in Bangkok) have it typed on an official form and witnessed by two people. In fact give all your family, financial and other personal details to the solicitor along with the contact details of at least two friends you trust.

Keep bank details in a safe place but let a trusted friend know where they are you will need to pay hospital and other fees too.

Think about your death (it will come) what do you want to do with your remains? Have them cremated in Thailand and scattered or kept in a temple here? Repatriated to your family at home? Or as many choose a 50-50 split so to speak.

If you want your body to be returned to your own country then that involves a great deal of hassle and can take time and is expensive.

So in summary:
Register with a hospital you trust
Should an emergency arise get to the hospital quickly - have their ambulance call centre number on your phone
If you are not too old get insurance that covers even things like cancer or chronic illnesses
Consider repatriation and its on going costs - to Europe at the moment a minimum of 1,000,000 baht
Make a will in your own country and in Thailand
Make an Enduring Power of Attorney
Think about what you want to do with your remains - cremation here or repatriation of your body to your own country - again expensive.

There is so much more too.

[joe552]

thanks for the reply, bahtboy - very useful.

I am just thinking that someone more familiar with the West would know how to deal with all the legal stuff

Understood, Kt, and I agree entirely and have taken just such precautions myself.


In fact give all your family, financial and other personal details to the solicitor along with the contact details of at least two friends you trust.

I agree with virtualy everything you say, bb (not BB!), except this. Unless your solicitor is your executor there is no need to give him so much information. Mick (Le Caf├й)'s repatriation is costing around one and a half million baht, so that confirms your costs and the need you mentioned for an Enduring Power of Attorney, as well as a LIving Will (few of us are fortunate enough to have friends willing to advance the money required for repatriation, irrespective of how much we have in our home country).

I agree entirely GF - I should have mentioned a living will also.