AWOL 2014 Issue 272 28th February

Cartoon Capers Your free weekly newspaper since 2008 issue 2 72 28 February 2014 Local Listings Classifieds English Corner Curling Riots bitter Victor guesthouse pill staying healthy in hua hin - can you afford it? HUA HIN, THAILAND AWOL was contacted last week by a reader who was very disgruntled over the cost of the medicines he had been prescribed by one of the local private hospitals, and the reason for his unhappiness was that the drugs were up to ten times the price that they could be obtained for in a local pharmacy. This is not news to anyone who has been in Thailand for a long time, but there are still many people who are not aware that this is the case, and many who have no or insufficient insurance to foot the bill incurred. Insurance is something many expats eschew, particularly medical insurance, but there have been many cases in Hua Hin over the years where a medical bill has all but bankrupted people with many being forced to go back to their home country for further treatment or to try and pay off the debt. Given the average age of many foreigners that either live here permanently or for extended periods every year, the chances are that a high number are going to require hospitalisation at least once, and more likely several times as they get older, not just from getting ill but also from accidents. Several places in the area offer a variety of packages from different insurers that would be worth any expat looking into, and at least two of our current advertisers, Siam Consulting and the Observer, are licensed insurance brokers. Don’t wait until it is too late to buy insurance, and check your bill carefully before you pay it at the hospital - both could save you money in the long run, and allow your stay here to be longer and with greater peace of mind. open 24/7 Naresdamri Rd. opposite Brasserie de Paris Rooms/family suites in heart of Hua Hin a/c, lcd tv, dvd player, fridge, free premium wifi, cable TV www.victorguesthousehuahin.com GET RACING FROM ONLY 400 BAHT! OPEN EVERYDAY 10.30AM - 7PM, LATE NIGHT BY APPOINTMENT Call 032 547 199 (Office) or 081 817 3000 (Mobile) Soi 2, Phetchkasem Road opposite Hua Hin Airport www.gokarthuahin.com