Video: Popular British YouTuber in Thailand diagnosed with cancer but has no insurance

[webfact]

Video: Popular British YouTuber in Thailand diagnosed with cancer but has no insurance

 

 

"Get insurance before 60 - I thought I was invincible" says Pattaya's "Kev in Thailand"

 

A Pattaya expat who is suffering from cancer of the throat has gone on YouTube to warn expats in Thailand to get health insurance.

 

Kevin Burt didn't bother to get medical insurance saying he "thought he was invincible" until he was 60.

 

He is 58 and claims on his "Kev in Thailand" video that he planned to get insurance on his 60th birthday.

 

Now another expat has gone on Bangkok Expats to start a Go Fund Me appeal for the stricken Brit.

 

The Brit - from Waltham Abbey on the outskirts of North London and who is known for thick cockney accent  - intimates that he is able to pay for his million baht initial treatment but admits that "it will put a bit of a hole in the tank".

 

 

The video starts with a jingle refrain of "Living a Pattaya Wonderland".

 

It continues with a tour of a Pattaya hospital room when Mr Burt is in for chemotherapy costing 130,000 baht for each of three sessions.

 

He describes his room as both nice and not so nice.

 

He says he is in for "three nights" at a time and also has to go to Bangkok for radiotherapy.

 

He admits to being 59 then adds:

 

"I wanted to start health insurance at 60. I saw no reason to start before.

 

"I worked it all out mathematically", he added saying he was bad at maths.

 

"I thought I was invincible until I was 60. It's not worked out".

 

Mr Burt is upbeat even making jokes about being a biohazard and having a camera in both his ends creating a "spit roast".

 

EXCLUSIVE - A photo of Kev in hospital on Monday

 

But he warns other expats, especially those younger than himself to take out insurance.

 

He said he "took me chance" (took a chance) but added:

 

"I don't know how sick I am gonna be".

 

Mr Burt was also concerned by disruption to his popular YouTube channel.

 

Kev, who takes full responsibility for his decision not to have health insurance, said in his vlog: "get insurance, don't be an idiot like Kev in Thailand".

 

Meanwhile, Kev's plight was shared on the popular Bangkok Expats Facebook group.

 

There, Facebook user Ken Jman shared details of a Go Fund Me appeal where people can donate towards Kev's medical bills.

 

"All funds raised will go towards medical bills and recovery with hopes that we if raise enough maybe we can get him a hotel in Bangkok so he won't have to travel daily for the four weeks this coming month", the appeal said.

 

The Go Fund Me page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/help-kev-in-thailand-beat-cancer 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-03-11

 

 

 

RELATED: Health insurance from Thaivisa Health Protect

[robblok]

He says he can pay for it but still puts up a gofundme. 

 

Just curious why does he not go back for free treatment ?

[Odysseus123]

Possibly reasonble..

 

However,in a similar situation I quietly paid up and went home..

 

Many thanks to my Thai wife and family amd many members of ThaiVisa who supported me as I struggled to get home under my own steam.

 

Many thanks to my home country (Australia) which has looked after me on my return.

 

I am a trifle bemused by all this Go Fund Me stuff..

[Nsp64]

This guy is a constant beggar. 

On his site he asks for donations to his channel under the a/c name. buykevabeer. 

 

[SammyT]

This is almost worse than the kids who come off motos and put out Gofundme pages. This guy knew the healthcare risks but decided against it. 

 

If he can get free healthcare in his home country and is able to travel, there should be no reason for him not to head home and do it

[ThreeEyedRaven]

I am not as old as he is, but I have insurance. I would be ashamed to have to put my hand out on a go fund me, or other money raising effort. If you live here you absolutely need insurance. If you don't have it, you should be in a position to cover all of your bills. Relying on the generosity of strangers is just wrong. I do accept in this case, someone else started the funding.

[boloa]

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

He says he can pay for it but still puts up a gofundme. 

