Report Welshman Fights for Life in Pattaya Hospital After Vanishing from Bangkok Nightclub

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

 

 

 

 

 

OK, these are becoming weekly articles. 

 

What's always the common denominator? 

 

BRITISH 😂

 

I am not against this guy getting some help through GoFundMe. I hope he comes around okay and gets home safely. But I am beginning to think that Thailand needs a special Visa for British that enforces some sort of health care requirement on them, especially the younger ones who seem to be the ones most likely to get into these situations.

[digger70]

Welshman Fights for Life in Pattaya Hospital After Vanishing from Bangkok Nightclub

 

Morons by not having Travel Insurance. 

The Govment should look into that and make a Rule Come to  LOS Must have travel Insurance if not No Entry.  

Should be easy to obtain when Buying ones Ticket. online or from an agent.

This prevent the Lazy cheapskates to Rely on Go Fund .

No Excuses for Not having a travel Insurance .

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

Another go-fund-me begging letter due

[off road pat]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

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...

I twice had serious health problems in Thailand, which brought me to hospitals for approximately 20 days . My travel insurance paid everything without a problem. They even paid my wife's stay in a hotel near the hospital !! And they paid for our repatriation in business class to Europe !!

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Gaccha said:

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

Count me out... as far as I'm concerned if you don't have insurance don't travel...

[kimothai]

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

so was he assaulted? no one knows? 

"Wales online" claims he was violently attached.  Source of info not given.  Also stated he had epilepsy which makes me wonder (if true) why he would travel without insurance.

[GanDoonToonPet]

If only the Thai government hadn't extended the visa exemption from 30 to 60 days, this would never have happened.

[Grumpy one]

3 hours ago, FlorC said:

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

No money = no body

It gets left in cold storage till the hospital gets sick of it being there, then a charity buries it, in a pauper's grave

[spidermike007]

Not to sound hugely lacking in compassion  but nobody should ever travel to Thailand as a tourist without travel insurance, it's easy to get and quite inexpensive, so why should others be required to pay for his recovery? 

 

It certainly sounds like some mischief took place, and I do feel sorry for the guy, it's a pretty horrific outcome of a vacation. However since the medical care in Thailand is quite good and significantly less expensive, maybe it makes more sense for his family to come here while he's recovering. 

 

 

 

 

[Colki]

On assumption that he was at a nightclub and consuming alcohol it would not matter if he had the best travel insurance available.

 

Insurance would not cover his hospitalisation because of this.

[Cabradelmar]

blacked-out or knocked-out?

[Magictoad]

2 hours 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. 

That's not necessarily true. In my experience including being beaten up whilst asleep the insurance company covered the cost. It's ALWAYS better to have insurance and assume they WILL PAY. ALWAYS.

[LennyW]

39 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

If only the Thai government hadn't extended the visa exemption from 30 to 60 days, this would never have happened.

How exactly? He was only here on a weeks holiday.

[terryq]

Some UK news sources are saying that he is known to suffer from epilepsy.

 

True or not , I don't know.

 

 

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

vanished from a Bangkok nightclub, only to be later found in a hospital far away (Pattaya)

 

Very strange circumstances.

[norsurin]

Sorry for that story but if they travel to another country it should be mandatory travelincuranse.

But Thailand don't require that in case they loose some tourists.The happy ones is the hospital's who get their money.I pay 200£ a year for my insurance and im covered from the second i leave my house.

A shorter insurance is much cheaper..so i really don't understand the mindset of these tourists.

[khunPer]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

Sad story, but same old story repeating: Don't travel without an insurance...

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

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.

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

 

But turns up in hospital in a neighboring province?

Not really the expected finale.

How did he get from point a to point b?

[Captain Flack]

Troll posts removed.

 

@damo1967 rule 9. You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages. You will respect other members and post in a civil manner. Personal attacks, insults or hate speech posted on the  forum or sent by private message are not allowed.

 

 

[dannyb123]

In LOS patients just magically appear in hospital beds? The hospital staff must at least know how he arrived at the hospital. Where did the ambulance pick him up from? Too many unanswered questions

[Ohyesuare]

1 minute ago, dannyb123 said:

In LOS patients just magically appear in hospital beds? The hospital staff must at least know how he arrived at the hospital. Where did the ambulance pick him up from? Too many unanswered questions

 

The articles mention a language barrier at that hospital, with nobody being able to speak English and them trying to source a translator. 

[dannyb123]

4 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

 

The articles mention a language barrier at that hospital, with nobody being able to speak English and them trying to source a translator. 

 

Ive been in thai hospitals before, they all have smart phones. Establishing the circumstances on how he arrived in that situation seems important.

[Suetape]

Travelers need to stick with the buddy system also.  

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

I am not against this guy getting some help through GoFundMe. I hope he comes around okay and gets home safely. But I am beginning to think that Thailand needs a special Visa for British that enforces some sort of health care requirement on them, especially the younger ones who seem to be the ones most likely to get into these situations.

