"Please help me get my brother home": A family's desperate plea after 44-year-old dies suddenly days after arriving in Thailand for winter holiday

[pokerface1]

How do I donate?

[Hummin]

13 minutes ago, robblok said:

Temporary loan perhaps. But then again that might be to simple.

I have given money to friends who needed it for any stupid or legit reasons and helped out, second time also, third time no. However never given donations to people I do not know. 

 

[morrobay]

22 minutes ago, TooMuchTime said:

Sudden heart attack?

 

People who are aware know exactly why this happened.

Ok why did this happen ?

[bristolgeoff]

A couple of words travel insurance,how did he get his visa need quarantine for 1 day and show travel insurance at the hotel. Not a good look begging for help when travel insurance should have being taken

[Asquith Production]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

Very sad and i don't want to sound harsh but if he was here for a winter holiday didn't he have 5k with him?

I doubt that he would bring 5k over in cash. He would probably rely on an ATM. You are not going to get that out of his bank without all the necessary paperwork

[Taboo2]

Travel Insurance - ever heard of it?

[AgentSmith]

There we go again. Yet another tourist who thought proper insurance was too expensive and now burdens others with the consequences of his mistake.

[Blumpie]

I'm with a lot of people here and always have felt this way - this body, when I've stopped breathing, isn't me anymore.  Where do I go?  Pluto?  Heaven?  Hell?  Eternal blackness?  IT doesn't matter.  

 

Huck my remains in the trash for all I care.  

[The Hammer2021]

The UK foreign office/ embassy should be sending his body home and billing the family appropriately. His taxes paid their wages.

[Blumpie]

4 minutes ago, Asquith Production said:

I doubt that he would bring 5k over in cash. He would probably rely on an ATM. You are not going to get that out of his bank without all the necessary paperwork

YEs it takes time to get all that paperwork done.  Sometimes years.  

 

Nah, I'm not going to donate to get him home.  But them I'm a cheap older guy.... 

[kinyara]

I wonder if this was the guy I saw being tender to  by the lifeguards on Jomtien Beach on Wednesday afternoon, looks similar.  Heard people saying heart attack. Ambulance arrived and took him away.

[The Hammer2021]

Just now, Blumpie said:

I'm with a lot of people here and always have felt this way - this body, when I've stopped breathing, isn't me anymore.  Where do I go?  Pluto?  Heaven?  Hell?  Eternal blackness?  IT doesn't matter.  

 

Huck my remains in the trash for all I care.  

Our respect for the dead and their memories is what separates us from animals and barbarians

[The Hammer2021]

6 minutes ago, Asquith Production said:

I doubt that he would bring 5k over in cash. He would probably rely on an ATM. You are not going to get that out of his bank without all the necessary paperwork

No paperwork required. Most could be covered by a few ATM withdrawals

[Asquith Production]

Just now, The Hammer2021 said:

No paperwork required. Most could be covered by a few ATM withdrawals

How many people do you give your PIN number to then? I certainly dont.

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, Asquith Production said:

How many people do you give your PIN number to then? I certainly dont.

A few gf's I had in Thailand I have given a credit card, and so far never taken on baht without asking. My Gf have now access to my bank and two credit cards, so for her easy to make sure I can have the help when  needed without need to wait for insurance approval. He might have died because of no proper garantie from either insurance or anybody else! So if you trust someone, it can save your life in a critical situation.

 

 

[itsari]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Yea that is a bit strange, the guy must have some savings and such. One would assume as much especially how hard he works and then travels to Thailand.

 

But skipping out on a travel insurance that covers repatriation of body and so on is just stupid.

 

But so many on this forum have a hatred of insurance. I see this most from people in the US/UK. Maybe they consider it more as a waste of money. 

Cynicism more than hatred 

[Panadadad]

2 hours ago, bdenner said:

Where is his compulsory insurance to cover at least the hospital bills?

My compulsory (as was required to gain entry into Thailand )insurance covers repatriation of remains as well as 3.5 million in hospitals bills 

[Chris.B]

23 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

The UK foreign office/ embassy should be sending his body home 

Why??  ????