 

Just curious why does he not go back for free treatment ?

I think the Go Fund Me page was set up by a friend without Kev's knowledge. kev has said he has the money to pay for his treatment and has taken full responsibility to why he has no insurance. ....Know doubt the haters will be out in force on this thread !!!!

 

[Khaeng Mak]

I hope the chemo helps him with his accent.

[sammieuk1]

Never tell the NHS anything if you can make it back go back and as all brits are on ever on holiday here with no rights to settle permanently no lie to tell is there????  

[Vacuum]

7 minutes ago, boloa said:

think the Go Fund Me page was set up by a friend without Kev's knowledge.

Think you're right .

[moonseeker]

Good luck Kevin. Cancer is a terrible disease. Been fighting it for 5 years. Depending on type of cancer cost can be enormous.... The 1 Mio will be a start, unless you are very lucky. Chonburi public cancer hospital is a way out for much less than private hospitals, but a very different world then Watthasoth or such. Still, I have a few friends who actually made it there. They all were early stage. Best of luck. MS>

[samran]

Wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy.

 

Best he get back to the NHS before he ends up destitute and in Thailand. Treatment ain't cheap.

[OJAS]

36 minutes ago, webfact said:

He admits to being 59 then adds:

 

"I wanted to start health insurance at 60. I saw no reason to start before.

What on earth was his logic in that? Had he enrolled for health insurance before 60, the starting premiums would in all probability have been less than by leaving doing this until afterwards.

 

[KhaoTan]

Probably HPV cancer, afflicts a lot of men, passed through oral sex with a female partner who has the virus.   My brother got it but survived due to radiation and chemo.  Michael Douglas Oral sex cancer

 

[Nong Khai Man]

20 minutes ago, Khaeng Mak said:

I hope the chemo helps him with his accent.

It's Put On Though,In'it Mate...

[RichardColeman]

Don't get it. why not simply fly back home and get it for free ? If it costs a 'million' baht, then i'm sure a friend would let him stay for half of that whilst he visited the hospital. Go fund my lifestyle page ? 

[nev]

Chemo is one big con, Better off reading up on juicing, CBD oil, lemon and baking soda to form a alkaline environment.

Also read up on chemo you will find it actually helps to spread the cancer and does more harm than good.

[Crash999]

26 minutes ago, boloa said:

I think the Go Fund Me page was set up by a friend without Kev's knowledge. kev has said he has the money to pay for his treatment and has taken full responsibility to why he has no insurance. ....Know doubt the haters will be out in force on this thread !!!!

 

So he is going to ask for the Gofundme to be taken down then? 

[bristolgeoff]

Another beggar for go fund me.shameful site 

[evadgib]

3 minutes ago, nev said:

Chemo is one big con, Better off reading up on juicing, CBD oil, lemon and baking soda to form a alkaline environment.

Also read up on chemo you will find it actually helps to spread the cancer and does more harm than good.

From the 'bloke-in-a-pub's-guide' to cancer treatment?

[Skallywag]

Private room, Bangkok-Pattaya hospital, a million baht will put a whole in his gas tank.  Go fund me in my luxurious digs as I pay out of my own pocket for luxurious digs and need to refill my " gas tank" .

 

Good advice to get insurance, will likely not be able to afford after this treatment

[Nsp64]

38 minutes ago, Crash999 said:

So he is going to ask for the Gofundme to be taken down then? 

Of course he knew.

He's a scrounger,  always has been.

Mist if these YouTubers are just trying to get others to fund their lifestyle here.

[madmitch]

19 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Don't get it. why not simply fly back home and get it for free ? If it costs a 'million' baht, then i'm sure a friend would let him stay for half of that whilst he visited the hospital. Go fund my lifestyle page ? 

It is not quite that easy if you've been living out of the country for some time, though there are ways around it. In simple terms you have to demonstrate you've moved back permanently.

