Local expat needs help after motorbike incident

[it is what it is]

1 hour ago, HauptmannUK said:

The majority of trained and experienced bikers could probably ride for 100 years and not be killed. But a few will be.  Its statistics, isn't?  "Do you feel lucky?".  Here in Thailand its 'the other guy'. Being quick-witted doesn't help when an SUV drives right over you from behind.

My wife's younger son is currently driving around in a Ford Everest (belongs to his girlfriend's family). He has NEVER had any kind of formal driver training and never even attempted a driving test, let alone passed one. 

My wife's sister bought a brand new D-Max last year. Attempted driving test two times and failed both. Bought a licence for ฿2000. My blood runs cold every time I see her get in the thing.

 

exactly. if you're going to ride a motorcycle make sure you wear a helmet, appropriate clothing and have adequate insurance, it's a no brainer.

 

personally, i wouldn't go near a motorcycle, not because i can't ride but because i don't trust the other guy.

[kwilco]

So is the hospital refusing to do the next 2 ops unless they are paid in advance?

[Dr Jon]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

I am still confined to a bed in a Thai Government Hospital who offer a great service but are not free like the case in my home country of UK.

I am very sorry for the terrible predicament, however medical treatment is not free in the UK. It costs every man, women and child around £2,500 per year in taxation, whether you use it or not, for a very poor service. Currently NHS stands for 'Nothing Happens Soon'.

[kwilco]

3 hours ago, it is what it is said:

i wouldn't go near a motorcycle, not because i can't ride but because i don't trust the other guy.

Why does everyone think it's never their fault but someone else's?

[rughead]

NON -O retirement visa - self insured ???

[Venom]

11 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

Not just UK, but they seem to be the nationality with the connections that get them into the media for fundraising.  My German friend had a very nasty accident on his 'big bike' and spent several months in hospital accumulating a huge bill. Didn't get reported in the media. Had to make a major call on family back in Germany. Sadly ended up with a severe and permanent disability and returned back to Munich.

Another expat mate of mine was killed in Saraburi in October last year. Out on his bike on a Saturday morning and an SUV just drove clean over him.  Its all too common. Almost exactly the same kind of 'accident' that killed my wife's uncle in Udon. I'm a lifelong biker and ran DSA Direct Access riding courses for a time back in the UK also was IAM Car and Bike Observer and Examiner but I stay off two wheels in Thailand - getting on a bike here is attempted suicide...

Absolutely agree or if you insist at least buy insurance that covers your funeral expenses! 

 

 

 

 

 

[NORDO]

Read about these occurrences quite often, but never hear about what happens when one cannot pay the  hospital fee and no family to help or retrieve them.

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

I am still confined to a bed in a Thai Government Hospital who offer a great service but are not free like the case in my home country of UK.

It's not actually free in the UK either.. those who work pay each month into the NHS

Of course those who perpetually don't work get free service off the back of those that do.

[Pink Mist]

Troll posts removed 

[malibukid]

why doesn't the NHS cover its citizens abroad. it would save the UK taxpayers millions.  

[soalbundy]

11 hours ago, baansgr said:

He is working, he gets free health care.

I think that covers illness, not accidents.

[itsari]

9 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

I agree that I don’t know much about his situation. That is because although he has written the post himself, he has proffered very little information, other than that he wants people to give him money.

 

I don’t know how old he is, if he lives here permanently or for just a few months each year. I don’t know if he owns a house or a condo, or a car here, because he has not disclosed much at all apart from the fact that he wants monetary donations.

 

People need to take responsibility for themselves, especially if you are living in a foreign country. You need to have sufficient insurance if you drive or ride in Thailand, or sufficient personal funds as a safeguard.

 

You cannot just live here hand to mouth as a foreigner, and then expect everyone else to bail you out if you have unexpected expenses that you have not made provisions for.

I think the go fund me situation that we see today is a modern form of insurance without having to pay premiums . If the majority of foreigners contributed when there are people in need there would be less need for very expensive insurance premiums . 

I would make a demand that the person in need must use a government hospital as the private  hospitals are overcharging to put it politly .

[Dutchjohn]

12 hours ago, bignok said:

Depends where. Some places it is dead quiet and safe as a bank.

That's a wrong comparison.

[soalbundy]

20 minutes ago, malibukid said:

why doesn't the NHS cover its citizens abroad. it would save the UK taxpayers millions.  

NHS treatment is locality based not subscription based, you have to reside in the UK to be eligible for treatment. As an expat you are off the radar as far as any help from government or any other organisation is concerned, that should be recognized before leaving the UK. 

[LivinginKata]

10 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

Good point, he is (or was) in business. He should have been contributing to Thai Social Security? 

As a director he can opt out of his personal social payments. If employee then company/employee MUST pay contributions.

[Xonax]

7 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

The majority of trained and experienced bikers could probably ride for 100 years and not be killed. But a few will be.  Its statistics, isn't?  "Do you feel lucky?".  Here in Thailand its 'the other guy'. Being quick-witted doesn't help when an SUV drives right over you from behind.

