Mum’s plea after ‘big-hearted’ son, 29, who rescues Thai dogs, struck with brain tumour and needs £15,000 to fly home

[Fred31]

2 hours ago, car720 said:

someone please enlighten me as to what insurance everyone is talking about?  Not Travel Insurance, that's for sure.  Does anyone seriously believe that a Thai insurance company would pay up?

yes, of course they would, we have Thai insurance and they pay quickly and in full. No problems

[cardinalblue]

Very unfortunate he doesn’t have insurance...and no you really can’t plan or expect these of low probability medical events....headaches are symptoms for many things...

 

that said, I doubt if he was Thai he would be facing the same bill...the gov has a tendency to treat him at first rate cost w/o regard to payment just based on him being a Falang...can pay later approach is a form of discrimination or system opportunistic....

 

any difference from a sukhimvit street vendor upon the appearance of a falang in front of their table?

[moe666]

2 hours ago, car720 said:

someone please enlighten me as to what insurance everyone is talking about?  Not Travel Insurance, that's for sure.  Does anyone seriously believe that a Thai insurance company would pay up?

Most of the insurance companies that provide health insurance to farangs are european with offices here in Thailand or like AIA an American insurance.

[catman20]

2 hours ago, car720 said:

and a friend of mine, aged 32, dropped dead of a heart attack in my lounge room in Kalasin.  When it hits it hits and that's it.

I hate people who have smart arse quips when it is not happening to them.

yes very sad and no one knows whats around the next corner, life is very much luck or the draw.

[catman20]

1 hour ago, davethailand said:

I had Bupa Private health insurance in Thailand for years, on the few occasions I've claimed on it they always paid out.

 

i think insurance is a bit of a rip off however,if you can not afford to pay for your own health problems should you have something like this then i think its a good idea to take out some insurance.

 

im surprised this young guy did not take out insurance when he first came here as at his age then it would not of been expensive.

[Tony125]

No one has brought this up so I will. He has been living in Thailand for 4 years, he got skin cancer 2 years ago.  Maybe  if had been using sun block would not have had that problem. Bad choices can lead to problems.

 

[phkauf]

I am a very healthy person, but this year had some random medical issues pop out out of the blue (stuff happens). Filed over 200,000 baht in claims with Aetna, nee BUPA, and they paid everything but 60 baht. This tool has been in Thailand long enough to see what can happen to others and should have purchased insurance. 

What is it with the Brits and their attachment to NHS type benefits? A friend of mine refuses to pay 3,000 baht for a test on principle because it would have been free at the NHS. Ahhh the allure of Socialism and how it destroys the mind.

[hobobo]

2 hours ago, car720 said:

someone please enlighten me as to what insurance everyone is talking about?  Not Travel Insurance, that's for sure.  Does anyone seriously believe that a Thai insurance company would pay up?

If he took out insurance with an international company such as Bupa (now Aetna) when he first arrived in Thailand, his premiums aged 25 would be laughably small. And for your second point, a friend of mine was recently admitted to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and his Thai insurance company paid 85 percent of his total bill.

[smedly]

2 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

That's what Bangkok hospital on koh samui charges, transfer him to government hospital in Nathon and cut the cost to a fraction. 

better still someone come from the UK and take him home, so he is in a wheelchair and can't talk, how does that stop him from flying

[Jonathan Swift]

The doctors surely know what kind of cancer this is. If it spread from skin cancer it was likely melanoma, and that's a certain death sentence, so, not meaning to be insensitive as I'm a melanoma survivor, but they should be planning funeral expenses. There are few malignant brain tumors that are survivable.

[StefanBBK]

13 minutes ago, hobobo said:

If he took out insurance with an international company such as Bupa (now Aetna) when he first arrived in Thailand, his premiums aged 25 would be laughably small. And for your second point, a friend of mine was recently admitted to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and his Thai insurance company paid 85 percent of his total bill.

Somehow I don't think so, since he just battled cancer. Surely either the insurance would have excluded cancer from cover for some time or raised the premium.  

[Tony125]

7 minutes ago, smedly said:

better still someone come from the UK and take him home, so he is in a wheelchair and can't talk, how does that stop him from flying

 

If you read the post his mother and younger brother flew here from England. 

[dallen52]

2 hours ago, car720 said:

someone please enlighten me as to what insurance everyone is talking about?  Not Travel Insurance, that's for sure.  Does anyone seriously believe that a Thai insurance company would pay up?

Probably good for about 30,000 like the compulsory government car insurance. 

Pattaya public wants 50,000 to admit you now, and will not claim from your insurance if you have any.

