Online appeal launched to fly home elderly British man taken seriously ill in Korat

[Speedo1968]

When did he first come here ?
What about bank account for Visa ?
Retirement amount is 20k GBP.
If he has a bank account with deposit for visa can't he use that to return to UK ?
I do sympathise with him and his family but ....

[Excel]

3 minutes ago, puchooay said:

The full article in the Gloucester News does not say how long he has been in Thailand. It does, however, say that he has been stuck in Thailand for 18 months unable to return. Well, that is rubbish. Many people have returned to UK in the past 18 months.

 

There is also no mention of how long his original travel policy was for. However, which ever way you look at it, as soon as his insurance lapsed and he could not renew he became a self insurer.

 

Curious, he has been here for at least 18 months and yet has no issues with visa status. There must be some money around somewhere.

Are you not aware of the extensions that the governments immigration dept have allowed due to Covid  for almost 18 months ? Or does it just grieve you that some poor unfortunates and/or their families have to resort to charitable donations to help their loved ones ?

Edited June 19, 2021 by Excel

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

Tons of posts on keeping insurance current.

 

Good example how self-insuring can bankrupt a person.

 

No idea why people would spend their life working and move to Thailand without even 20K pounds?

 

When you get older, time is not your friend.

 

Sooner or later time catches up with everyone.

 

If you cannot afford knowing that time is coming for each of us, this is exactly what is going to happen.

 

No thanks, sorry to say, I am sure there are many more in the same situation or worse.

 

Thank you young man! 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

take him home by boat if they won't let him on a plane

I doubt any shipping company would accept him.

 

The high cost for the flight is the medical requirements.

 

I thought any Brit was able to return to the UK at the start of the pandemic.

[tonray]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Dad did have insurance initially but it lapsed and when he tried to get it re-issued they wouldn’t insure him because of his age and his medical conditions (co-morbidities)”. 

I feel for the guy and family...but with existing medical conditions he chose to remain away from the UK and the NHS, there is risk in all decisions we make as expats, this was one that caught up with him. 

[puchooay]

10 minutes ago, Excel said:

Are you not aware of the extensions that the governments immigration dept have allowed due to Covid  for almost 18 months ? Or does it just grieve you that some poor unfortunates and/or their families have to resort to charitable donations to help their loved ones ?

I am fully aware, yes. However, he would have needed a visa status to start with.

 

He did not have a stoke until 12 days ago. He has been here for at least 18 month. How long has there been travel restrictions for returning to UK? Certainly not that long.

 

It says he could not renew his insurance because of an existing condition. How did he get it in the first place? If he was just here on a short trip would it not have been wise to return to UK instead of staying here, with a health issue, uninsured?

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by puchooay

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

Could cost 80k quid to get him home, better spend it on treatment here.

The point is they cannot get him home because they don't have £80k so they can't spend it on treatment here.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, The Fugitive said:

It must be possible to arrange personal care within Thailand that's affordable for the gent?

Why must that be affordable for him?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

Tons of posts on keeping insurance current.

 

Good example how self-insuring can bankrupt a person.

His insurer wouldn't allow him to renew.   He wasn't self-insuring.

[robblok]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

His insurer wouldn't allow him to renew.   He wasn't self-insuring.

Eh of course not it was a travel insurance he had been here 18 months he should have gotten something different. I pay for insurance i rather not do it but at least i wont be a drain on other peoples finances if i get into trouble.

[Excel]

3 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I am fully aware, yes. However, he would have needed a visa status to start with.

 

He did not have a stoke until 12 days ago. He has been here for at least 18 month. How long has there been travel restrictions for returning to UK? Certainly not that long.

 

 

Go back and read the post again and the article. He could have had covid extensions for the last 18 months - Understand ?   The article states he was worried about retuning to the UK due to the high incidence of covid there compared to Thailand - Understand that also ? put those to together and you have exactly how he was able to stay here and why. Now what else will you try in an attempt to disparage the eforts of this family to get their loved one home  ?

[puchooay]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

His insurer wouldn't allow him to renew.   He wasn't self-insuring.

As soon as his travel insurance expired he was self insuring.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

 

Better than the UK, especially for 80,000

He hasn't got £80k, that's the point of the thread!

[puchooay]

Just now, Excel said:

Go back and read the post again and the article. He could have had covid extensions for the last 18 months - Understand ?   The article states he was worried about retuning to the UK due to the high incidence of covid there compared to Thailand - Understand that also ? put those to together and you have exactly how he was able to stay here and why. Now what else will you try in an attempt to disparage the eforts of this family to get their loved one home  ?

Fully understand, thanks.

 

However, there are a myriad of expats who have returned to UK during the pandemic. 

 

This guy decides to stay in Thailand, with an existing health issue and uninsured. That is better than returning to the safety net of the NHS and a miniscule chance of catching Covid19? I doubt it.

[Excel]

Just now, puchooay said:

Fully understand, thanks.

 

However, there are a myriad of expats who have returned to UK during the pandemic. 

 

This guy decides to stay in Thailand, with an existing health issue and uninsured. That is better than returning to the safety net of the NHS and a miniscule chance of catching Covid19? I doubt it.

You know I believe in Karma ad if you do then your apparent attitude towards this poor guy and his family suggest you should be very careful with your health also

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

 

I think the 80,000 baht figure is misleading. This would be for a private jet with nursing staff all the way !!

 

He is shown sitting on a bed.  Could he also sit on a chair or a car seat ?

