Family of Dublin man injured in horrific crash in Thailand appeal for help to pay his medical bills

[geoff65]

4 minutes ago, vmack153 said:

Wow. As if we all haven't done dumb things in our lifetime. I broke my neck while bull-riding in my early 40's after many years of rodeo circuits. My own fault, my own stupidity, but luckily had the support of hundreds of people and recovered. If I ever needed encouragement again, I sure as hell would know better than to expect it from the perfectionist snobs in this forum. Must be nice to sit on your high horse in a predominantly impoverished country, look down your noses at the less fortunate & think you're special.  

Its called common sense.

[giddyup]

14 minutes ago, vmack153 said:

Wow. As if we all haven't done dumb things in our lifetime. I broke my neck while bull-riding in my early 40's after many years of rodeo circuits. My own fault, my own stupidity, but luckily had the support of hundreds of people and recovered. If I ever needed encouragement again, I sure as hell would know better than to expect it from the perfectionist snobs in this forum. Must be nice to sit on your high horse in a predominantly impoverished country, look down your noses at the less fortunate & think you're special.  

This isn't the first instance of a tourist without insurance getting seriously injured in Thailand, and it probably won't be the last, so it's not as though this is a one-off occurrence. It seems people seem to think that you can swan through life doing dumb things and there will always be someone to foot the bills.

[Ulic]

3 hours ago, Genericnic said:

I travel a lot and cannot imagine going without travel insurance. I use BUPA International Travel Insurance and it costs me US$337/year - less than US$1/day. (This is not a recommendation for BUPA, just a reflection of what I use. WorldNomads also has very good plans) I am 69 years old so the premium would most likely be less for someone younger. That cost includes 100% medical coverage (unlimited) and optional non-medical coverage and trip cancellation coverage. Motorcycle accidents are not excluded unless part of an "active participation in any motorsport show, motorsport race or motorsport competition." I have never needed to make a claim and, as with all insurance, I hope I never do but it is a cheap price to pay for peace of mind when traveling. 

 

There is no excuse for traveling without insurance. If you can't afford less than the price of a cup of coffee a day to protect yourself, you probably can't afford to travel.

 

Just my thoughts on it.

 

David

 

You are indeed fortunate. I just searched BUPA, and when I try to access for Canadian residence it says that they don't insure residents from Canada. I checked Nomad and the one year quoted rate is about $1700 CDN for the basic plan taxes in. 

[MekkOne]

I made a donation of 5$, not much but much more than ranting in forum, one day, when you'll realize to be down with your face in the noodle soup you were eating you'll probably think that somebody cold help you, but the stroke will take you away or even better let you dumb with a 24/7 boner, and then you'll realize that karma is a BETCHA...

[booty call]

5 minutes ago, MekkOne said:

I made a donation of 5$

Any of my spare money is donated to the orphanage in Udon Thani.  The kids never asked for it or deserved their terrible existence.

[cat handler]

Rode bikes through Thailand myself, helmets and leathers as well as Travel Insurance to cover the bikes we were riding, it's not hard, this clown won't get a single cent from me as my spare cash is used on TRAVEL INSURANCE. 

[Genericnic]

26 minutes ago, Ulic said:

You are indeed fortunate. I just searched BUPA, and when I try to access for Canadian residence it says that they don't insure residents from Canada. I checked Nomad and the one year quoted rate is about $1700 CDN for the basic plan taxes in. 

Interesting. Guess it is just another benefit of living in Thailand.

