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

[pagallim]

19 minutes ago, steven100 said:

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.

 

 

From the Mirror story:

 

"The family has already raised money for Colin's repatriation through a GoFundMe page and have employed a repatriation company to get him back to the UK."

 

If a repatriation company has been employed already, they will be in constant communication with the hospital where he is, and will be versed in the actual methodology of the medivac his condition required.

Edited September 5, 2020 by pagallim

[BigStar]

35 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

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.

Best post on this topic. Family trying to drum up money or get on a repatriation flight for a visit.

 

I like one of the comments to the Mirror article:

 

Quote

Are you saying if you happened to be in non UK land you may die alone???? really how about those who are in the UK?? they are dying with or without border issues. Please stop adding lies. you can get far superior health care abroad and most of us run abroad just to get good care.

Which rather contradicts all the knee-jerk comparisons here denigrating Thai health care vs that of the far superior UK.

 

[pagallim]

6 minutes ago, izod10 said:

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

Not true, that is the cost of RBL membership, which doesn't offer insurance of any kind.   As a registered charity, the RBL can and does support former servicemen and women (and their families) on a case by case basis.

[izod10]

7 minutes ago, pagallim said:

Not true, that is the cost of RBL membership, which doesn't offer insurance of any kind.   As a registered charity, the RBL can and does support former servicemen and women (and their families) on a case by case basis.

did I mention insurance? indeed it does support,has a welfare branch, and in a "case by case" evacuated personnel out of Thailand

[2 is 1]

Sorry for hes situation, but little know mercenarys in Afrika! 2 my friend go there after" La Légion étrangère"!They had  nice looking job in paper! But truth can be other kind!

Like work in diamond mine's! That kind place is untoutched bye law! Maybe hes in right job there .Who knows .

[Jack Hna]

50k goal is getting smashed this weekend. Bon voyage Colin you tough <deleted>.

[shackleton]

Looks like he has no insurance cover hence the GoFund me 

Agree with others the international  hospitals here are second to none 

In providing first class medical treatment

Would have thought use the money getting him fit first Before thinking about flights 

[Neeranam]

What has his ex job got to do with anything?

[orchis]

insurance?

[robblok]

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

Best post on this topic. Family trying to drum up money or get on a repatriation flight for a visit.

 

I like one of the comments to the Mirror article:

 

Which rather contradicts all the knee-jerk comparisons here denigrating Thai health care vs that of the far superior UK.

 

I have found that many Brits are extremely nationalistic looking down other countries. Brexit showed enough. 

 

Having said that there are quite a lot of "normal" Brits on this forum who do see things more balanced.

 

But in this case its again lack of insurance and putting out some false information to get more money.

[SteveK]

5 minutes ago, robblok said:

I have found that many Brits are extremely nationalistic looking down other countries. Brexit showed enough. 

That's odd. I've found most are first to disparage their own country. I mean look at the state of it.

 

For every negative view or opinion about Thailand, I have at least half a dozen about the UK. But then I left that miserable little island to come here so it's a biased opinion. 

Edited September 5, 2020 by SteveK

[pixelaoffy]

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

I have found that many Brits are extremely nationalistic looking down other countries. Brexit showed enough. 

 

Having said that there are quite a lot of "normal" Brits on this forum who do see things more balanced.

 

But in this case its again lack of insurance and putting out some false information to get more money.

What nonsense ! Talking about British being 'nationalistic' on a site Inna country where national anthem sung everyday and TV is full of it! I know another  large country that actual pledges allegiance to a flag 

[robblok]

Just now, pixelaoffy said:

What nonsense ! Talking about British being 'nationalistic' on a site Inna country where national anthem sung everyday and TV is full of it! I know another  large country that actual pledges allegiance to a flag 

So your argument is that Brits can't be nationalistic because other countries are more nationalistic ? That is a strange argument. 

[SteveK]

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

So your argument is that Brits can't be nationalistic because other countries are more nationalistic ? That is a strange argument. 

Most Brits seem to be aware that the country has been ruined by left-wing loons, rampant immigration, one incompetent government after another, heavily biased media, gross mismanagement, ineffective policing, the list goes on.

Edited September 5, 2020 by SteveK

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, SteveK said:

For every negative view or opinion about Thailand, I have at least half a dozen about the UK. But then I left that miserable little island to come here so it's a biased opinion. 

