Currency Exchange Rates

[Melissa]

Well, I have been watching the currency exchange rates between US and Thailand.  According to a historical look at rates, the dollar is currently at the lowest rate it has been since 1998 and even then it didn't quite go as low as it has been this past week.  I'm pretty upset about this, because the difference can end up being a few thousand dollars.  I will need to wait before booking my surgery.  I am hoping the value goes up by summer.  It has actually been slowly dropping over the past year and has resulted in the cost of surgery going up by $1300 just since a year ago!!!  Either that or I may look at some other surgeons.  The price is not becoming such a big advantage anymore over US surgeons--especially with the cost of flights and everything.

Melissa

Grrrr 
I hate having that "thing" down there so much, maybe I'll just bite the bullet and pay the higher costs.   I guess it's only $400 more this week than last week.

Melissa

[kaelin]

The US dollar is getting crushed right now.  I blame a massive trade deficit (it's well-documented we import more than we export) and poor economic policy (take away the top 1-2% of earners, and real income is actually shrinking a little bit).

If the gap between going abroad and getting surgery here is becoming similar, I would advise doing it here if you find a suitable doctor, because it should be less of a hassle, and your legal options are easier to exercise here than abroad.

[Melissa]

Oh there so many factors that have been affecting my choice of a surgeon.  The biggest one is the results.  The particular surgeon I have had my eye on (Dr. Suporn) has done great work and I like the results I have seen.  He is also able to work with "less" material and he is still much cheaper than the US surgeons.  Marci Bowers for instance just raised her price by $1000 because of hospital increases and it's a bit out of range now.  I have yet to look at Dr. Reed in Florida, which I'll do soon.  If it were based on cost alone, I would go to a different Thai doctor that is cheaper.  For instance Chettawut sets his prices at fixed US prices and therefor the exchange rate wouldn't even be a fact, not to mention I would save $5000-$6000 on the cost anyways.  Anyways, thanks to your concern.  I am watching exchange rates closely, researching more doctors, an just keep praying it will be fine.

Melissa



Ack!!!  It went down even further, so surgery just went up another $400.  I can't save up enough money at this rate.  Unless the dollar value rises again, I'm not going to be getting this by the end of the year.

Melissa

[tinkerbell]

Do you have a date in mind, Melissa?  I just found out that other US surgeons have raised their fees by almost $2000 compared to last year's.  Amazing, huh?

What about Dr. T (I can't spell his name  ) from Thailand? I've heard that he is pretty good.

...and what happened to Dr. Shrang in Wisconsin?  He was very, very good and not very expensive as I understood it.....has he already retired?

tinkerbell

P.S.  If you have a 401K plan and invest the maximum a year at moderate risk, it woud possibly be faster than saving the money every single month.  You can also buy stock (get financial help from a stock broker).  I used to own two types of stock which split four times in 10 years, not bad considering inflation, 9/11, the Iraq war, the gas prices,  and all that.

[Steph]

And don't forget there is Menard and Brassard in Montreal although I think that they are probably too expensive.

But having said that there are more issues to consider than cost alone Melissa, but I think that you know that.

Steph

[Melissa]

Do you have a date in mind, Melissa?  I just found out that other US surgeons have raised their fees by almost $2000 compared to last year's.  Amazing, huh?

What about Dr. T (I can't spell his name  ) from Thailand? I've heard that he is pretty good.

...and what happened to Dr. Shrang in Wisconsin?  He was very, very good and not very expensive as I understood it.....has he already retired?

tinkerbell

P.S.  If you have a 401K plan and invest the maximum a year at moderate risk, it woud possibly be faster than saving the money every single month.  You can also buy stock (get financial help from a stock broker).  I used to own two types of stock which split four times in 10 years, not bad considering inflation, 9/11, the Iraq war, the gas prices,  and all that.