 

 

[connda]

So if Mr Kevin Burt is cured and then attempts to obtain insurance in the future, he'll be denied.  And even if Mr Kevin Burt were to have never developed cancer an yet lived to be over 75 his insurance premiums would be so high that if he simply took those premium and placed them in a bank account, he could eventually self-fund his medical.  Then there is that age thing - how many people in their 70s 80s or 90s grasp on to life and want unending medical care for diseases that should kill them, but they don't want to go - even though their quality of life sucks, they hang on instead to accepting the inevitable and letting go. 

Personally I've been insured every since I've been here.  Insurance for 12k THB a year in 2008 is now 60+k THB a year and rising yearly.  In a few more years it will be 100K THB a year.  Get into your 70s and you'll be paying almost that same amount in premiums and the insurer will insure you for - at which point I'll drop the insurance.  If I can pay for the premiums I can pay for the medical fees.  That's the conundrum.  And unlike many, as a practicing Buddhist, I've no plans to "hold on to life at all costs."  At my age, what I want is adequate palliative care to keep me out of pain until I pass on.  But this is not the country for that.  The medical community is loath to give you adequate palliative drugs ("you'll become an addict") or extend you any compassion ("it your bad karma").  They do think like that. 

Insurance as you age is a scam imho.  The Thai government could offer to include retirees and, especially, those married to Thais into the social medical coverage for reasonable premiums that would offset the cost of coverage way beyond the typical Thai who only pays 30 THB.  It would be a win-win.  And honestly, at a certain age my ageing follow farangs, if you get sick enough to die - it's time to let go.  Embrace it!  

[KarlS]

Mmm  Yet another 'Go Fundme" appeal  - I have no sympathy he made a choice and must now live with that choice. I will not be donating.

[beautifulthailand99]

He must have burnt his bridges back home and lost a lot of YT revenue as YT doesn't like 'nightlife/bar' vids anymore so has demonetised many of them. I may be wrong but he seems to live the single lifestyle in Pattaya. He has his reasons no doubt but it would seem 'going home' isn't one of the options he is actively considering. His hospital apartment is better than my condo and they will no doubt keep the tab open as much as they can. Blackpool is cheap and by the sea and the NHS will come free in the end. Time to go home Kev - GOOD LUCK anyway.

[miamiman123]

He is older than 59 in my opinion. Look at him and listen ....can’t understand a word this guy is saying with that accent. It’s like gargaling when he talks.

go home to UK.....you played and now you want???

[shackleton]

Had Prostate Cancer myself 20 sessions of Chemo about 20 minutes  each day 5 days a week plus two overnight  stays for internal checks  Bumrungrad international hospital Bangkok 

all paid for by my Medical insurance over 1 million Baht 

best move I ever made having a decent World wide Medical Insurance company 

[connda]

31 minutes ago, nev said:

Chemo is one big con, Better off reading up on juicing, CBD oil

At the present time, using CBD oil will get a farang tossed into prison, and then deported. 

Personally I believe the whole Thai thing of embracing 'medical marijuana' is all about allowing a certain sub-set of wealthy Thais to make a killing on monopolized marijuana and cannabinoid products.  There will be so many rules and regulations on the growing, cultivating, production of medicines, not to mention the actually legally sanctioned use for only condoned medical conditions allowed to be treated as to make these drugs inaccessible to the average person, no less the average farang living here. 

[connda]

9 minutes ago, KarlS said:

Mmm  Yet another 'Go Fundme" appeal  - I have no sympathy he made a choice and must now live with that choice. I will not be donating.

Yeah we know.  There are about 10% of the TV community who are "holier than thou", compassionateless jerks can't get enough of telling everyone else how better off they are than everyone else and how those who are not wealthy would be better off simply flying off a building in Pattaya then asking for money via GoFundMe.  Have any of you heartless people ever considered that the Go Fund Me community is made up of compassionate humans who have empathy of others, who believe in the saying that, "There but for the grace of God go I?"