British man who 'started new life' in Thailand desperately ill amid insurance wrangle

[webfact]

Man who 'started new life' in Thailand desperately ill amid insurance wrangle

GoFundMe appeal to help Liam Workman after hit-and-run moped crash on paradise isle

By Jane Tyler

 

Liam Workman, during his travels in Thailand (Image: Facebook)

 

LIAM WORKMAN WHO IS IN HOSPITAL IN THAILAND TRYING TO GET BACK HOME

 

A man who bought a one-way ticket to Thailand to "start a new life" is critically ill in hospital with a brain injury after a hit-and-run moped crash.

 

Now relatives of Liam Workman are desperate to raise at least £3,000 for medical treatment and to fly him back home to the Midlands.

 

He was found unconscious and with head injuries on the roadside on the paradise island of Koh Samui.

 

His family said the 31-year-old desperately needed to be moved to a "more advanced" hospital - but his travel insurer would not cover all the costs as he did not have a licence to ride the moped.

 

Full story: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/man-who-started-new-life-15928816

 

-- Birmingham Mail 2019-03-07

 

RELATED: Health insurance from Thaivisa Health Protect

[Thechook]

Another go fund me

[Orton Rd]

Another week another idiot playing Russian roulette on a bike, we live in a go fund me world

[SammyT]

Travel insurer "would not" cover costs. 

 

I think it should have said "should not have to" cover costs. 

 

It's not for the insurer to cover the poor choices of a wandering hippie. 

[smedly]

9 minutes ago, Thechook said:

Another go fund me

so what   ?

 

out of the millions that come here and spend money in Thailand every year making them billions (12% of the countries GDP) how many end up with a medical emergency like the OP, it is so insignificant it isn't worth considering, Thailand is dangerous especially on the roads - it is their duty to make it as safe as possible for people who come here for a holiday, it's not as if they haven't had long enough to improve things.

 

But regardless of that, considering the very small number of people that end up in this sort of situation while here on holiday it is no real big deal (all things considered) for the country to provide free emergency medical assistance to the few that need it, they make huge revenue from tourism how about giving some back when some fall foul of the poor safety.

 

Not so long ago we had some children that got themselves into trouble in a cave - there was no shortage of foreign volunteers willing to put their lives at serious risk to save them. 

[colinneil]

While i feel sorry for this young man, it appears he just decided i will go to Thailand have fun.

He arrived on a one way ticket, clearly no thought to visa requirements, had insurance but invalidated it, because of a one way ticket, and riding an mc without a license.

Family thinks no problem we will get others to pay for his stupidity.

[brokenbone]

yeah, the insurance company would have to commit break of duty to pay up when he didnt have a driving license

[samsensam]

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

Travel insurer "would not" cover costs. 

 

I think it should have said "should not have to" cover costs. 

 

It's not for the insurer to cover the poor choices of a wandering hippie. 

 

if the insured was engaged in an activity specifically excluded by the policy he was effectively uninsured.

[PremiumLane]

56 minutes ago, colinneil said:

While i feel sorry for this young man, it appears he just decided i will go to Thailand have fun.

He arrived on a one way ticket, clearly no thought to visa requirements, had insurance but invalidated it, because of a one way ticket, and riding an mc without a license.

Family thinks no problem we will get others to pay for his stupidity.

What have his visa requirements got to do with anything? How does a one way ticket invalidate your travel insurance? 

 

If people want to help let them, I would rather my taxes go to helping real people like this guy other than funding CEOs and corrupt politicians. There should be emergency health care for everyone. 

[SammyT]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

Another go fund me

so what   ?

 

out of the millions that come here and spend money in Thailand every year making them billions (12% of the countries GDP) how many end up with a medical emergency like the OP, it is so insignificant it isn't worth considering, Thailand is dangerous especially on the roads - it is their duty to make it as safe as possible for people who come here for a holiday, it's not as if they haven't had long enough to improve things.

