Ex-Marine 'could die alone in Thailand' after massive stroke as borders stay shut

[rooster59]

Ex-Marine 'could die alone in Thailand' after massive stroke as borders stay shut

By Kelly-Ann Mills

 

Colin Coppard is stuck in Thailand as he fights for his life (Image: Provided by family)

 

EXCLUSIVE: Colin Coppard has had a section of his skull removed in a desperate bid to save his life. Now his family are calling on the Government to ask Thailand to open the border to allow him home.

 

A former Royal Marine who has been left paralysed by a massive stroke is stuck abroad after Thailand closed its borders due to coronavirus, stopping a repatriation flight from bringing him home.

 

Colin Coppard served his country for more than eight years, with tours in both Iraq and Northern Ireland, but his family fear he’ll die alone in a foreign country as his mental and physical health deteriorates.

 

The super fit ex-soldier, now works as a freelance contractor for anti poaching units in South Africa, stopping the super rich from killing animals on safari.

 

Full story: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ex-marine-could-die-alone-22628292

 

Mirror: 2020-09-05

 

 

[JCP108]

The border is closed for people coming in. But, people aren't restricted from leaving, right?

[fangless]

4 minutes ago, JCP108 said:

The border is closed for people coming in. But, people aren't restricted from leaving, right?

I do feel sorry for the man but you don't think the Mirror is going to let the facts get in the way of a good "tug at the heart stings" story do you?

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by fangless

[keith101]

Why isn't his Embassy helping him getting a flight back to his country on medical grounds , its one of the things they are here for and should be doing all they can to make it happen .

From everything i have read about the British Embassy here they are an absolutely waste of space and dont seem to want to do their job just get paid for being here .

Edited September 5, 2020 by keith101

[bluesofa]

I think people are confusing The Mirror with a newspaper.

[FlyingThai]

8 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Why isn't his Embassy helping him getting a flight back to his country on medical grounds.

What kind of flight is someone supposed to take who is paralyzed after a stroke and just had a part of his skull removed?

[fangless]

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I think people are confusing The Mirror with a newspaper.

I thought it was a newspaper because I know when I was a slip of a lad we used to cut it up into squares and put it in the outside WC!

Edited September 5, 2020 by fangless

[colinneil]

7 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Why isn't his Embassy helping him getting a flight back to his country on medical grounds , its one of the things they are here for and should be doing all they can to make it happen .

From everything i have read about the British Embassy here they are an absolutely waste of space and dont seem to want to do their job just get paid for being here .

You ask why the Embassy is not helping him.

The answer is simple, they dont give a s++t about British citizens here.

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, FlyingThai said:

What kind of flight is someone supposed to take who is paralyzed after a stroke and just had a part of his skull removed?

a casevac flight, its his only option and they are allowed, if you can afford it, so this report, like so many others, is BS. 

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I think people are confusing The Mirror with a newspaper.

More like toilet paper

[Pilotman]

13 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Why isn't his Embassy helping him getting a flight back to his country on medical grounds , its one of the things they are here for and should be doing all they can to make it happen .

From everything i have read about the British Embassy here they are an absolutely waste of space and dont seem to want to do their job just get paid for being here .

The majority of the Embassy staff are not British, they are Thai, so why should they care. It's not in their DNA

[tonray]

15 minutes ago, keith101 said:

British Embassy here they are an absolutely waste of space

That's why they sold their building a few years back...couldn't even keep their hands off that cash.

[tonray]

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

The majority of the Embassy staff are not British, they are Thai, so why should they care. It's not in their DNA

But surely you realize they are just staff....the embassy takes directives from the Ambassador and the Foreign Office. The Thai staff make no decisions such as this

[Pilotman]

6 minutes ago, tonray said:

But surely you realize they are just staff....the embassy takes directives from the Ambassador and the Foreign Office. The Thai staff make no decisions such as this

Don't you believe it. I had dealings a few years ago, for the company I worked for,  with the Commercial Staff at the Bangkok Embassy, all Thais, they were obstructionist, unhelpful, pretended not to understand  and less than useless.  The reason, we would have been in competition with the Thai Navy for a particular contract. It was so obvious as to be laughable.  We appealed to the Ambassador to intervene, and he did nothing and yet we were trying to do a deal that would have benefited UK. 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Pilotman

[Yinn]

16 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I think people are confusing The Mirror with a newspaper.

I read Daily Mail a lot now. 

Is rubbish news a lot. 

eg some old woman wear bikini and it be “news” 

 

i will check The Mirror one. 

