British citizen stranded in Thai hospital with a 400,000 baht plea to escape

[snoop1130]

 

A British citizen‘s tropical holiday in Thailand has turned into a desperate battle for survival, as he faces suspected leukaemia in dire hospital conditions.

 

With blood-soaked beds and a looming 10,000 pounds (446,000 baht) bill, Dean Penson’s ordeal has become a nightmare that his friends are determined to end.

 

Penson, a British citizen from Southend-on-Sea, who looked forward to a blissful break in Thailand’s Phuket, now finds himself trapped in the nightmarish Vachira Phuket Hospital. A suspected case of leukaemia has turned his paradise into a desperate struggle for life, aggravated by shocking conditions in the government-run medical facility.

 

Penson’s best friend, Ben Page, paints a harrowing picture of the hospital’s conditions, describing it as a place resembling a war-torn zone.

 

“It feels like the third world. There’s blood all over Dean’s bed. There has been blood on the cover since he got there. There’s no toilet roll, you just wash with a hose.”

 

Shockingly, Penson’s roommates are succumbing to their illnesses just feet away, with no privacy or dignity in their final moments.

 

The British citizen’s dire situation is compounded by the absence of travel insurance, a decision that now haunts him and his friends. Urged by his friend, Page, to secure coverage before departure, Penson’s hesitation due to a pre-existing knee injury has left him facing astronomical medical bills.

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Caption: Photo courtesy of The Mirror UK

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-30

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[bignok]

Idiot.

[Celsius]

26 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The British citizen’s dire situation is compounded by the absence of travel insurance, a decision that now haunts him and his friends. Urged by his friend, Page, to secure coverage before departure, Penson’s hesitation due to a pre-existing knee injury has left him facing astronomical medical bills.

 

f off

[quake]

Oh well.

No insurance. 

 

 

[Celsius]

Just now, quake said:

Oh well.

No insurance. 

 

 

 

But it seems like GoFundMe works better because he already raised all the money and then some.

[quake]

16 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

But it seems like GoFundMe works better because he already raised all the money and then some.

 

But the best bit was this.

 

Quote

There’s no toilet roll, you just wash with a hose.

 

Got to laugh at that comment !!!!!!!!!!!. 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by quake

[NextG]

2 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

But it seems like GoFundMe works better because he already raised all the money and then some.

Not correct; it’s £264 below the target. 

[OneMoreFarang]

I hope he goes back to his home and stays there. And then he should tell all the people he knows how wonderful home is, includind decent hospitals and all that.

Nobody will miss him, and crybabies like him. 

 

 

 

[JimTripper]

What do they do if he becomes Ok to fly out but can't pay the hospital bill?

 

Does he just get discharged and the hospital eats the bill, or is he prevented from leaving the country?

[Barnet1900]

Government hospitals lack many things compared to private versions but the picture he's painting is utter bs.

 

I've been in Red Cross hospitals here and the medical staff were great. 

 

Complete tosser

[NoDisplayName]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

.....a looming 10,000 pounds (446,000 baht) bill,....

 

....dire situation is compounded by the absence of travel insurance,......

 

 

It's only 10,000 pounds.

 

Might I suggest gosellakidney.com

[bob smith]

Just walk out the hospital when you feel better and fly home to get proper treatment. Tell em to stick the 400K!
 

legally he doesn’t have to pay a penny. 
 

despite what anyone says, it is a hospitals duty to accept any and all emergency cases without question. Im not saying to walk out without paying is morally right, thats another story, but legally he doesn’t have to pay a cent. 

Edited November 30, 2023 by bob smith

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Just walk out the hospital when you feel better and fly home to get proper treatment. Tell em to stick the 400K!
 

legally he doesn’t have to pay a penny. 
 

despite what anyone says, it is a hospitals duty to accept any and all emergency cases without question. Im not saying to walk out without paying is morally right, thats another story, but legally he doesn’t have to pay a cent. 

Theft

[bob smith]

Just now, bignok said:

Theft

Thats a matter of opinion and you are entitled to yours. Try proving that in a court of law though. Not a chance big bird!

[ukrules]

Is Leukemia something that comes on out of nowhere?

 

Most travel policies will cover emergency treatment, they're not an alternative to health insurance

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Thats a matter of opinion and you are entitled to yours. Try proving that in a court of law though. Not a chance big bird!

You try it.

[Ralf001]

FFs, friends are too stingy to buy the lad a roll of dunny paper ?

[JimTripper]

15 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Just walk out the hospital when you feel better and fly home to get proper treatment. Tell em to stick the 400K!
 

legally he doesn't have to pay a penny. 
 

Despite what anyone says, it is a hospitals duty to accept any and all emergency cases without question. Im not saying to walk out without paying is morally right, thats another story, but legally he doesn't have to pay a cent. 

I don't think you can just walk out. I have been to dental centers and a hospital here and the cashier is right there before you get to the elevator and they are definately watching so you don't leave. I had a question at the cashier last time and staff immediately appeared behind me quicker then usual. I think they would call security if he just walked out.

Edited November 30, 2023 by JimTripper

[bignok]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

FFs, friends are too stingy to buy the lad a roll of dunny paper ?

Con job

[bob smith]

11 minutes ago, bignok said:

You try it.

The fact is, any and all emergency cases admitted to almost any hospital worldwide are the responsibility of that hospital until discharged by a doctor. 
 

The alternative would be to have hordes of sick people dying in hospital foyers because they didn’t have the money for the emergency treatment that could have saved their lives. This is a predicament that hospitals actively try to avoid.

Edited November 30, 2023 by bob smith

[bob smith]

2 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I don't think you can just walk out. I have been to dental centers and a hospital here and the cashier is right there before you get to the elevator and they are definately watching so you don't leave. I think they would call security if he just walked out.

Legally, there is nothing the hospital can do to stop a patient walking off the premises. 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, bob smith said:

The fact is, any and all emergency cases admitted to almost any hospital worldwide are the responsibility of that hospital until discharged by a doctor. 
 

 

 

He suffer sudden onset cancer ?

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

 

He suffer sudden onset cancer ?

It does happen. It happened to my sister. 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, bob smith said:

It does happen. It happened to my sister. 

Bull<deleted>.

[bkk6060]

What's the address I will glady send him a roll.

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, bob smith said:

It does happen. It happened to my sister. 

I've got sudden cancer in my bs detector

[NorthernRyland]

The hospital if horrible I'm sure but "just washing with a hose" is more sanitary by far. I really wish people in the west would be able to understand this.

[Liverpool Lou]

27 minutes ago, bob smith said:

despite what anyone says, it is a hospitals duty to accept any and all emergency cases without question.

Only for emergency treatment and only for the first 72 (?) hours, there's no legal requirement for any hospital to continue treatment ad infinitum.   And that obligation to treat emergencies doesn't mean that the treatment is free, it's just there to (supposedly) ensure that no one needing emergency treatment is turned away for lack of initial means to pay.

[Liverpool Lou]

38 minutes ago, bob smith said:

legally he doesn’t have to pay a penny. 

That is not true.

[Liverpool Lou]

34 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Is Leukemia something that comes on out of nowhere?

 

Most travel policies will cover emergency treatment, they're not an alternative to health insurance

There has to be a first time that a condition is discovered so, yes, it could be said that it came out of nowhere if there weren't any symptoms previously but the article doesn't say that leukemia has been diagnosed, his mate just said it could be that and that he is very anaemic.