Picture courtesy of Wales News Service

 

A Welshman lies in critical condition on life support in a Pattaya hospital after undergoing emergency brain surgery following a night out in Thailand.

 

Ashton Jones, 29, vanished from a Bangkok nightclub, only to be later found in a hospital far away from the Thai capital, facing life-threatening injuries. His family is left devastated, suspecting a possible attack during his night out.

 

Jones travelled to Thailand impulsively with a friend, intending to enjoy a carefree week of fun. The trip took a grim turn when he failed to return from the nightclub, leading friends to search frantically. They eventually discovered him in Chon Buri Hospital, unconscious and undergoing surgery.

 

His cousin Sophie, 26, expressed the family's distress, highlighting the language barriers hampering communication with hospital staff.

 

The lack of travel insurance has compounded issues, with the family now desperately seeking to raise £50,000 (around 2.2 million baht) to cover medical expenses and secure his return to the UK.

 

Jones' grandmother, Beverly Walker, voiced her grave concerns over his survival without urgent financial aid. Doctors attempted to revive Ashton, successfully bringing him round, though he remains bedbound, suffering from fits and unable to communicate or eat.

 

His family are overwhelmed with worry, further strained by their depleted savings and continuous mounting hospital costs.

 

A GoFundMe campaign has gathered only £3,500 (approximately 155,000 baht), a mere fraction of the funds needed to repatriate Ashton.

 

The family's plea for help remains urgent as his condition worsens amidst the mounting costs.

 

The UK Foreign Office has confirmed their support, maintaining contact with Thai authorities as the family clings to hope for Ashton's return home.

 

Picture of Ashton Jones courtesy of Wales News Service
 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-12

 

 

I'm sure the Aseannow forum members will join together and pay for the health and repatriation costs. 

Quote

The lack of travel insurance has compounded issues

 

oH 

3 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

 

oH 

Travel with GoFundMe in mind, no insurance needed 

Who pays the 50k if he doesn't make it ?

You can buy health/travel insurance in about 2 mins online.

 

Sorry about the accident but sometimes you have to take responsibility for your own actions.

21 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Who pays the 50k if he doesn't make it ?

Thai taxpayer but the body will go to the cheapest charitable cremation foundation.

gofundme.... colour me surprised.

so was he assaulted? no one knows? 

35 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

You can buy health/travel insurance in about 2 mins online.

 

Sorry about the accident but sometimes you have to take responsibility for your own actions.

 

I'd bet $5 that it wouldn't cover whatever happened to this guy. 

 

And that's without a clue what happened in this case, outside of "he was out clubbing"..

 

No mention of what the RTP is investigating in this case or what they believe happened... I don't understand that so many travellers go on holiday without an travel insurance.. It is just a little money to protect your health and luggage... Anyway, more of this story will come I think

A few posts not conforming to AseanNow Community Standards have been removed.

 

18 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

No mention of what the RTP is investigating in this case or what they believe happened... I don't understand that so many travellers go on holiday without an travel insurance.. It is just a little money to protect your health and luggage... Anyway, more of this story will come I think

 

Many companies that offer travel insurance are a scam anyway and will find any reason to not payout. He'd already be disqualified for receiving care from a hospital without contacting them first and going to one of their approved hospitals. 

11 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

Many companies that offer travel insurance are a scam anyway and will find any reason to not payout.

 

Yes, heard that a lot from other people. They have insurance, but if they get seriously ill, the company will find a reason not to pay...

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The lack of travel insurance

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

GoFundMe campaign

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

hospital critical condition

 

OK, these are becoming weekly articles. 

 

What's always the common denominator? 

 

BRITISH 😂

He is a young bloke, travel insurance would have been very cheap. Sad.

Why don't the Thai government introduce an insurance run by them that all visitors staying in the country must buy before entering the country. It either covers a certain percentage of medical costs or all.

It would save them having to see these types of cases constantly and negatively appearing in media scaring off tourists.

1 hour ago, RAZZELL said:

You can buy health/travel insurance in about 2 mins online.

 

Sorry about the accident but sometimes you have to take responsibility for your own actions.

And at his age for only a weeks holiday will cost about £10

A last minute trip away for a week or so, at he's age I doubt very much if insurance was on his mind. 

I would imagine he had other things occupying his mind. 

Good luck with the go fund me.

Bizarre that he was in a "Bangkok nightclub" then ends up in Chonburi which is at least 1hr 15 mins away?

 

 

When I read "Welsh=Brit in hospital" is was quite evident how this story would end:

In short:

 Brit got drunk, involved in a brawl, and got what was to expect.

Result:

People begging for money, as usual, because no insurance.

Go for a bank loan and stop whining and begging for money.

Sure, it's a sad story, but face it.

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

No mention of what the RTP is investigating in this case or what they believe happened... I don't understand that so many travellers go on holiday without an travel insurance.. It is just a little money to protect your health and luggage... Anyway, more of this story will come I think

I just renewed my annual worldwide travel insurance with AIG. 3,838 baht pa. Includes repatriation in case of accident. Higher plans available with the top one circa 10k baht.

 

i mean, it’s very affordable 

Bangkok nightclub to Chonburi.. Strange

 

Blackout drunk, got on Tinder matched and went to meet someone and fell?

 

or something more sinister

 

We probably will never know

21 minutes ago, ronster said:

Why don't the Thai government introduce an insurance run by them that all visitors staying in the country must buy before entering the country. It either covers a certain percentage of medical costs or all.

It would save them having to see these types of cases constantly and negatively appearing in media scaring off tourists.

I’m not sure if you are joking or not.

 

there was the proposal that all tourists would be forced to buy travel insurance as part of the cost of entry to Thailand.

 

I think it was shelved because of a concern that it would reduce tourist numbers?

2 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

I just renewed my annual worldwide travel insurance with AIG. 3,838 baht pa. Includes repatriation in case of accident. Higher plans available with the top one circa 10k baht.

 

i mean, it’s very affordable 

Damn that's good do you need to apply while in your home country? I pay $40 a month, not needed it but been meaning to drop into the bank for a few months now to see if I can get a better local one

1 hour ago, Ohyesuare said:

 

Many companies that offer travel insurance are a scam anyway and will find any reason to not payout. He'd already be disqualified for receiving care from a hospital without contacting them first and going to one of their approved hospitals. 

This is my opinion of travel insurance companies. The part of their policies to worry about are the bits written in infinitesimally small print or in invisible ink. When you make a claim, they'll say: "Didn't you use an iron to read the invisible clauses that state that all claims are invalid? ... That's your fault!"

If only the young guy red this post for the next young man that comes to Thailand for a week of partying.

For the Young and foolish.

THINK ABOUT DO YOU WANT YOUR MUM TO READ THAT LIFE IS CHEAP, NOT ONE MAN ON THESE SITES GIVES A F***K, THEY WILL TEAR YOUR MUMS HEART OUT. 

12 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

Bizarre that he was in a "Bangkok nightclub" then ends up in Chonburi which is at least 1hr 15 mins away?

 

 

And then the headline reads Pattaya.  I know that's in Chonburi province but Chonburi Hospital is a thing.

12 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

I just renewed my annual worldwide travel insurance with AIG. 3,838 baht pa. Includes repatriation in case of accident. Higher plans available with the top one circa 10k baht.

 

i mean, it’s very affordable 

Thank you for this. I didn't think it would be so cheap. 

I had to wait until the 8th paragraph to get to the GoFundMe bit.

 

Why call him a Welshman, but other times use the word Brit/Briton/British, for example when English? I don't care, but am just curious why.