British Man's Urgent Plea to Save Dying Father in Thailand

[khunPer]

A wound in a foot, which easily can get infected, is a serious matter. I've tried it. I didn't care enough instantly, and later, when the foot began to get a awful dark blue to black colour, I had to spend three days in a hospital on antibiotic-drop. Luckily it helped. I sincerely hope that hospitalization and antibiotics also might help Jonathan Leo's father.

 

However, when moving to Thailand for a happy retirement, you need to take risks into consideration; hereunder health, possibility for heath insurance, funds for self insurance, and not the least, what burden might place on family back home. I.e., in short terms, will you be prepared to died in Thailand?

 

Us expats – when we live here more permanently – don't have any free repatriation to our home country, where we some of us benefits from free health care system. Health, funds for same and what you are prepared for, is probably one of the most important questions, before you settle abroad for longer period than a snowbird with travel insurance and covered repatriation.

[Jiggo]

6 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Oh NO, another one with insufficient health care and funds.

But hey, why not go for other people's money?

He came to Thailand for retirement? Could have saved 300£/month easily.

This would be now enough (40.000£ probably) to take a fly wherever he wants.

No need for any donation at all.

I guess you are prepared for your life struggle when it finally comes.

 

[newbee2022]

10 minutes ago, Jiggo said:

I guess you are prepared for your life struggle when it finally comes.

 

Why should I struggle?

[Reddavy]

7 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

I most certainly don't.

 

It's BEGGING.

 

We in my family, were brought up differently.

Begging!!!!! I thought scousers normally steal. 🤷🏼

[sambum]

7 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Oh NO, another one with insufficient health care and funds.

But hey, why not go for other people's money?

He came to Thailand for retirement? Could have saved 300£/month easily.

This would be now enough (40.000£ probably) to take a fly wherever he wants.

No need for any donation at all.

 

deleted

[kwilco]

It is a sad reflection on the Thai healthcare system that they can't treat the guy.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

5 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

My what doesn't what?

You like obviously the bickering way.  I don't. Look for a fool for your games. It's not me.

Just because you refer to my comments as "bickering" doesn't make it bickering.  I'm not looking for anything but, if I had been, I'd have no need to look any further.

[Mr Meeseeks]

 

12 hours ago, Grumpy one said:

Personally, I would stay here and get treated at a public hospital.

You only get that free if you have a wp and pay Social. 
 

Retirees don’t qualify (I stand to be corrected).

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

I most certainly don't.

 

It's BEGGING.

 

We in my family, were brought up differently.

In Liverpool?

[JamesPhuket10]

16 hours ago, Baba Naba said:

No need for an evac! He could easily fly commercial with an assistant.

 

Which planet do you live on?

 

A commercial airline would not accept him as a passenger in his state in case there was a problem mid-flight causing the plane to divert.

 

Two weeks ago I was on a flight from Bangkok to London, we flew for 2.5 hours, there was an emergency on board, a passenger was ill, we turned back to Bangkok and spent the night in a hotel at the expense of the airline, we flew out the next morning, the sick passenger could not get a "fit to fly certificate" and so was left in Bangkok. 

 

Airlines are commercial businesses, they are not charities, and there is no way a standard airline would accept this guy in his current condition. 

 

[Grumpy one]

11 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

You only get that free if you have a wp and pay Social. 
 

Retirees don’t qualify (I stand to be corrected).

My thoughts are why return to my native land to die.

I will stay here and pay whatever the gov. hospital charges.

Its less stressful than going home where most of my friends have already passed on

At least here I have a loving family and good friends to help send me on my way to wherever 

[wavodavo]

On 4/5/2025 at 11:11 AM, newbee2022 said:

Oh NO, another one with insufficient health care and funds.

But hey, why not go for other people's money?

He came to Thailand for retirement? Could have saved 300£/month easily.

This would be now enough (40.000£ probably) to take a fly wherever he wants.

No need for any donation at all.

B

 

On 4/5/2025 at 11:22 AM, Scouse123 said:

 

 

And in my view, he could have had his father removed years ago if things were looking bad, but instead they wait until 2025?

 

How has Jonathan Leo been supporting himself all these years?

 

Couldn't that money have been used to repatriate his father?

By the look of the poor old bugger in the picture  his son should book him in to the nearest temple bcause he will need to be going there soon. Unfortunately a lot of expats retire here with good intentions and think they have enough money to sustain themselves but don't consider situations like this and have to rely on family and/or go fund me. for help.