Up to you...

[Ron19]

More off topic posts and answers to them have been removed.

Keep it up, there are still many holidays left in the barrel. 

[Mikeasq60]

It sucks to be this blok. Isnt there an old Asian saying lets see if I remember it,  it goes something like this "No Money, No Honey" so true in any Asian country for anything!

[ncc1701d]

Most travel insurance I’ve seen would not be usable past a few months of living in a place. Article says he’s been here 4 years. So I doubt travel insurance would have helped him. He needed normal health insurance from a reputable company in Thailand - as does anyone who wants to be taken care of.

[meinphuket]

3 hours ago, car720 said:

someone please enlighten me as to what insurance everyone is talking about?  Not Travel Insurance, that's for sure.  Does anyone seriously believe that a Thai insurance company would pay up?

AETNA (formerly BUPA) AXA, to name but two, provide health insurance. 

[sungod]

31 minutes ago, hobobo said:

If he took out insurance with an international company such as Bupa (now Aetna) when he first arrived in Thailand, his premiums aged 25 would be laughably small.

And there lies the real tragedy, health insurance for the young is easily affordable. Whilst that wont help this guy, hopefully any young people of a similar age reading this thread will take note.

[khunpa]

Same thing happens to my wife 3 years ago. She could suddenly not stand on and control her left leg.

 

We went to the hospital and she was 2 hours later diagnosed with a brain tumor.

 

Only partly insured, we had to come up with THB 700.000 within a week for the operation. Luckily we had savings and the tumor could be removed or she would have been dead today.

 

Things like this does happen and a brain tumor is one of the worst forms of cancer there is. 

 

Insurance or not, I hope this guy gets help and recovers. Cancer sucks!!

[Tony125]

6 minutes ago, ncc1701d said:

Most travel insurance I’ve seen would not be usable past a few months of living in a place. Article says he’s been here 4 years. So I doubt travel insurance would have helped him. He needed normal health insurance from a reputable company in Thailand - as does anyone who wants to be taken care of.

Well then you have not seen those that do cover long term abroad. Many replies just in this post talk of expats having Travel Insurance that covers for 6---12 months outside their home country. The insured simply return  to their home country every 6---12 months and take out a new policy.

[ncc1701d]

4 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

Well then you have not seen those that do cover long term abroad. Many replies just in this post talk of expats having Travel Insurance that covers for 6---12 months outside their home country. The insured simply return  to their home country every 6---12 months and take out a new policy.

Yeah - but that’s not even close to what is happening here.

[suzannegoh]

37 minutes ago, smedly said:

better still someone come from the UK and take him home, so he is in a wheelchair and can't talk, how does that stop him from flying

Sometimes people with brain tumors are advised not to fly any significant disance because if a seizure occurred on an airplane it may be impossible to get medical assistance.

[fantom]

2 minutes ago, suzannegoh said:

Sometimes people with brain tumors are advised not to fly any significant disance because if a seizure occurred on an airplane it may be impossible to get medical assistance.

The airline would insist upon a medical clearance prior to allowing him to fly.

[shackleton]

there for the grace of God go me 

good luck on the "Go Fund Me" and receive  the treatment towards  recovery 

[ncc1701d]

6 minutes ago, fantom said:

The airline would insist upon a medical clearance prior to allowing him to fly.

They could also ask him to sign a waiver not to divert if something happens.

[Spock]

If he had taken out health insurance after the skin cancer, wouldn't the brain tumour be considered a known condition and therefore not covered by insurance?

[kannot]

On 9/29/2018 at 3:50 PM, oldrunner said:

Life can be a real B**ch but much of our trip is pre-ordained in another life

Id  love to see the evidence of that

[Time Traveller]

Just 15,000 pounds?....let me get my checkbook

[jossthaifarang]

4 hours ago, car720 said:

someone please enlighten me as to what insurance everyone is talking about?  Not Travel Insurance, that's for sure.  Does anyone seriously believe that a Thai insurance company would pay up?

You obviously dont have any either by your comment? Actually they do, been there done that. If thats what you are covered for in your policy they have to pay. AXA, Bupa are 2 that I have had and used, they have always paid. Bupa paid more than 4,000,000 for me over a 1 year period. It pays to have insurance..

[rocketdave]

Just to make a point about insurance, I agree that the young should have it but I'm retired over here and will be 70 in a few months. The premiums that are required, if they allow me to be insured, are more than most hospital bills and are charged annually whether or not I have had any treatment, there is no no claims bonus so no I just pay as I go.