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

why not travel insurance with repatriation included as part of the policy, simple really if you ask me.

Probably as you by health insurance NOT death insurance !

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably as you by health insurance NOT death insurance !

Never seen a holiday insurance that didn't include repatriation of the policyholder, dead or alive.

[Chris.B]

 

If I should die, think only this of me:

      That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England. There shall be

      In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

      Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;

A body of England’s, breathing English air,

      Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

 

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

      A pulse in the eternal mind, no less

            Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

      And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,

            In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

 

[Lemonltr]

22 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

No paperwork required. Most could be covered by a few ATM withdrawals

A foreign inpatient will be facilitated to pay by credit/debit card by the hospital. 

In the event of a patient dying the police, embassy and bank are informed and the account is frozen. 

[4MyEgo]

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably as you by health insurance NOT death insurance !

Health insurance does cover repatriation, however health insurance is far more expensive than travel insurance, suffice to say those without health insurance, which are most, should opt for travel insurance.

 

In other words most people rely on the NHS or Medicare in their home countries as they pay taxes (compulsory) and don't think twice about health insurance (private), so travel insurance is there, readily available, suffice to say, if government made it mandatory, all they would have to do is advise the airlines to put in a question tab, e.g. DO YOU HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE ? the indenting traveller would put in yes, then add the policy number and the ticket would be sent in the email, press no and then a message could flash across the screen, i.e. YOU REQUIRE TRAVEL INSURANCE to be able to purchase your ticket and a few drop down boxes can provide them with links to insurers, nothing is to hard if they really want to get serious about it.

 

I have health insurance and I take out travel insurance when I travel, the latter is cheap and if one doesn't pay then I have an option to try the other, no point in being exposed so to speak and extra cover is a must as the Irish say; to be sure to be sure.

[4MyEgo]

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably as you by health insurance NOT death insurance !

Health insurance does cover repatriation, however health insurance is far more expensive than travel insurance, suffice to say those without health insurance, which are most, should opt for travel insurance.

 

In other words most people rely on the NHS or Medicare in their home countries as they pay taxes (compulsory) and don't think twice about health insurance (private), so travel insurance is there, readily available, suffice to say, if government made it mandatory, all they would have to do is advise the airlines to put in a question tab, e.g. DO YOU HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE ? the indenting traveller would put in yes, then add the policy number and the ticket would be sent in the email, press no and then a message could flash across the screen, i.e. YOU REQUIRE TRAVEL INSURANCE to be able to purchase your ticket and a few drop down boxes can provide them with links to insurers, nothing is to hard if they really want to get serious about it.

 

I have health insurance and I take out travel insurance when I travel, the latter is cheap and if one doesn't pay then I have an option to try the other, no point in being exposed so to speak and extra cover is a must as the Irish say; to be sure to be sure.

[chilly07]

2 hours ago, Hummin said:

Could have been preexisting condition that make insurance not paying up! ?

Travel insurance covers pre-existing conditions and repatriation which is why it is infinitely better than health insurance 

[scubascuba3]

Travel insurance usually covers repatriation

[The Hammer2021]

6 minutes ago, Lemonltr said:

A foreign inpatient will be facilitated to pay by credit/debit card by the hospital. 

In the event of a patient dying the police, embassy and bank are informed and the account is frozen. 

I'm talking about his holiday money!!!!! That which he apparently didn't bring with him! I was responding to a post about how much money he brought with him.

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, chilly07 said:

Travel insurance covers pre-existing conditions and repatriation which is why it is infinitely better than health insurance 

Travel insurance only covers pre-existing conditions if the travel insurance company approves it in writing, the same applies with health insurance, only if the health insurer approves your pre-existing condition, and both if approved, will add more to the policy for you to pay. 

 

It is not automatic and if you have a pre-existing condition and don't disclose it, your not covered, period !

[Iforbach]

Again and again if u don't hv insurance cover don't travel ..sad as it may be if a member of my family passed away..I couldn't bring myself to ask Joe public to help me out ..

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

to bring their brother's body home

What's the point? He is dead. He can be cremated in Thailand. He won't feel any difference.