My wife's younger son is currently driving around in a Ford Everest (belongs to his girlfriend's family). He has NEVER had any kind of formal driver training and never even attempted a driving test, let alone passed one. 

My wife's sister bought a brand new D-Max last year. Attempted driving test two times and failed both. Bought a licence for ฿2000. My blood runs cold every time I see her get in the thing.

I large problem here in Thailand is, that a colossal and powerful pick-up truck is often cheaper than a small sedan, why many entry level drivers opt to start out large, when a smaller sedan would fully have covered their basic needs. Put an extra tax on all those pick-up trucks, which are only used for  daily driving, and not for everyday work purposes, which they are created for. Or the authorities could require a few years experience in a smaller sedan, before they are allowed to drive a larger and potentially more deadly vehicle.

[Old Croc]

17 minutes ago, itsari said:

I would make a demand that the person in need must use a government hospital as the private  hospitals are overcharging to put it politly .

This guy states he's in a Government hospital.

[itsari]

2 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

This guy states he's in a Government hospital.

Yes, I saw that . Most are not .

 

[Old Croc]

3 hours ago, kwilco said:

Why does everyone think it's never their fault but someone else's?

It's well known that expat bike riders here are highly trained, professional, skilled and have never had an accident in 50 years riding back home. Also, they never ride home drunk after a night out.

[save the frogs]

52 minutes ago, malibukid said:

why doesn't the NHS cover its citizens abroad. it would save the UK taxpayers millions.  

not sure how you do your math.

 

my understanding is that countries lose a lot of money when citizens take their pension checks abroad because the pensioners are not spending any money in the local economy. 

 

[Xonax]

"4 operations later the the insurance money has run out and there are a further 2 options required, one of which will be tomorrow"

To be able to pay such unexpected costs, is exactly why expats are required to show 400,000 or 800,000 Baht in the bank, when extending their visa's. 

[Old Croc]

2 minutes ago, Xonax said:

"4 operations later the the insurance money has run out and there are a further 2 options required, one of which will be tomorrow"

To be able to pay such unexpected costs, is exactly why expats are required to show 400,000 or 800,000 Baht in the bank, when extending their visa's. 

Yes, but border bouncing without having such funds is considered a legal alternative here.

[kennw]

13 hours ago, fasteddie said:

Not just UK surly.

But mostly motor bikes, if you are going to ride one make sure you have adequate insurance. Common sense.

[kennw]

7 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

exactly. if you're going to ride a motorcycle make sure you wear a helmet, appropriate clothing and have adequate insurance, it's a no brainer.

 

personally, i wouldn't go near a motorcycle, not because i can't ride but because i don't trust the other guy.

The main problem is motor bike riders themselves, the way many of them abuse the road laws, it's only a matter of time.

[proton]

2 hours ago, rughead said:

NON -O retirement visa - self insured ???

Agent probably so zero in the bank

[Chongalulu]

13 hours ago, bignok said:

Sad story.

"Familiar" story…

[bkk6060]

Yes, unfortunate common situation. 

The guy talks about his quality of life, yet he appears 80 pounds over weight.  He could do himself a big favor and take a lot of stress off that leg by losing weight.  Hope he gets the proper treatment and financial assistance. 

[bkk6060]

26 minutes ago, kennw said:

The main problem is motor bike riders themselves, the way many of them abuse the road laws, it's only a matter of time.

Never thought this before, but I have been driving a car for the past several months you are 100 % correct they are the main problem. 

[jesimps]

14 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

Not just UK, but they seem to be the nationality with the connections that get them into the media for fundraising.  My German friend had a very nasty accident on his 'big bike' and spent several months in hospital accumulating a huge bill. Didn't get reported in the media. Had to make a major call on family back in Germany. Sadly ended up with a severe and permanent disability and returned back to Munich.

Another expat mate of mine was killed in Saraburi in October last year. Out on his bike on a Saturday morning and an SUV just drove clean over him.  Its all too common. Almost exactly the same kind of 'accident' that killed my wife's uncle in Udon. I'm a lifelong biker and ran DSA Direct Access riding courses for a time back in the UK also was IAM Car and Bike Observer and Examiner but I stay off two wheels in Thailand - getting on a bike here is attempted suicide...

I'm was an experienced motorbike rider of many years in the UK and managed to stay accident free. My first time on two wheels in Thailand (Koh Chang) I had a prang due to a pickup appearing  on my side of the road on a bend. That was 16 years ago and I haven't ridden a motorbike on public roads here since. The most I do is run my daughter's bike around the golf course perimeter when she's away and ride my bicycle on the same road for exercise. It's almost traffic-free.

Doesn't matter how experienced you are, the number of idiots on the road here make it likely that you're going to come a cropper sooner or later.

[Jiggo]

14 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

This is becoming a regular article, foreigners needing money from motorbike accident 

Really, have not seen that many these last few months.