My friend and his partner departed Texas yesterday for 6 months in Pattaya. They have already reserved a townhouse south of Jomtien and are on 2 entry tourist visa (will renew through "visa run" in 3 mos through Laos). They are coming to Thailand to make a final decision whether to retire here or not. His partner has a problem with needing a supply of "prescriptions" that are not specifically available in Thailand.

They got a big surprise the other day. When they went to his pharmacy to get what they thought was going to be a 6 month "vacation" supply he was told something was mistaken and he could only get a 3 month supply from the insurance company. They said he was already "especially lucky" as they usually only give 30-day up to 60-day vacation supplies.

His pharmacist said he could send the other 3 months supply anywhere (in 3 more months, of course) by courier. Their experience with this, however, is usually to Europe or south-of- the-border travellers needing heart medicine and they have little experience sending to other continents or these particular prescriptions.

The insurance company said, well, they've heard of pharmacies sending vacation supply "renewals" overseas to their insured before, it can happen. But they were again warned that once the prescriptions leave the pharmacy, if any of these get lost, stolen (or refused, ...) then it's the insured's loss!

I think he's NUTS to do this. The thought of an emergency run back home at high ticket price to pay for these on your own a day before the mistakenly lost package FINALLY arrived is very depressing.

Ignoring, for now, issues for them to deal with after they decide to retire here, I wonder if anyone can comment. You could be taking a 5-month round-the-world trip and sending express to a hotel in Delhi. You could have lost an adequate supply brought with you or had them stolen in mid-trip.

Are there any international conventions for tourists travelling and in need of, say, heart medicine only available to obtain directly from their home countries as to acceptance and duty? Of course most travellers don't have prescription coverage outside the US, anyway, so couls save lots of money renewing it by courier from the home country.

I have been looking up travel insurances online lately and don't see how any of these expensive prescriptions (replacement costs) could be covered and for 6 months.

He has good insurance/prescription coverage, which has a high monthly premium but very low co-pay. If duty was due, then would it be on the invoiced co-pay? The partner WOULD go broke paying 35% duty on the actual (replacement} cost of these. Are prescription medicines duty free?

(He's liable to be around for a long time - no specific medical needs are forecast.)

I'm not looking for anyone's long-term secrets, hints on hospitals, just the one-time case of tourist travel going over the "vacation supply." Best couriers to use from the US to here? Best couriers's with tracking and support IN the other country to limit worry? How should inexperienced persons at the pharmacy be asked to fill out paperwork to Asia, particularly here (invoiced value, insured value, customs declared value, ... )?

Personally I have had bad experiences with having anything shipped here, and have limited myself to baggage only..

Any advice, just "been done before to here or there", appreciated.

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