[newbee2022]

2 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

B

 

By the look of the poor old bugger in the picture  his son should book him in to the nearest temple bcause he will need to be going there soon. Unfortunately a lot of expats retire here with good intentions and think they have enough money to sustain themselves but don't consider situations like this and have to rely on family and/or go fund me. for help.

.... therefore it's good to have a health insurance 👍

[StandardIssue]

On 4/4/2025 at 4:52 PM, mikebell said:

'Jonathan Leo, who relocated to Thailand in 2017' - he's already here.

 

No, the family back in UK is presumably too poor to even get him on a plane and back to NHS treatment there.

 

Lesson to be learned. NEVER travel short term or long term to LOS or any other foreign country without travel medical insurance. It is cheap $100 USD / mo or less depending and supplies medical evacuation in case of emergency as well as up to one million USD of coverage for local foreign country care.

[wavodavo]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

.... therefore it's good to have a health insurance 👍

Yes exactly or bail out and go back home  when your health starts to fail particularly a diabetic because that disease does not get better as you age it  only gets worse.

[Scouse123]

19 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

 

No, the family back in UK is presumably too poor to even get him on a plane and back to NHS treatment there.

 

Lesson to be learned. NEVER travel short term or long term to LOS or any other foreign country without travel medical insurance. It is cheap $100 USD / mo or less depending and supplies medical evacuation in case of emergency as well as up to one million USD of coverage for local foreign country care.

 

 

Understand all that.

 

However, the point here is Jonathan Leo, his son.

 

The guy moved out here in 2017, allegedly to run his business from over here and keep a watchful eye on his father.

 

Now over a period of eight years, and him being very close by to his father, in fact he says he gave up his career to take care of his father: why didn't he get him on a flight when he noticed his father's declining health?

 

He's had EIGHT YEARS to sort this out.

[Baba Naba]

On 4/5/2025 at 1:43 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

How could you ever know that?   Which airline has agreed to take him as a passenger?

I am am a wheelchair bound Veteran with multiple health problems including a liver transplant, diabetes and heart disease and I fly with a assistant all the time. A 13 hour flight to London should not be a problem. He isnt hooked up to any machines and even if he had a IV drip on him, which he does not, would not be a problem. Yes, you can fly with an IV drip, but it requires careful planning and approval from the airline. Most airlines allow it if medically necessary, but passengers must provide documentation and meet safety requirements.

[Baba Naba]

On 4/6/2025 at 6:16 AM, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

Which planet do you live on?

 

A commercial airline would not accept him as a passenger in his state in case there was a problem mid-flight causing the plane to divert.

 

Two weeks ago I was on a flight from Bangkok to London, we flew for 2.5 hours, there was an emergency on board, a passenger was ill, we turned back to Bangkok and spent the night in a hotel at the expense of the airline, we flew out the next morning, the sick passenger could not get a "fit to fly certificate" and so was left in Bangkok. 

 

Airlines are commercial businesses, they are not charities, and there is no way a standard airline would accept this guy in his current condition. 

 

I would beg to differ. I am a wheelchair bound Veteran with many medical problems (liver transplant, heart disease, diabetes and more) but I have flown commercial several times using a Commercial Medical Escort with no problem and it is a fraction on the cost of a medevac/air ambulance.   https://www.medical-repatriation.uk/repatriation-services/blog/5-things-you-have-to-know-about-our-commercial-medical-escort-service_9805.html 

[impulse]

On 4/5/2025 at 11:19 PM, Mr Meeseeks said:

You only get that free if you have a wp and pay Social. 
 

Retirees don’t qualify (I stand to be corrected).

 

As I understand it (now), you can keep paying into the SS system after your WP expires to keep your coverage. 

 

Someone else may have more details.  I wish that had been explained to me when my contract ended and my WP expired.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Baba Naba said:

On 4/5/2025 at 1:43 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

How could you ever know that?   Which airline has agreed to take him as a passenger?

I am am a wheelchair bound Veteran with multiple health problems including a liver transplant, diabetes and heart disease and I fly with a assistant all the time. A 13 hour flight to London should not be a problem. He isnt hooked up to any machines and even if he had a IV drip on him, which he does not, would not be a problem. Yes, you can fly with an IV drip, but it requires careful planning and approval from the airline. Most airlines allow it if medically necessary, but passengers must provide documentation and meet

So what, why the "veteran" mention?  Are you circumstances the same as his?  Obviously, you have no idea of that, so, unless you are aware of an airline that has agreed to take him, your comment was not sound.