  

But regardless of that, considering the very small number of people that end up in this sort of situation while here on holiday it is no real big deal (all things considered) for the country to provide free emergency medical assistance to the few that need it, they make huge revenue from tourism how about giving some back when some fall foul of the poor safety.

  

Not so long ago we had some children that got themselves into trouble in a cave - there was no shortage of foreign volunteers willing to put their lives at serious risk to save them. 

You're not huge on personal responsibility, huh? Irrespective of your thoughts on this hypothetical nirvana that Thailand should be when people get injured, the cold truth is that it's not like that, and Thailand doesn't cover this medical stuff. Thus, when he made the decision to hire a bike, either knowing that his insurance didn't cover it or negligent to the fact, he made his own luck. 

 

Referencing the foreign volunteers who helped with the cave as if that is relevant to the medical bills of some idiot coming off the bike he wasn't insured to ride is such a massive leap in logic that I'm not even sure where to start. 

[taninthai]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

out of the millions that come here and spend money in Thailand every year making them billions (12% of the countries GDP) how many end up with a medical emergency like the OP

I would imagine quite a fair few,enough to make the government start thinking about compulsory insurance anyway.

[Tarteso]

These is the risk for choose a one way ticket...without a plan B , without money or, almost a insurance.

Sorry for this guy, hope he can get a new chance.

[NCC1701A]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

paradise island

[SammyT]

"Mr Workman posted another video a few months later, saying he was leaving Bangkok.

"I loved Bangkok and I learned a lot about it and about myself," he said."

What does this even mean? Aside from the fact you like Chang and bargirls, what can you actually "learn about yourself" in a couple of months as a tourist in Bangkok?

[monkeycu]

I'm curious, what sort of new life does a 31 year old with no return ticket and I assume no legal job hope to have here.

Besides the women, booze and whatever he likes to indulge in, how long before he became one of the many overstayers with no money

Good luck finding a few suckers to pay for your looser life style

[BobBKK]

Do what the Philippines does. No return ticket no flight.

[Briggsy]

Just now, monkeycu said:

I'm curious, what sort of new life does a 31 year old with no return ticket and I assume no legal job hope to have here.

Yes, as soon as I read that, I also knew that it was a pathetic sugar-coating of an indolent lifestyle followed up by the begging request. The yoga photo with the wrong wai + tattoo was the clincher.

[colinneil]

26 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

What have his visa requirements got to do with anything? How does a one way ticket invalidate your travel insurance? 

 

If people want to help let them, I would rather my taxes go to helping real people like this guy other than funding CEOs and corrupt politicians. There should be emergency health care for everyone. 

Clearly you are behind the times.

What has visa requirements got to do with it, study the law regarding visas then you will know.

How does a one way ticket invalidate travel insurance, you have answered the question yourself, one way ticket.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

Another week another idiot playing Russian roulette on a bike, we live in a go fund me world

I see it as a world that is increasingly full of self-aggrandizing sanctimony, lacking empathy, bereft of humanity and, for the most part, morally bankrupt.

[bwpage3]

They want you to have mandatory insurance and the insurance companies will do everything in their power to avoid paying a claim.

 

You would think in a civilized country, they wouldn't let you ride without a valid license but not in Thailand.

 

Remember the golden rule?

 

Money first!

[PremiumLane]

34 minutes ago, SammyT said:

ou're not huge on personal responsibility, huh?

I will be huge on personal responsibility when it is applied to the rich in the world too

[PremiumLane]

14 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Clearly you are behind the times.

What has visa requirements got to do with it, study the law regarding visas then you will know.

How does a one way ticket invalidate travel insurance, you have answered the question yourself, one way ticket.

His visa has nothing to do with this story, in fact it doesn't even mention it.  First I have heard that a one way ticket will invalidate travel insurance, there are people who travel from one place to another on a whim. 