 

David

 

[verticalift]

I feel sorry for the guy. I’ve been there.....but I got lucky. Very lucky...!!!  22 yrs ago when I showed up in Phuket, greener than green, I rented a 110cc rice-rocket for a nice morning drive exploring the island. No alcohol involved, only my morning coffeeee fix. At the hotel motorbike rental shop there was a large bin of “Plastic Salad Bowls” that doubled as helmets when not being used in the kitchen......all except one (1).......a proper certified motorcycle helmet. I grabbed it, put it in the bikes front basket and drove off. Not so smart..... A couple minutes later I had a very strong premonition (gut feeling) to put the helmet in my damn head, where it belonged. So I did. 10 min latter the bike I had just rented, was underneath  an 80’ tour bus full of Jappanese tourists all taking pics of me laying in the middle of the road, with a dislocated shoulder and a huge scrape on the helmet from where my head smashed into the pavement. As I said, I was lucky, very lucky. Over the past 22 years of living in Phuket, I have seen so many die on the roads while riding both bikes and driving cars/trucks. This is just one reason why I now drive a Volvo...... 

In T’land you have to drive very defensively. If you’re going to ride a bike and if you’re lucky enough to find an insurance company that will actually cover you while riding a bike, it’s not going to help if you’re already dead. Keep safe out there.....

Edited November 24, 2018 by verticalift
Typo

[Parsve]

One thing many misses is that what the thai police say and what the thai insurance companies say are two completely different things. In most cases, the police accept an International Driving License, except if you are "long stay". Most Thai insurance companies say, however, that in order for the insurance to be valid, the driver of the vehicle must have a Thai driving license.

[Ctkong]

5 hours ago, missoura said:

It was suggested years ago to charge each tourist one dollar for accident insurance. This year that would be about $30 million bucks. Thailand could cover medical expenses for any tourists seriously injured and still put money in the Thai government's pocket. The slogan might go like this.

 

Our Money says you'll be Safe in Thailand

 

I think the concept might actually work...

These incidents occur frequently in Thailand year in year out. Time for the TAT to impose mandatory local insurance for those tourists who did not have an existing travel  insurance upon arrival... 

[maddox41]

I ride a bike here  and have insurance you be insane not too. Its the most dangerous place in the world with the thai dickheads on the road. But why would you knowing come here for a holiday with no travel insurance.  And get on a bike  I have friends here that don't have insurance   what are they thinking.  

[geoff65]

38 minutes ago, MekkOne said:

I made a donation of 5$, not much but much more than ranting in forum, one day, when you'll realize to be down with your face in the noodle soup you were eating you'll probably think that somebody cold help you, but the stroke will take you away or even better let you dumb with a 24/7 boner, and then you'll realize that karma is a BETCHA...

Think most in this forum wouldn't travel without some kind of insurance its not rocket science its just   common sense, as one member said if you cant afford insurance you can afford to travel.

A lot of these crashes and injuries are splashed around on tv screens and newspapers just about everyday and some travellers still don't get it.

Edited November 24, 2018 by geoff65
add

[FitnessHealthTravel]

5 hours ago, giddyup said:

That gofundme page is getting a serious workout from tourists who can't be bothered with insurance.

Yeah but even if he had insurance and was on a bike there is a chance he wouldn't be insured and definitely not if he wasn't wearing a helmet. Go Fund Me - Digital Begging

[XB12X]

The minimum cover you need over here is accident insurance. But you need to be a resident here to get it.

[digger70]

This is not an begging site . you come to Thailand get Travel insurance or stay home. 

[booty call]

4 minutes ago, geoff65 said:

Think most in this forum wouldn't travel without some kind of insurance its not rocket science its just   common sense,

Should also appreciate that insurance covers just about every aspect of your trip, from cancelled / delayed flights, cancelled hotels, loss / theft of luggage, everything in between and coming back in reverse.  It's comprehensive for a reason.  Much easier to have a valid policy in the first place.

[geoff65]

7 minutes ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

Yeah but even if he had insurance and was on a bike there is a chance he wouldn't be insured and definitely not if he wasn't wearing a helmet. Go Fund Me - Digital Begging

For sure if your not going to follow the insurance companies policies your wasting your money.

[hobobo]

6 hours ago, giddyup said:

That gofundme page is getting a serious workout from tourists who can't be bothered with insurance.

