Picture courtesy of Naewna

 

A 21-year-old British tourist who suffered life-threatening injuries after falling from a waterfall in Thailand is now facing medical bills exceeding 4.3 million Baht, prompting his family and girlfriend to launch an urgent fundraising appeal to bring him home.

 

Liam Gibson, a British soldier, was holidaying on Koh Samui with his girlfriend, Lucy Baldwin, 20, when the incident occurred during the Songkran festival. On 12 April, while taking photos at a popular viewing point at Na Muang 2 Waterfall, a location widely shared on TikTok, Liam lost his footing and plunged nine metres onto rocks below.

 

He sustained multiple serious injuries, including a fractured skull, broken facial bones, and a shattered femur. Liam remained stuck and unconscious for nearly two hours before being rescued and rushed to a local hospital. He has been in hospital for nearly a month following the incident.

 

Lucy, describing the ordeal as the “worst experience of her life,” said: “I noticed he’d been gone for a while, so I called out. Then I saw him unconscious on the rocks, covered in blood. Thankfully, nearby tourists came to help us.”

 

Due to the severity of his injuries and the high cost of international medical transport, Liam requires an air ambulance to return to the UK for further surgery. Lucy launched a fundraising campaign via GoFundMe to help cover the medical expenses.

 

In her heartfelt plea, Lucy wrote, “We never wanted to ask for help, but this is our last option. Liam can’t leave the hospital until the bill is paid. Please help me bring him home so he can get the surgery he desperately needs.”

 

So far, more than 1.3 million Baht has been raised. The family expressed their deep gratitude for the outpouring of support and are currently working with their insurance provider in the hope of resolving the situation.

 

The incident has once again raised concerns over travel safety and the importance of adequate insurance coverage while abroad.

 

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-05-11.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Lucy wrote, “We never wanted to ask for help,

No one ever does, it's why we take out adequate insurance. 

 

Another tourist falling, taking selfie on cliff face, story 

 

Idiot with no insurance taking photos on a ledge.

12 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Na Muang 2 Waterfall

yeah, i looked it up on tik tok.

people taking selfies on rocks. 

easy to slip and fall on those rocks. 

 

dangerous selfies for a bit of tik tok fame ain't worth it, kids. 

 

 

40 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

yeah, i looked it up on tik tok.

people taking selfies on rocks. 

easy to slip and fall on those rocks. 

 

dangerous selfies for a bit of tik tok fame ain't worth it, kids. 

 

 

TikTok tossers. 

11 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

TikTok tossers. 

 

Well, we never had TikTok growing up.

So hard to get into the heads of young kids. I guess if I were their age, I'd be doing the same thing? 

Some of them might be getting carried away showing off, though. 

 

Just now, save the frogs said:

 

Well, we never had TikTok growing up.

So hard to get into the heads of young kids. I guess if I were their age, I'd be doing the same thing? 

Some of them might be getting carried away showing off, though. 

 

Looks crowded too. Samui ruined.

55 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Idiot with no insurance taking photos on a ledge.

 

He had insurance but they wont pay out due to his reckless actions. Read somewhere he went into a roped off area

11 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Looks crowded too. Samui ruined.

social media makes places popular.

and that's what followers do ... they follow. 

 

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

social media makes places popular.

and that's what followers do ... they follow. 

 

White people following white people overseas. How boring.

11 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

White people following white people overseas. How boring.

 

So don't follow the herd. Carve your own path in the jungle. 

12 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

So don't follow the herd. Carve your own path in the jungle. 

Bueng Kan has a much better waterfall. No dopey tourists.

This was a few days ago in the Daily Mail, he did have insurance but he went beyond where he should have gone, he landed on a ledge he could have slipped off there and gone down a further 100m I reckon he would have dead then. 

Seems like a regular occurrence at that waterfall. I wonder how many have been killed or injured there over the years.

52 minutes ago, proton said:

1 hour ago, Harrisfan said:

Idiot with no insurance taking photos on a ledge.

 

He had insurance but they wont pay out due to his reckless actions. Read somewhere he went into a roped off area

 

Therein lies the rub.  I've made about half a dozen minor claims on travel insurance policies in 25 years of international travel.  None of them has been approved because of the fine print, usually around page 42 of the long form policy.  So I have absolutely no confidence that they'd approve a whopper of a claim.

 

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

Therein lies the rub.  I've made about half a dozen minor claims on travel insurance policies in 25 years of international travel.  None of them has been approved because of the fine print.  So I have absolutely no confidence that they'd approve a whopper of a claim.

 

 

I made one claim got approved

Just now, Harrisfan said:

I made one claim got approved

 

It's a crapshoot.

 

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

It's a crapshoot.

 

They have to protect themselves. The guy in the story is an idiot.

32 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

White people following white people overseas. How boring.

 

It's OK to be white. 

A shame for him Lucy is really hot.

13 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

They have to protect themselves. The guy in the story is an idiot.

 

Perhaps, for stepping out of bounds.  But he's getting ragged on here for having no insurance.  And that's apparently not true.

 

 

Tik Tok narcissist now begging for money good luck.

6 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Tik Tok narcissist now begging for money good luck.

I bet 100 people have died making videos. Look at me Im so cool oops

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

I were their age, I'd be doing the same thing?

Crikey, did you understand what you just said?

 

Aren't you embarrassed admitting you'd be doing these stupid activities when young ?

 

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Another tourist falling, taking selfie on cliff face, story

 

Even if they had insueance Im not sure the company would have paid up, they would call it a DANGEROUS SPORT AND NOT BE PAYING.

11 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Crikey, did you understand what you just said?

 

Aren't you embarrassed admitting you'd be doing these stupid activities when young ?

 

 

Most 20 year olds do stupid things.

I still do a lot of stupid things. 

 

44 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Tik Tok narcissist now begging for money good luck.

 

If Lucy's hot like henryford1958 claims, I wouldn't bet against her going over the goal.

 

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

If Lucy's hot like henryford1958 claims, I wouldn't bet against her going over the goal.

 

32 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

Most 20 year olds do stupid things.

I still do a lot of stupid things. 

 

For example...

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Combined IQ 12