[Just1Voice]

Although the article doesn't say one way or another, if he suffered brain injury riding a moped, I would be inclined to think he wasn't wearing a helmet.  If so, he  compounded his ignorance with straight up stupidity. 

[NanLaew]

29 minutes ago, SammyT said:

"Mr Workman posted another video a few months later, saying he was leaving Bangkok.

"I loved Bangkok and I learned a lot about it and about myself," he said."

What does this even mean? Aside from the fact you like Chang and bargirls, what can you actually "learn about yourself" in a couple of months as a tourist in Bangkok?

Dunno Sammy, that's a tough 'un.

 

What did you learn BTW?

[Rally123]

I thought the rules were, on arriving on a one-way ticket, that you had to show funds to support yourself?

 

Quote

Visa on arrival. If you'll be applying for a visa on arrival you need to be able toshow at least 10,000 Baht per person or 20,000 Baht per family. ... The moneydoesn't have to be in Thai Baht but, if asked, you will need to show the equivalent amount in cash or travellers cheques.

 

[Briggsy]

3 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

I thought the rules were, on arriving on a one-way ticket, that you had to show funds to support yourself?

It is rarely enforced, usually only for those who spend considerable amounts of time here with several exempt entries. So, in summary, it is not a case of "had to".

[boonrawdcnx]

Why do we only read about situations like this in Thailand?

 Never read about cases like this happening in Europe!

And I can tell you why - The problem is not the tourists.

 First those with valid licenses might have rented vehicles in the past in other countries and automatically assume that they are properly insured. Why does Thailand allow people to operate or companies to rent out vehicles without proper insurance? Especially for rented vehicles there should be comprehensive insurance mandatory!

 

For tourists the problem are Thai rental companies and nobody else!

 Thai rental companies should be held accountable for renting vehicles out to people without a proper license to drive - like in every other country - period!

 

I am not even sure if all of them do have a business license themselves to rent out vehicles?

 There is no way you could rent a vehicle in Europe without the rental company checking if you are licensed to drive such a vehicle!

 

Just look at the disgusting charade that is going on in Chiang Mai every single day.

 Rental companies rent out motorbikes to probably hundreds of people without a driving license every single day!

The police is then lurking around the corners around the moat and fine the tourists a 1000 baht for driving without a valid license.

 

When the tourist should have never been able to rent a bike without a valid license in the first place.

 

And then it comes - after taking the money - the tourists are then allowed by the police to carry-on and drive around without a license!

 

Rental companies who rent out vehicles without proper insurance to people without a license and police should be held responsible if accidents happen - not the tourists who should have never been able to rent a vehicle!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

 

[smedly]

42 minutes ago, taninthai said:

I would imagine quite a fair few,enough to make the government start thinking about compulsory insurance anyway.

don't agree

 

remember we are talking purely tourists - not covered for whatever reason - seriously injured or serious medical event - not sprains or scrapes or even minor broken stuff that can all be cheaply sorted.

 

I agree the idea of travel insurance for tourists but it doesn't cover everything

 

As for people living here who have made a home here they should be offered some sort of government scheme to buy into, expats taking medical insurance only goes so far and I personally think is a con especially as you get older and they withdraw your cover after many years of paying premiums or it gets so expensive it's not worth it or pre-existing conditions kicks in - be careful what you wish for ????

 

 

[sammieuk1]

The go fund me police abound the forum with words of retrospective wisdom hope it all goes well for him and his family ???? 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

You're not huge on personal responsibility, huh? Irrespective of your thoughts on this hypothetical nirvana that Thailand should be when people get injured, the cold truth is that it's not like that, and Thailand doesn't cover this medical stuff. Thus, when he made the decision to hire a bike, either knowing that his insurance didn't cover it or negligent to the fact, he made his own luck. 

 

Referencing the foreign volunteers who helped with the cave as if that is relevant to the medical bills of some idiot coming off the bike he wasn't insured to ride is such a massive leap in logic that I'm not even sure where to start. 

you are going to get a rude awaking some day