Yes, I do have a date in mind.  Unfortunately, I saw that too about the US surgeons, although I am still considering them.  Possibly Dr. Reed as looking at a quick glance, I liked the results, the price is now comparable to Suporn, there wouldn't be a monster flight, and legally it would be easier.  Um, who's Dr. T???  I did a search for SRS surgeons and I couldn't figure it out.

Yep, Dr. Shrang retired.  I just need to do this carefully and right and if it takes a bit longer, then that would probably be best as I can only do this once.  I just wish they didn't have the stupid REAL ID act going into effect in May 2008.  That's probably one of the biggest clocks I feel like I'm racing against.

Lots and lots more research to do.

Melissa

And don't forget there is Menard and Brassard in Montreal although I think that they are probably too expensive.

But having said that there are more issues to consider than cost alone Melissa, but I think that you know that.

Steph

I definitely considered them and for a while I thought that was where I would go.  I think the costs may end up being too prohibitive, although I am still keeping them in mind.

Melissa

[tinkerbell]

who's Dr. T???  I did a search for SRS surgeons and I couldn't figure it out.

Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon, I guess most people know him as Dr. Preecha.

Yep, Dr. Shrang retired.

Though I hear that he still performs GRS if patients give him a call, but perhaps it isn't such a good idea to opt for a GRS surgeon who has already retired, if you know what I mean.

Possibly Dr. Reed

Yeah, I've heard he is good as well.

the price is now comparable to Suporn

Really?  wow!  that is inexpensive considering that he is a US surgeon.

there wouldn't be a monster flight, and legally it would be easier

that plus the fact that he will be closer just in case there is a complication or something.

I just wish they didn't have the stupid REAL ID act going into effect in May 2008. 

Oh yeah, the glorious Real ID Act.....who knows? I am sure they will come up with a solution (they have to; otherwise there will be chaos) for those people (like TS individuals who are traveling abroad for GRS) who can't follow this stupid law to the very detail.  As far as I know the requirements for pre-op TS patients to obtain a US passport are still the same.  Provided that the requirements stay the same (and assuming that this passport is valid for one year as it is now), you could always obtain a passport like in April of next year which could buy you a little bit of more time.  I am sure people will come up with ways to circumvent the system, they always have and they always will.

tinkerbell

[Melissa]

Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon, I guess most people know him as Dr. Preecha.

My list had come up with Preecha Tiewtranon and Chettawut Tulayaphanich, who are more commonly known as Dr. Preecha and Dr. Chettawut, so that's why your reference threw me.

Possibly Dr. Reed

Yeah, I've heard he is good as well.

the price is now comparable to Suporn

Really?  wow!  that is inexpensive considering that he is a US surgeon.

Yep, according to his website, $10500 for the first stage and $2500 for the second stage 3 months later for a total of $13000.  There would be 2 flights involved (although much shorter)and most likely genital electrolysis, so I estimate it to come out to about the same price as it is for Suporn today.

there wouldn't be a monster flight, and legally it would be easier

that plus the fact that he will be closer just in case there is a complication or something.

Right.

Oh yeah, the glorious Real ID Act.....who knows? I am sure they will come up with a solution (they have to; otherwise there will be chaos) for those people (like TS individuals who are traveling abroad for GRS) who can't follow this stupid law to the very detail.  As far as I know the requirements for pre-op TS patients to obtain a US passport are still the same.  Provided that the requirements stay the same (and assuming that this passport is valid for one year as it is now), you could always obtain a passport like in April of next year which could buy you a little bit of more time.  I am sure people will come up with ways to circumvent the system, they always have and they always will.

Thanks, I hope you're right.

Melissa

[RuthChambers]

There is another side to this.

Anything you earn in a foreign currency has just gone up in value. I've been discussing a joint project with a contact of mine in the USA and she has asked to be paid in GBP

So if you think you have skills that could be used outside the USD zone then speak up !!!

Ruth

[Melissa]

It appears this has only continued to get worse.  Here's a graph of the last 120 days that shows the value of the Dollar in Thailand.  It's not at an alltime low that we've had in way too many years for me to count (could be 50 years or whatever):



Melissa