Newton Aycliffe man mugged at gunpoint on first day of birthday trip with wife to Thailand
Catherine Priestley 

 

SUPPORT: Friends back home in the North-East want to help Mik and Denise Laverty, of Newton Aycliffe, after he was mugged on the first day of his birthday treat in Thailand
 

A DREAM holiday turned into a nightmare for a husband and wife when he was robbed at gunpoint and left so badly hurt he needed emergency surgery.

 

Mik Laverty was mugged during he and wife Denise’s first full day in Thailand and now the couple’s friends are raising money towards his treatment and to help get them home.

 

The couple, from Newton Aycliffe, travelled to the Phuket region on Thursday to celebrate Army veteran Mr Laverty’s 50th birthday.

 

After the perfect start to their break, the holiday took a dramatic turn for the worse when Mr Laverty was attacked by two young men who put a gun in his face and demanded money.

 

Mrs Laverty said she had gone into a bar to use the toilet while her husband waited outside.

 

When she got back she could not see her husband among crowds of people in the street so she frantically searched the resort before returning to their hotel.

 

Staff checked CCTV footage but there was still no sign of Mr Laverty until the hotel was contacted by a nearby hospital to say one of their guests had been admitted.

 

Full story: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/southdurham/newtonaycliffe/15642142.Mugged_at_gunpoint_on_first_day_of_birthday_trip_to_Thailand/

 

Terrible I hope he has a quick recovery, getting worse in Thailand 

Very sad indeed, thankfully they are insured I suspect the Thai hospital is pressuring them for payment

 

Thailand is really going down the drain.

“I just so can't wait to be back in the UK and get this horrific ordeal put behind us.”

 

More wonderful publicity for Thailand.

Poor guy....multiple leg fractures...they must really have given him a hiding....bloody animals!

Hopefully the media back in the UK give this plenty of coverage

"leaving him in a side street with multiple leg fractures" - multiple leg fractures, during a "mugging" in which the offenders had a gun, in a bar area, in a crowded street.   Mmmmmmmmm.

 

Multiple leg fractures are conducive with a motorbike accident.  Just saying. 

 

 

 

 

Relying on friends now and go fund me no doubt around the corner.

If you can't afford the piddly insurance fee for a few weeks holiday, stay home!

Surely there must be more to this story ?

Whilst She went to the toilet , her Husband got attacked and then taken to Hospital and he got taken away by an ambulance by the time She got back and there was no sign of the attack ?

   More like , they were drinking in the bar, had a disagreement , he stormed off and had an accident

I agree with some other posters. Multiple leg fractures is more likely caused by a traffic accident, maybe when trying to run away? Regardless, if he was mugged and had his property stolen, it really is going to be tough for the Thai Tourist Agency to continue to tell everyone how safe the place is.

28 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

Relying on friends now and go fund me no doubt around the corner.

If you can't afford the piddly insurance fee for a few weeks holiday, stay home!

Better read the complete story.

I can't speak for what happened here but as general advice if you ever get held up at knife or gunpoint, just give up your cash with no hesitation. Even if you can take care of yourself, the graveyards are filled with middling fighters. 

30 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

Relying on friends now and go fund me no doubt around the corner.

If you can't afford the piddly insurance fee for a few weeks holiday, stay home!

Yes, it's more important than " mugged at gunpoint on first day of birthday trip with wife to Thailand "

54 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Newton Aycliffe

There used to be a stock car track there?

46 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

Relying on friends now and go fund me no doubt around the corner.

If you can't afford the piddly insurance fee for a few weeks holiday, stay home!

 

They are insured .

 

They are waiting on investigation by the insurance company.

 

If you had read the newspaper article you would know that.

 

 

 

Over the last couple of years, when I tell folks back home that I spend half the year in Thailand, I have been increasingly hearing:

 

"Ooh, it's a bit dangerous there isn't it?"

 

It always used to be:

 

"Ooh, how lovely"

 

 

I hate to be the cynic but there's something fishy about this story.  Things just don't add up, from the multiple leg fractures from a mugging to the Mrs going to the toilet and coming out and not finding her husband....surely, he was not mugged, injured, the emergency services called and came to pick him up, treat him at the scene, and take him away all faster than the time it took her to go to the loo....

More over time for the stressed out TAT team finding another line than: "It didn't happen, it was just a misunderstanding."

4 minutes ago, mstevens said:

I hate to be the cynic but there's something fishy about this story.  Things just don't add up, from the multiple leg fractures from a mugging to the Mrs going to the toilet and coming out and not finding her husband....surely, he was not mugged, injured, the emergency services called and came to pick him up, treat him at the scene, and take him away all faster than the time it took her to go to the loo....

Even taking into consideration that She may have been having a dump, that still wouldnt be long enough for it all to happen

We don't have all the facts here. Shit reporting again.

I hate to be the cynic but there's something fishy about this story.  Things just don't add up, from the multiple leg fractures from a mugging to the Mrs going to the toilet and coming out and not finding her husband....surely, he was not mugged, injured, the emergency services called and came to pick him up, treat him at the scene, and take him away all faster than the time it took her to go to the loo....

My thoughts too, and the streets were crowded. Seems some pieces of the jigsaw missing.


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Even taking into consideration that She may have been having a dump, that still wouldnt be long enough for it all to happen

And out of all the people there no one could tell her that a ferang got taken away to hospital?


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

6 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Even taking into consideration that She may have been having a dump, that still wouldnt be long enough for it all to happen

And being strangers in a strange town, the dutiful husband waits outside the bar while his wife uses the rest room?

Dont worry,someone from TAT will be at the bedside with a bunch of flowers

and some fruit,plus the offer of 2 weeks free holiday,in a desperate attempt 

to try and spin that Thailand is safe,I have never had any problems with safety 

the 30 years I have lived here,but some tourists are a bit naive and can get 

themselves in trouble. hope you recover soon.

regards worgeordie

From their Crowdfunder page;

 

Quote

Please help Denise and Mik get home.  Mik has been attacked in Thailand and is currently in hospital.  Denise is on her own but fortunately not hurt.  The Insurance are disputing their claim and they need money to help them.  Please give what you can xx

 

When I had an accident, my insurance took care of everything with no quibbling.

If the insurance company are investigating, it could be because the story doesn't ring true.

Amazing Thailand 

4 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

And out of all the people there no one could tell her that a ferang got taken away to hospital?
 

And the ambulance managed to get there and take him away, within a few minutes

Very sorry for what has happened. Its called Thainess. It is the wild west here, in the bars, on the road, everywhere. I just hope I die of old age here

"The couple expect to speak to the British Embassy today."

good luck with that.

regards worgeordie

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Surely there must be more to this story ?

Whilst She went to the toilet , her Husband got attacked and then taken to Hospital and he got taken away by an ambulance by the time She got back and there was no sign of the attack ?

   More like , they were drinking in the bar, had a disagreement , he stormed off and had an accident

Your crystal ball is working at over work.

2 minutes ago, JamJar said:

When I had an accident, my insurance took care of everything with no quibbling.

If the insurance company are investigating, it could be because the story doesn't ring true.

Insurance companies are <deleted>,  but to not take care of a guy robbed and beaten at gun point is a serious risk unless it is a false claim.

 

It all sounds pretty suspicious.

 

Even the beating sounds odd. Mugging and then beating? Why waste time and energy? Unless he actually got in a fight. Just take the money and run.

 

I wonder if his insurance didn't cover motorbike accidents and the "beating" has left him with injuries suspiciously similar to one.