[Jim Blue]

Best to be sanguine about these requests !

[JamesPhuket10]

On 4/7/2025 at 3:35 AM, Baba Naba said:

I would beg to differ. I am a wheelchair bound Veteran with many medical problems (liver transplant, heart disease, diabetes and more) but I have flown commercial several times using a Commercial Medical Escort with no problem and it is a fraction on the cost of a medevac/air ambulance.   https://www.medical-repatriation.uk/repatriation-services/blog/5-things-you-have-to-know-about-our-commercial-medical-escort-service_9805.html 

 

I bet you do not look like you are on death's door like this guy, I can't imagine any airline taking him. Too much risk, too much at stake.

 

A simple example, two weeks ago I was on a plane out of Bangkok bound for London, and I almost choked on a piece of chicken (I know it sounds funny) I had assistance from a doctor on board who was a passenger, I was OK after ten minutes as the object popped out.

 

But by coincidence, we had to return to Bangkok as another patient had a medical emergency, and at Bangkok airport, a team of medics rushed onto the plane and took the passenger off to the hospital, then attended to me and then gave me a fit to fly certificate for the next day.

 

All of the passengers had to stay in Bangkok for the night and fly the next day. 

 

I doubt very much if the guy in this article is anywhere near fit to fly, no airline would take him. 

 

[Baba Naba]

On 4/7/2025 at 10:44 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

So what, why the "veteran" mention?  Are you circumstances the same as his?  Obviously, you have no idea of that, so, unless you are aware of an airline that has agreed to take him, your comment was not sound.

    I suppose I could have left the veteran part out but I could have also tacked "disabled" onto that. I guess I am just proud of my military service. But you just had to pick apart every word to negate my comment?  Your a real Scouser aint ya? I can't speak for him but I have flown on EVA Air, JAL and Cathay Pacific using a travel medical assistant without a hitch. 

 

   Air ambulances cost anywhere from $15,000 to over $60,000 per flight, depending on several factors. Some of these factors include the distance to be covered, aircraft type, flight duration, and the amount of medical equipment required. Air ambulance flights are typically reserved for patients who require intensive medical intervention during air transportation, like life support and mechanical ventilation, and IMHO I dont believe he requires this.  On the other hand, commercial air medical escort cost between $7,000 and $12,000 approx. per flight. They are for those who require slightly less medical support than air ambulance patients and are typically flown by registered nurses and doctors, providing continuous medical care and support, including administering medication and monitoring vital signs.

[Baba Naba]

10 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

I bet you do not look like you are on death's door like this guy, I can't imagine any airline taking him. Too much risk, too much at stake.

 

A simple example, two weeks ago I was on a plane out of Bangkok bound for London, and I almost choked on a piece of chicken (I know it sounds funny) I had assistance from a doctor on board who was a passenger, I was OK after ten minutes as the object popped out.

 

But by coincidence, we had to return to Bangkok as another patient had a medical emergency, and at Bangkok airport, a team of medics rushed onto the plane and took the passenger off to the hospital, then attended to me and then gave me a fit to fly certificate for the next day.

 

All of the passengers had to stay in Bangkok for the night and fly the next day. 

 

I doubt very much if the guy in this article is anywhere near fit to fly, no airline would take him. 

 

 You may be right Jimmie. But we are both just speculating. IMHO I would not worry about moving him back to the UK until he is in a urn. Must cheaper... And your not going to find better medical care in the UK than here. That's for sure.

[Baba Naba]

On 4/7/2025 at 10:44 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

So what, why the "veteran" mention?  Are you circumstances the same as his?  Obviously, you have no idea of that, so, unless you are aware of an airline that has agreed to take him, your comment was not sound.

 You may be right Lou. But we are both just speculating. IMHO I would not worry about moving him back to the UK until he is in a urn. Must cheaper... And your not going to find better medical care in the UK than here. That's for sure.

[geisha]

On 4/5/2025 at 2:19 AM, newbee2022 said:

...and you agree with #gofundme ?

None of your business ! It’s a free world, everyone does what they believe right. 

[newbee2022]

28 minutes ago, geisha said:

None of your business ! It’s a free world, everyone does what they believe right. 

Who cares what you think