Accident British Tourist Seriously Injured in Thai Waterfall Fall – Family Appeals for Help

[sambum]

On 5/11/2025 at 5:07 AM, Harrisfan said:

Idiot with no insurance taking photos on a ledge.

 

Ahem! :- are currently working with their insurance provider in the hope of resolving the situation.

 

How do you know he was taking photos on a ledge? Were you there?

On 5/11/2025 at 5:07 AM, Harrisfan said:

 

 

[VBF]

On 5/11/2025 at 12:57 AM, impulse said:

On 5/11/2025 at 12:55 AM, Harrisfan said:

made one claim got approved

 

It's a crapshoot.

 

I've made 3 and got repaid but one was a medical issue and I had full doctor bills - it was less than 2,000 Baht.  Another was for theft and I spent 4 hours in Pattaya Police station getting a report (!!) That was "only" 30,000 Baht and they still stung me for the excess (expected) and a minor deduction.

One was for a new flight home in 2020 when lockdowns began almost worldwide, but I made it almost impossible for the insurance company to refuse it! That was still relatively small (approx. 91,000 Baht)

 

AFAIK, insurance companies employ specialised people to dig deeply into the circumstances of every claim - the higher the claim, the deeper they dig.  Theoretically, this is fair enough, but it does turn it into a crap shoot as you rightly say.

[sambum]

On 5/11/2025 at 6:30 AM, save the frogs said:

 

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

And then get lost and somebody has to call out Emergency Services to come and find you! Great suggestion!

[Photoguy21]

What is it with people taking selfies? Just look in a mirror and you can see how ugly you are, no need to record it.

[sambum]

On 5/11/2025 at 6:53 AM, 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, usually around page 42 of the long form policy.  So I have absolutely no confidence that they'd approve a whopper of a claim.

 

 

I had to have a root canal filling and a crown fitted, and the Insurance paid up. However a few years later, I had the same problem with another tooth, but they wouldn't pay out because:-  "I had made a similar claim before".

So, for insurance purposes, you're only allowed to have toothache once in your lifetime?

[sambum]

4 hours ago, peter48 said:

Come on any of us can have an accident. As we age we are more careful but we may slip, fall or stumble. Our senses are less astute, our eyesight less focused, hearing too. Insurance companies need charge more for Thailand visits like US. Sorry that's reality. All age groups too. Would UK hospitals charge so much for our visitors from SE Asia. Are Thai hospitals over charging ? It's time UK authorities and Thai authorities sorted out these huge bills. Holiday insurance is all about things like accidents. Journalists should follow up the Holiday Insurance companies abandoning tourists in LOS

 

 

 

"Are Thai hospitals over charging ?"

 

Without a doubt - some more than others. At a certain hospital in Koh Samui, (which has to remain nameless due to defamation laws) a mate of mine was visiting and overheard a doctor telling a guy he needed "a stitch" in his finger due to a small cut, and the cost was going to be 19,000 baht! The same hospital were going to charge someone "up to 500,000 baht" for a spinal operation when it turned out to be a trapped nerve!

[off road pat]

On 5/11/2025 at 1:53 AM, phetphet said:

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

At least a couple a year,... And not all accidents are reported by the media.

[Evil Penevil]

On 5/10/2025 at 7:02 PM, proton said:

 

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

 

This is an important point that too many tourists fail to realize:  travel insurance doesn't apply if you are injured while engaged in an illegal or extremely risky activity.  Here's another example.   The 20-something backpacker son of a friend of mine broke his leg while "urban exploring" in a deserted building in Bangkok.  His insurance company refused to  cover his medical bills or repatriation back to the U.S.  It cost his family $30,000 to pay his medical and legal bills in Thailand and bring him home.

 

His father tried suing the insurance company but the case was thrown out because the son had clearly violated the terms of the policy.

[kwilco]

there is a long history of accidents at this tourist attraction - I"ve been and it is slippery and unprotected - if they are gping to advertise for visitors, they need to review health and safety - or get sued!

[kwilco]

29 minutes ago, Evil Penevil said:

 

This is an important point that too many tourists fail to realize:  travel insurance doesn't apply if you are injured while engaged in an illegal or extremely risky activity.  Here's another example.   The 20-something backpacker son of a friend of mine broke his leg while "urban exploring" in a deserted building in Bangkok.  His insurance company refused to  cover his medical bills or repatriation back to the U.S.  It cost his family $30,000 to pay his medical and legal bills in Thailand and bring him home.

 

His father tried suing the insurance company but the case was thrown out because the son had clearly violated the terms of the policy.

 

However the "roping off" in that attraction is highly unsatisfactory as ropes are also used to help people climb. THe whole place has been dangerous for years. I think he should cosider legal action against the owners/management.