 

Why so much BS?

[FlyingThai]

17 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

a casevac flight, its his only option and they are allowed, if you can afford it, so this report, like so many others, is BS. 

Exactly. But these are usually organized and paid for by insurance companies. Hardly anyone can afford such a charter out of his own pocket.

 

Insurance will sometimes (after lots of evaluation) do it if a patient has chance of recovery back home vs the likelihood of deceasing abroad. They will not pay for such an evacuation just for the sake of a patient dying at home though.

 

So this rag reported on the totally wrong issue: The Thai Embassy in London should issue at least 1 or 2 family members a Visa + COE to visit their dying relative. Maybe it would even be possible under the medical visa scheme.

[tonray]

14 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Don't you believe it. I had dealings a few years ago, for the company I worked for,  with the Commercial Staff at the Bangkok Embassy, all Thais, they were obstructionist, unhelpful, pretended not to understand  and less than useless.  The reason, we would have been in competition with the Thai Navy for a particular contract. It was so obvious as to be laughable.  We appealed to the Ambassador to intervene, and he did nothing and yet we were trying to do a deal that would have benefited UK. 

Again...I will say straight out...that if that occured....it was at the behest of the British staff controlling the employees....don't be suprised if your country is seemingly doing favors to it's host nation...happens all the time all over the world.

Edited September 5, 2020 by tonray

[bluesofa]

21 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

a casevac flight, its his only option and they are allowed, if you can afford it, so this report, like so many others, is BS. 

I'm the first admit I have no medical knowledge, but would a flight be allowed for someone who has recently had part of their skull removed. Would a pressurised cabin be dangerous?

 

[Pilotman]

Just now, bluesofa said:

I'm the first admit I have no medical knowledge, but would a flight be allowed for someone who has recently had part of their skull removed. Would a pressurised cabin be dangerous?

 

Not sure about his particular condition, but I guess it would be his only option anyway. The cabins are pressured to the equivalent of 8,000 feet, so not too high and casevacs of seriously injured troops is quite normal. 

[faraday]

14 minutes ago, Yinn said:

 

Why so much BS?

Because some people like to read these trashy newspapers.

 

Maybe try reading The Telegraph, or The Times, for a slightly more balanced - & not rubbish reporting.

 

The Daily Mail, is also pants.

[Pilotman]

His best option perhaps is one of the Military Charities, there a quite a few that may help, British Legion being one and Help for Heros. I hope someone helps, but the UK is not known for caring a monkeys toss about those who have served.  Its not the US, where they do seem to  care. 

[faraday]

Looks like he's getting the correct treatment, but then the mirror just has to write sensational krap.

 

 

[JoePai]

Question, if he needs a cranioscopy why not simply have it here - why doe he need to return to the UK?

 

[steven100]

39 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

a casevac flight, its his only option and they are allowed, if you can afford it, so this report, like so many others, is BS. 

yes ... agree,  the story doesn't add up, why doesn't the family arrange a medivac or casevac flight ?  why don't they arrange a 'GoFundme'  ?   Is the real problem that the family cannot pay the hospital bill ? 

It's not for the Thai Government to send him home, the borders are closed for a reason.

The Mirror has left out half of this story  .....    tell the truth. 

 

Hope he eventually gets the repatriation help he needs.

 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by steven100

[david555]

39 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

The majority of the Embassy staff are not British, they are Thai, so why should they care. It's not in their DNA

But they are under British staf...aint it ?....So why the bosses dont interact ?

Edited September 5, 2020 by david555

[soi3eddie]

Sad story. As often the case it appears no insurance. The GoFundMe at over 31K GBP won't be enough for a medical charter repatriation flight but he's probably safer here by not being moved. Less chance of covid here and good hospitals. He will need to return at some point but why not use the money for his immediate health benefit and return once stabilised.

[Pilotman]

3 minutes ago, david555 said:

But they are under British staf...aint it ?....So why the bosses dont interact ?

good question

[Old Croc]

I doubt either the British or Thai governments are preventing his repatriation. Most likely they are trying to drum up more sympathy from readers to boost the Gofundme to cover the huge expense of a medivac to the UK.

[Jip99]

54 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

What kind of flight is someone supposed to take who is paralyzed after a stroke and just had a part of his skull removed?

 

A Medivac type flight paid for by good insurance cover.

[izod10]

53 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

a casevac flight, its his only option and they are allowed, if you can afford it, so this report, like so many others, is BS. 

If a member of British Legion,an ex soldier he could well be removed by air ambulance  21 quid a year