Me too!

[animalmagic]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

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.

As mentioned earlier the borders are not closed for these type of cases.

He served as a Royal Marine and, to the best of my knowledge, they have a very good old boys network who help each other out.  Perhaps they would ensure that he can have visits from ex colleagues who live here.

As a freelance contractor with anti-poaching units he is in an environment where he can be shot, stabbed, poisoned, infected with tropical diseases and be ripped apart by wild animals - He doesn't have medical insurance?!

[2long]

Yesterday I had a topic closed because

"Uncorroborated hearsay in the opening post. "

 

So, can we do the same for any links to the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror & The Sun?

 

[evadgib]

3 hours 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 .

- Insurance isn't in their remit but what makes you think they aren't otherwise helping, given the norms re privacy etc?

 

- "The Embassy ain't doing Nuffink" rolls off the tongue/keyboard far too frequently (as seen in the 'consular' pages) and usually proves to be 'bloke-in-a-pub' nonsense.

 

Let's hope there's a positive outcome for this Royal Marine.

[Jack Hna]

https://royalmarinesassociation.org.uk/news/covid-19-beneficiary-feedback/

[Bruntoid]

3 hours 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

It was just an anti thai slur (not allowed apparently) move on ....

[robblok]

57 minutes ago, SteveK said:

That's odd. I've found most are first to disparage their own country. I mean look at the state of it.

 

For every negative view or opinion about Thailand, I have at least half a dozen about the UK. But then I left that miserable little island to come here so it's a biased opinion. 

As i said there are quite a lot that more balanced in their views. But articles like this show how many Brits view other countries. I would not be here if I did not like this country more then my own. I long ago stopped being nationalistic. I feel its a bad thing. Makes one blind and bias. Every country has its good and bad things. 

 

I went on a holiday to the UK i had a good time. I was a kid back then but still it was nice. Did prefer France and Spain more (mainly because of the weather and sea). 

 

 

[Bruntoid]

27 minutes ago, 2long said:

Yesterday I had a topic closed because

"Uncorroborated hearsay in the opening post. "

 

So, can we do the same for any links to the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror & The Sun?

 

Lol looking forward to the answer to that .......????

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, JCP108 said:

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

 

correct.

 

I have no idea what the issue is

[SteveK]

6 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

https://royalmarinesassociation.org.uk/news/covid-19-beneficiary-feedback/

From reading that story, it would appear he came to Thailand with less money that your average backpacker trying to set up an import/export business and got caught out by Covid. I feel very sorry for him, and am surprised that there aren't more stories like this. It looks like his GoFund thing will be a success, I wish him a speedy recovery.

[SteveK]

21 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

correct.

 

I have no idea what the issue is

The issue is not being allowed in or out, but getting transported back home with a piece of skull missing and the massive costs associated with such travel under Covid. I'm not sure why the British media spun it "he's not allowed out", but they make a lot of errors. 

 

And on the GoFund me page it said this so anyone sticking up for the embassy staff needs to get a life:

 

"However the Thai government decided due to Covid they were extending the ban of international flights , Telling Colin this was the hardest thing my dads every had to do we can get Colin out on a private thai repatriation company at a cost of over £120,000 , we just don’t have this , we can get permission to enter Thailand but the thai embassy have gone Absent without leave !!!! There’s no reply to emails , phone, calls , visits The UK FCO are unable to do anything, A man who fought for his country, know one of power is fighting for him as it’s in the hands of the thai government ."

 

No reply to emails or phone calls, I think most Brits on here know what this feel like.

Edited September 5, 2020 by SteveK

[babyjesus]

I met with Colin 2 days ago.  He is well and the repatriation is imminent.  

[Kadilo]

So this happened back in June?

 

The cost to get him home is £120,000 but their Gofundme target is £50,000 so that’s a lot of money they have to find. 
 

Best of luck. 
 

 

[StrandedBusinessPerson]

Godspeed Colin. I know what it's like being stranded in Thailand with little help from any government. Thank u for your service. 

[Canuck1966]

4 hours 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

Yep, Thais don't have the ability to empathize . 

[SteveK]

1 minute ago, Canuck1966 said:

Yep, Thais don't have the ability to empathize . 

Rubbish. For 1000 baht they'll empathise with anyone.