[twizzian]

Even if he had travel insurance, I would say absolute no way they would pay out that amount on a medical bill

[riverhigh]

8 hours ago, chrisbangkok said:

A serving British soldier you say , would the military not fly him home then regardless ? 

I was asking the same queastion, but you beat me to it! It appears they consider him to be disposable cannon fodder not worth saving,  considering the circumsatances.

[Evil Penevil]

27 minutes ago, twizzian said:

Even if he had travel insurance, I would say absolute no way they would pay out that amount on a medical bill

 

It depends on the insurance company and type of policy.  I have no idea about UK insurance companies, but American Express offers USD 100,000 medical coverage (THB3.33 million) for USD32 for a month-long trip. 

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/insurance/travel/trip-details/?linknav=en-us-AETI-Home-Top-GetQuote

MSIG out of Singapore has policies with up to SGD1 million (THB25 million) in medical coverage.

     https://www.msig.com.sg/personal/traveleasy

 

 

 

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, sambum said:

 

"Are Thai hospitals over charging ?"

 

Without a doubt - some more than others. At a certain hospital in Koh Samui, (which has to remain nameless due to defamation laws) a mate of mine was visiting and overheard a doctor telling a guy he needed "a stitch" in his finger due to a small cut, and the cost was going to be 19,000 baht! The same hospital were going to charge someone "up to 500,000 baht" for a spinal operation when it turned out to be a trapped nerve!

 

bout 4 yrs ago I needed a toe nail removed.

 

Had insurance so went to a large well known private hospital in Pattaya, was quoted Bt.12,000 to remove it.

My insurance has a limit of Bt.10,000 a day for OPD so they declined.

Yeah I coulda paid the extra Bt,2,000 and got it done but I though meh.... I aint spending 2k.. I'll rip it out at home with pliers after I consume a bottle of rum.

Out of curiousity I stopped at a medical clinic in my soi on the way home, they did it for Bt.280

[BusyB]

11 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Everybody does stupid things when they are young.

 

Even vicar's daughter Theresa May admitted she ran through a cornfield when she was young, when asked the to reveal the biggest bad thing she'd ever done ...

[kwilco]

6 hours ago, twizzian said:

Even if he had travel insurance, I would say absolute no way they would pay out that amount on a medical bill

sounds like you are under insured!

[kwilco]

4 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

bout 4 yrs ago I needed a toe nail removed.

 

Had insurance so went to a large well known private hospital in Pattaya, was quoted Bt.12,000 to remove it.

My insurance has a limit of Bt.10,000 a day for OPD so they declined.

Yeah I coulda paid the extra Bt,2,000 and got it done but I though meh.... I aint spending 2k.. I'll rip it out at home with pliers after I consume a bottle of rum.

Out of curiousity I stopped at a medical clinic in my soi on the way home, they did it for Bt.280

why wait?

 

[Lorry]

6 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

 

It depends on the insurance company and type of policy.  I have no idea about UK insurance companies, but American Express offers USD 100,000 medical coverage (THB3.33 million) for USD32 for a month-long trip. 

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/insurance/travel/trip-details/?linknav=en-us-AETI-Home-Top-GetQuote

MSIG out of Singapore has policies with up to SGD1 million (THB25 million) in medical coverage.

     https://www.msig.com.sg/personal/traveleasy

 

 

 

Many (continental) European insurances have no limit.

British insurances,  however, are poorly regulated and quite cheap.  You get what you pay for.

[Hanuman2547]

9 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Yeah I coulda paid the extra Bt,2,000 and got it done but I though meh.... I aint spending 2k.. I'll rip it out at home with pliers after I consume a bottle of rum.

 

 

Out of curiousity I stopped at a medical clinic in my soi on the way home, they did it for Bt.280

Probably cheaper than the bottle of rum!

[it is what it is]

On 5/11/2025 at 12:53 AM, 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, usually around page 42 of the long form policy.  So I have absolutely no confidence that they'd approve a whopper of a claim.

 

 

i had to make a substantial claim on holiday insurance, they paid out no problem, i'd read the policy and i knew what was covered and what was excluded. it's not difficult.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, it is what it is said:

i had to make a substantial claim on holiday insurance, they paid out no problem, i'd read the policy and i knew what was covered and what was excluded. it's not difficult.

 

Or maybe you were just lucky. 

 

There's a CBC exposé on travel insurance that claims you need both a doctor and a lawyer to fully understand a travel policy.  A doctor to understand the medical terminology, and a lawyer to understand the legalese.  They seem to categorize it as "difficult".

 

It's on YouTube:  Travel Insurance  Are you actually covered (CBC Marketplace)