Could a couple of friends  not take care of the relevant paperwork ( covid check ) then drive him to the airport, get him in a wheelchair and push him to check in on a business class seat ( more room ). Airlines have staff that regularly take non walking passengers to the aircraft and get them seated ( I used to do this when working for BA )

 

I agree the above suggestion is only theoretical but surely the figure ( the very round figure ) represents flying home with the best of everything not just getting the poor man home. As soon as the flight landed in the UK he would be met by airline staff and taken through immigration ( done this hundreds of times for wheelchair bound passengers ) so a cheaper option must surely be possible.

 

When I worked for BA I often had to take such passengers right to the taxi rank and help them into a taxi !!

 

Where there is a will there is a way.

He wouldn't be just a passenger in a wheelchair, he's suffering from a stroke and needs medical care, no airlines would let him board in his condition for obvious reasons.   

 

I doubt that you ever had to care for someone in his condition if all you were doing was dumping them in a taxi on their own.  Did those taxis provide wheelchairs for their paralised passengers at the end of the trip?

[puchooay]

1 minute ago, Excel said:

You know I believe in Karma ad if you do then your apparent attitude towards this poor guy and his family suggest you should be very careful with your health also

I have health insurance, thanks. I don't put myself in dodgy situations.

 

The fact remains that a 70+ year old man was abroad, with an existing health issue and he was uninsured. I precarious situation.

 

By the way, your belief in Karma and your suggestion that I should be careful with my health, would suggest that you should also be careful.

[canthai55]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

Airlines have staff that regularly take non walking passengers to the aircraft and get them seated ( I used to do this when working for BA )

If it is just a mobility issue then no problem.

No way would the airlines want to be responsible for a patient - not a passenger - in his condition.

 

[The Fugitive]

16 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why must that be affordable for him?

Because at some point the hospital will determine that the gentleman's health cannot be improved any further. He will then no longer be entitled to remain in hospital. No mention of if he has been able to pay for his treatment to date?

[Liverpool Lou]

56 minutes ago, tonray said:

Best bet is for someone in the family to get to Thailand (yes I know 14 day quarantine and all other COE) and supervise his care. This is an emergency situation. It puzzles me why people always jump to crowd funding first. I'm shocked at how many people seem to be 'destitute' when tragedy strikes....

You think that his daughters should be supervising the medical staff and doctors in the hospital that are treating him?   How does that work?

[Liverpool Lou]

52 minutes ago, tonray said:

Yeah...I know...but it's your father....not the time to listen to others...just the time to do what's right. At the very least, hire a care manager private nurse to make sure he is getting needed care.

He's in hospital getting the care and treatment that he needs!  What does he need a "care manager" [sic] for?

[Denim]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He wouldn't be just a passenger in a wheelchair, he's suffering from a stroke and needs medical care, no airlines would let him board in his condition for obvious reasons.   

 

I doubt that you ever had to care for someone in his condition if all you were doing was dumping them in a taxi on their own.  Did those taxis provide wheelchairs for their paralised passengers at the end of the trip?

 

Notwithstanding the paucity of information in the OP , the exact kind of care he would require has not been stated.

 

However, if it is just nursing care then a nurse could be paid to accompany him on the flight to look after his medical needs.

 

Without knowing more it hard to say what is possible or what is needed. 

 

However, considering his families concerns then just doing nothing is clearly not an option. If it were a loved one of mines I would investigate every possible avenue , however unlikely , to get them home asap.

 

Merely throwing up hands in despair will not be of any help to those that need it.

 

[puchooay]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You think that his daughters should be supervising the medical staff and doctors in the hospital that are treating him?   How does that work?

They won't be treating him when they realise he has no money.

[colinneil]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He wouldn't be just a passenger in a wheelchair, he's suffering from a stroke and needs medical care, no airlines would let him board in his condition for obvious reasons.   

Absolute tosh, please refrain from commenting on issues you have no knowledge of.

That above statement of yours ,clearly shows you have no idea, just mouthing off for the sake of it.

[Excel]

11 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I have health insurance, thanks. I don't put myself in dodgy situations.

 

The fact remains that a 70+ year old man was abroad, with an existing health issue and he was uninsured. I precarious situation.

 

By the way, your belief in Karma and your suggestion that I should be careful with my health, would suggest that you should also be careful.

Clearly you can't or won't read. He had health insurance.  Due to circumstance he could not renew You never know what is round the corner either, unless you are so full of yourself you can also predict the future ?

[Liverpool Lou]

37 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

When did he first come here ?
What about bank account for Visa ?
Retirement amount is 20k GBP.
If he has a bank account with deposit for visa can't he use that to return to UK ?
I do sympathise with him and his family but ....

Where did it say that he was retired here?

[tonray]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He's in hospital getting the care and treatment that he needs!  What does he need a "care manager" [sic] for?

If you've ever had a sick parent in a hospital situation, the care received becomes markedly better if someone is there to make sure they are properly attended to. Not necessarily talking about medical procedures but general care and condition.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Absolute tosh, please refrain from commenting on issues you have no knowledge of.

That above statement of yours ,clearly shows you have no idea, just mouthing off for the sake of it.

Why the personal attack? 

 

Nothing in my comment was inaccurate.    If you see something that was not correct, please specify it.

Edited June 19, 2021 by Liverpool Lou

[Thaiwrath]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Nothing in my comment was inaccurate.    If you see something that was not correct, please specify it.

Just Weird ! 

[tonray]

8 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You think that his daughters should be supervising the medical staff and doctors in the hospital that are treating him?   How does that work?

I supervised my Mom's care for 12 years...and yes....reviewing meds given, making sure people are changing diapers on a timely basis, you'd be surprised how little attention people get if nobody is there as an advocate.

Edited June 19, 2021 by tonray