Overall, our Hua Hin home was not in too bad a shape on our return from our travels. Nevertheless, it took more than a week to get both garden and house back to how we like it. One of the biggest challenges I faced was how to move a couple of pigeon families onto somewhere other than our roof and guttering where they had clearly been enjoying themselves in our absence.
The evidence of their residence was there for all to see – both in our swimming pool and the surrounding patio. Yuk! Nokky had quite a terminal suggestion as to how to get rid of these birds but, being the softie that I am, I preferred a more humane approach! Previously I had put some plastic spikey things in the gutters as a deterrent which worked for a while until these avian Einsteins learnt how to move them out of the way. So a more aggressive approach was needed in the form of a catapult
purchased for the princely sum of about £1. Pigeons are extraordinarily smart and whilst my aim with this ancient weapon has been pretty hopeless so far, the very sight of me with catapult in hand has been enough to put them to flight. I am ever hopeful, therefore that if I can keep this up then No 18, Woodlands may become a no fly zone – for pigeons anyway.
For some time now, the sight in my right eye has been deteriorating (thus not helping my catapult aim!) – thanks to a cataract -to the point where driving in the dark, in particular, was becoming troublesome. So, having done some research into costs, I discovered that to have this small op done in the highly thought of Bangkok Hospital
was less than half the cost of the equivalent treatment in the UK. So, armed with this information, I popped into said hospital , avoiding a dalek-like robot whose purpose was a little unclear
and asked for an appointment to see an eye specialist. After a bit of computer interrogation, the delightful receptionist told me that, with huge regret, the earliest appointment I could have was….. “tomorrow”! So, after a thorough examination the following day, a 75% cataract was confirmed in my right eye whilst at the same time, the good doctor discovered what is technically called a ‘posterior capsular opacification’ (more simply called a ‘secondary cataract’) in my left eye which had similarly been operated on many years ago. Little wonder, therefore, that I was finding night time driving increasingly difficult!
In for a penny etc, I thought, so I gave the go ahead for my right eye to be sorted although I did find the waiting time between my first appointment and the actual operation far too long – all of 5 days!! This just left the matter of the ‘secondary cataract’ to be sorted. “oh, we can deal with that with some laser treatment, right now if you like’ said the good doctor. And so it was that, a mere 24 hours after making the appointment, I had received a very thorough optical examination, had some laser work done on my left eye and arranged for a cataract operation on my right eye for some 5 days later. Incredible!
The cataract operation itself was, I am told, a success and at the time of writing my right eye sight is already clearer and will become more so over the next few weeks. All with the help of loads of pills and potions
to the point where the surgeon told me I may only have need for reading glasses in the future. I am still in awe of the amazing healthcare received at this hospital and in shock at how reasonable the cost of it all was.
Whereas I am seriously impressed at the excellent healthcare here in Thailand (albeit if you have insurance cover and/or money in your pocket), I am totally unimpressed by the country’s overly bureaucratic banking system. I thought that Spanish banks had an unhealthy love of paperwork but they are mere beginners in comparison with their counterparts in Thailand! A while back, I lost my Thai mobile phone whose number I had given to my bank so I could receive alerts, one time passwords etc. As soon as I purchased a new phone, I accessed my personal details on my internet banking and substituted this new number. Easy, I thought. Job done! Silly me as the bank continued to send messages to my old (lost) phone! The next step was to drop into my local branch where I was convinced this very minor technicality could be resolved. Wrong again as I was informed that such an extraordinarily complex technical operation could only be done by the branch where I had opened the account – some few miles away. So, off I went again armed with my bank book, credit card, both new and old passport and- just in case- my Thai driving licence which acts as an ID card. And this is where the fun began. Passports and visas were photocopied, the bank book was scanned (and photocopied) probably five or six times and after making endless copies of all this information (all of which was in the bank’s computer anyway), I had to sign every single page – some 14 pieces of paper in all – merely to change a phone number which I had already changed in ‘my settings’. Unbelievable! To cap off this interesting episode I was told that all this bumph had to be sent to ‘Head Office’ where it would take about 1 week to process. By this time, I had totally lost the will to live so meekly nodded, said thank you and exited.
Somewhere in between the amazing service and value for money of the Bangkok Hospital and Thailand’s paper guzzling banking system (I really should be in the photocopying business here!) is the government’s transport department and, more particularly, the driving licence renewal section. Apart from the (inevitable) gathering – and signing, of course- of a vast array of documents (proof of visa, passport, official letter from the Immigration department confirming, my Thai abode, doctor’s letter stating that I am alive, inside leg measurement etc etc), the actual renewal process was quick and easy. Not yet online, of course but in and out of the relevant office within 30 minutes armed with two new 5 year driving licences for car and motorcycle.
A good result, I thought except for the ghastly photo which reminds me of my grandfather!
In between running around sorting out cataracts, driving licences, pigeon family removal and getting our house and garden back up to scratch, I took time out to take a look at Hua Hin’s annual ‘Blessing of the fishing fleet” ceremony –
a fairly low key affair culminating in the inevitable letting off of fish frightening firecrackers as the boats left for their day’s work.
Meanwhile, our quiet house and garden attract all manner of small (ish) animals and insects. This long tailed lizard is a regular visitor to the patio next to my office
and this initially scary – and large- Owl moth has taken up semi permanent residence in the shade of our curtains and away from the sun outside.
Next week, were off for a couple of days for a first time visit to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand – or Siam as it was in those days. So, lots of photo opportunities, I hope.
R
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