They all think why bother with insurance, gofundme is free and often exceeds its target. Shame.

[Ctkong]

5 hours ago, Guderian said:

Given the vast amount of money the Thai government and Thai people make out of tourism, surely they can afford to help tourists who have serious accidents and can't fund their own medical bills? It would be the Buddhist thing to do too. One might almost think that the pursuit of profit for its own sake might even be regarded as more important than the principles of decency and religion, but I'm certain that can't be the case. ????

Regardless of the money made from tourist spendings , Thai aren’t keen to fork out their own money to pay for some people’s hospital bills... everyone of their mental thinking is that they are not the one directly profiting from the unfortunate tourists so let somebody else who profited pay . Thai logic. 

[booty call]

2 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Regardless of the money made from tourist spendings , Thai aren’t keen to fork out their own money to pay for some people’s hospital bills... everyone of their mental thinking is that they are not the one directly profiting from the unfortunate tourists so let somebody else who profited pay . Thai logic. 

Please don't.  The alternate view is the home country of the victim picks up the bill.  I'm all for caring and sharing but it would be a field day if it was a free for all.

[Ctkong]

4 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

 

Travel insurance is a moot point as it doesnt cover you for riding a bike without a license etc. Most of these stories that appear on Thaivisa , the people have insurance but void it by riding without a license, helmet or drunk etc.

I can empathize with the riding without a helmet factor but with insurance. Happened to me once In china Guilin. I rented a bike ,have a valid IDP bike license, but no helmet. Shop clerk laugh at me when I i asked for one. Nobody in the tourist town wore one at all. I took off in the bike praying that no untoward incident happen to me as my travel insurance may not cover me if I don’t wear a helmet. 

[melvinmelvin]

21 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Regardless of the money made from tourist spendings , Thai aren’t keen to fork out their own money to pay for some people’s hospital bills... everyone of their mental thinking is that they are not the one directly profiting from the unfortunate tourists so let somebody else who profited pay . Thai logic. 

yes, and reasonably sound thinking

 

[Ctkong]

2 hours ago, geoff65 said:

I guess at this stage we don't know the full circumstances of what happen and if he did have any insurances but If they have started a go fund me page leaves you wondering, but I do know one thing,these idiots where in todays paper will be probably the next ones to start a go fund page. Notice the local wearing a helmet.

Tourists avoid wearing helmets if they can because the helmets dished out by the motortaxi guys are greasy and stinky...

[booty call]

2 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

yes, and reasonably sound thinking

Would you be happy for a Thai to come to your home country and receive unlimited free medical treatment at the taxpayers expense?

[sawadee1947]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Mentions a 'scrambler bike.'

Was he on it, hit by it?

Hit by a car when on a bike, helmet, insurance, licence?

And travel insurance???? 

 

[ChouDoufu]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Mentions a 'scrambler bike.'

Was he on it, hit by it?

Hit by a car when on a bike, helmet, insurance, licence?

the "scrambler" link is an auto-generated related/trending story, selected by key-words:  dublin, accident, head trauma, gofundme

[melvinmelvin]

10 minutes ago, booty call said:

Would you be happy for a Thai to come to your home country and receive unlimited free medical treatment at the taxpayers expense?

no,

they should have travel insurance

 

[booty call]

1 minute ago, melvinmelvin said:

no,

they should have travel insurance

Good. That puts all the other complete nonsense about Thais having to fund limitless medical bills to rest I suppose?

[geoff65]

12 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Tourists avoid wearing helmets if they can because the helmets dished out by the motortaxi guys are greasy and stinky...

What a piss poor excuse, go buy one,factor that in the cost of your travel. I’m sure common sense has died and buried.

[booty call]

2 minutes ago, geoff65 said:

What a piss poor excuse, go buy one,factor that in the cost of your travel. I’m sure common sense has died and buried.

I've got a quite robust LOS skidlid at all of 2k Baht.  Better than nothing and fits well.