“Cambodian traffickers almost killed me, now my life is ruined”

[webfact]

“Cambodian traffickers almost killed me,  now my life is ruined”

 

 

After working as a diving instructor, Didier Ruckh joined a company working with the military police in Cambodia to protect the forest against deforestation and stop illegal trafficking of animals. In a mission for 3 years in the Caramones mountains, he did his best to preserve that wonderful natural habitat but it didn’t end well.

His job was to patrol, even under heavy rain, every single days and night because the traffickers never stop to try their best to take those precious things out from the forest in order to sell them at the black market.

He got into physical confrontation many times even with the local villagers because they didn't want them to take out their "traffickers friends" to the court.

This is how Didier got a lot of unfriendly people around him but kept believing in his mission to preserve and protect this place of paradise.

On February 21th 2015, during a day off in the capital, around 8.30pm on the way to go to the restaurant to have a dinner with friends, he has mysteriously got into a serious traffic accident that completely changed his life to the worst.

Luckily, during the accident he didn’t lose conscious and managed to call for help. 

Very badly injured, his shoulder, arm, hips and knee were all broken and his femoral arteria was cut in half with his foot completely wasted.

When he arrived at the local hospital, the doctor decision was to amputate the entire leg. At that moment, Didier requested to not do it by telling them he had a medical insurance that could cover any required treatment.

4 days after the accident, an air-ambulance then transported him from Cambodia to Bangkok where he started to receive a proper treatment as well as multiple surgeries from a specialist.

49 surgeries later, Didier still can't walk long without crutches. He also lost his job.

Currently, he is not able to find any job and need go back to Switzerland to request a social support in order to be able to live a decent life.

He said he spent all his savings trying to get back on his feet and continue his life in Asia but now he is forced to go back to Switzerland to get few more surgeries in order to try to fix what's left of his leg and then find a new job.

 

Donate to support Didier :

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[Get Real]

Off course it´s a terrible situation, but he must have realized the danger he put himself in from start.

[snooky]

Unfortunately, you sound like Trump with his remarks to the mother of the US serviceman that got killed!   IMHO people that are genuinely trying to better things should be lauded and not with an  "it serves you right"' thought.

[sead]

I never understood those going to places for free with an agenda they could help the world. Those going to countries where there clearly is war or like in this case, if threatened so many times to just continue instead of listening to the warning bells. If Cambodia doesnt think its important to save their own forrest why should he? I bet that even in Switzerland he have homeless people he could care for.  Give food etc

I would never go to Nigeria or any dangerous place and then when kidnapped, i would say `why me`

He could have gone to some village and help with school eduction. Help poor people. etc etc

[Phatbeets]

Feel sorry for him

[steven100]

Many occupations are dangerous ....   eg;  you work in Iraq ,  you are a undercover cop ... etc.

One must know there are risks in the role undertaken. He wasn't forced to join that job.

Hope he gets well soon and maybe try flipping burgers.

[off road pat]

On 06/11/2017 at 2:43 PM, Get Real said:

Off course it´s a terrible situation, but he must have realized the danger he put himself in from start.

Without people like him nothing would ever change and get better !!! ,...be assured, you can continue you're uninterested life...

[Get Real]

7 hours ago, off road pat said:

Without people like him nothing would ever change and get better !!! ,...be assured, you can continue you're uninterested life...

I do not get you on this one. My comment was not about what life you choose, and if it´s interesting or not. It was about being aware of the risks with the choice you make.

[Sheryl]

On 11/6/2017 at 10:41 PM, sead said:

I never understood those going to places for free with an agenda they could help the world. Those going to countries where there clearly is war or like in this case, if threatened so many times to just continue instead of listening to the warning bells. If Cambodia doesnt think its important to save their own forrest why should he? I bet that even in Switzerland he have homeless people he could care for.  Give food etc

I would never go to Nigeria or any dangerous place and then when kidnapped, i would say `why me`

He could have gone to some village and help with school eduction. Help poor people. etc etc

Your inability to understand altruistic actions may say more about you than it does about those who do.

 

However as I read the story, this is not a case of this, it was a paid job. First he worked in Camb as a diving instructor and then he took this other job, which by its nature did entail some danger.

 

The article does not explain why he thinks the "accident" was intentional revenge so no way to assess how likely it is that this was the case. While that is possible, serious traffic accidents are very, very common in Cambodia and one can easily end up exactly as he did no matter  what you are doing in Cambodia (and people do). Can and does happen even to tourists. Same is the case in Thailand.

 

If this had occurred in Koh Kong or other site near where he works I would think the connection between the accident and his work more probable,  but as it happened in Phnom Penh -- still possible but a little less likely, someone would have had to go to some trouble to track his movements. So who knows if any connection.

 

Travel insurance (or, for longer term residents, healht insurance) is essential.

[snooky]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Travel insurance (or, for longer term residents, healht insurance) is essential.

And when you get into the 8th or 9th decade of your life here in Thailand, pray tell where you can get health insurance that will not cost you your monthly pension (or more)!

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, snooky said:

And when you get into the 8th or 9th decade of your life here in Thailand, pray tell where you can get health insurance that will not cost you your monthly pension (or more)!

 

The thread is about Cambodia but of course same difference ..especially since people living in Camb would usually need to come ot Thailand for treatment of anything major.

 

You can get insurance at that age and while hopefully less than your pension it will be costly - for someone in their mid 80's, about US 700 a month

 

And yes, many people cannot afford that. But those same people also cannot afford to pay a hospital bill of 1-2 million baht which is what just one serious accident or catastrophic illness can run to in a Thai  government hospital. And,they obviously cannot self insure.

 

You are not going to like this answer, but - people who can not afford what a major accident or illness would cost them, nor insurance, nor to self insure  really are best  advised to return to their home countries where there is usually some sort of health cover available to them for free or low cost. They are sooner or later going to come to serious grief here, and it happens constantly.

 

 

 

 

 

[sead]

Gues youre telling me that if i have 50 countries and 500 places i could go to and help poor people safely. But i choose the one  where i have been threatened and/or where i know it dangerous for me without security and then i get hurt. That its all same? 

Well it isnt. Altruistic actions doesnt mean stupid actions. Does it?

[off road pat]

On 08/11/2017 at 7:28 AM, Get Real said:

I do not get you on this one. My comment was not about what life you choose, and if it´s interesting or not. It was about being aware of the risks with the choice you make.

well, some people continue to do there work, despite the dangers involved, some journalists, fire men, nature activists/protectors,...etc,...there is a long list..

[nausea]

On 06/11/2017 at 9:44 AM, webfact said:

he has mysteriously got into a serious traffic accident that completely changed his life to the worst.

What's mysterious about a traffic accident in Asia per se? We need details of this accident. And is there evidence he was deliberately targeted? Did a car mount the pavement or what? That's not to say the guy doesn't deserve our sympathy like any other road accident victim; but evoking a tenuous connection with a bland unsupported statement, to elicit further sympathy and sensationalise the story, doesn't really cut it.

[snooky]

On 11/8/2017 at 8:44 PM, Sheryl said:

You can get insurance at that age and while hopefully less than your pension it will be costly - for someone in their mid 80's, about US 700 a month

Yes - you can.  AND, at this price, the deductible will be US$5000.. with a maximum payout of $2000 dollars.  So in reality, you can save the 2000 dollars with three months premiums and have the same coverage.  Makes no sense.

[Sheryl]

No, not with a maximum payout of $2,000, that is ridiculous and I know of no policy with coverage that low. Maximum $1 million per year. And not with $5000 deductible either. More like $1000.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[snooky]

Yes, it is ridiculous but unfortunately, it is true, mostly because of the age of 80 or over!  BTW, if you still know of the company that gave you the quote, please advise - Thanks!

 

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by snooky

[Sheryl]

Cigna Global

If not over 80, AXA PPP

 

Both are UK based. I suspect yo uhave been delaing with Thailand-based insurers.