 

The idea of introducing a tourist tax has been floated numerous times over the years - most recently, there was quite a bit of chatter around a proposed “300 baht tourist tax.” However, from what I gather, this initiative seemed less about genuine improvements or addressing concerns around healthcare costs and public perception, and the cynic in my suspected this was more about those in power attempting to secure a new revenue stream - a classic case of a “money grab.”

 

Previous challenges with the proposal included:

Logistical hurdles: There was significant uncertainty about how to efficiently collect the tax at arrival points without causing chaos.

Concerns over delays: Adding an extra payment step at airports risked creating long queues, frustrating tourists upon entry.

Fairness issues: The idea of embedding this tax into airline tickets was dismissed, primarily because it would unfairly burden Thai nationals. Ironically, some discussions even hinted at imposing a similar tax on Thais traveling abroad - a notion that reflects some of the more questionable, protectionist thinking occasionally found among policymakers.

 

If I remember correctly: The tax was initially slated to be introduced in April 2024, then postponed to September 2024, and since then, the proposal has fallen off the radar altogether.

 

 

Looking at the figures:

- Income from Medical Tourism (2024): US$ 15.4 billion

- Income from Tourism as a whole (2024): US$ 48.45 billion

- Medical cost burden of tourists: 300 million Baht (≈ US$ 8.22 million)

- Medical cost burden as a percentage of medical tourism income: 0.053%

- Medical cost burden as a percentage of total tourism income: 0.017%

 

Too often, reports focus on the costs tourists impose - particularly medical costs - without balancing those concerns against the enormous economic benefits that tourism, including medical tourism, brings to Thailand.

 

In my view, Thailand already earns so much from tourism that it could comfortably absorb the medical cost burden tourists impose. This burden accounts for only a tiny fraction of total tourism income, and essentially, the country does just that already. Yet, the ongoing rhetoric complaining about tourists as a “burden” is unhelpful, optically very poor, and IMO counterproductive for a nation so dependent on its tourism sector.

 

On the 300 Baht Tourist Tax:

Such a tax could work. The main issue in the past was the absence of a clear, efficient framework to collect the fee upon arrival. Early ideas included adding it to airline tickets, which was rightly seen as unfair to Thai nationals. Ultimately, the whole debate generated more noise than progress.

But today, Thailand already has a well-established system: the Digital Tourist Arrival Card (TDAC). This online platform could easily be adapted to include a 300 baht tourist tax - payable only by foreigners - which could feed directly into a national insurance fund for tourists at public hospitals.

 

Tourists who prefer private care could still purchase travel insurance, as responsible traveler's routinely do.

This wouldn’t replace private insurance for those who want it, but would offer a baseline of coverage for accidents and medical incidents occurring within Thailand (with care at government hospitals).

 

To put it in perspective:

300 baht per tourist × 35.5 million tourists = approximately US$ 292.2 million.

This sum is about 2.8% of the medical cost burden attributed to tourism, offering a comfortable financial buffer.

 

With the TDAC system in place, implementing a unified, online 300 baht tourist tax would be straightforward. It would exempt Thai nationals, ensuring fairness, and cover unforeseen medical incidents tourists might experience while in the country.

 

Would this discourage some travelers from buying travel insurance? Possibly. But with a large financial surplus - over 97% of the medical burden covered by the tax alone - there’s ample room to swallow and absorb any resulting differences.

 

Moreover, many tourists opt for insurance out of responsibility, ensuring access to private care and peace of mind (we don't read about all those in the news - we only see the horror stories, which amplifies our impressions of such issues). A Tax system wouldn’t replace that choice to 'self insure' with travel insurance but complement it.

 

Longer Term Visa holders: 

I see scope for significant potential for Thailand to extend its national healthcare system to longer-term visa holders - such as those on Non-Immigrant B visas including retirees and spouses - by allowing them to contribute to and access care at government hospitals.

Thailand already attracts many retirees and long-stay residents through attractive visa options like Retirement and Marriage Visas, yet these individuals often face high private medical costs and limited public healthcare access. Introducing a system where long-term residents can pay into a national health insurance scheme would promote inclusivity, reduce financial uncertainty, and encourage longer stays, while also generating additional funding for public healthcare.

This could be implemented through contributions linked to visa renewals, offering essential healthcare coverage at public facilities, and administered jointly by relevant government agencies. Such a move would complete the residency package Thailand offers - providing not only visas but also equitable medical support - enhancing the country’s appeal as a welcoming, modern destination for retirees and expatriates alike.

 

 

Finally:

The infrastructure to implement the 300 baht Tourst Tax (insurance) is already in place (TDAC), making it a relatively small step with potentially significant benefits. It would also help reduce negative narratives about tourists “burdening” the system, and curb unfair practices like state-sponsored double pricing aimed at foreigners.

 

Thailand could transform this challenge into a major positive: “Look how we fleece visitors who experience misfortune here”...

This is a far better message than the current one, which sounds more like: “how you pay ?... where's the money”...

 

 

 

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, kimothai said:

"Wales online" claims he was violently attached.  Source of info not given.  Also stated he had epilepsy which makes me wonder (if true) why he would travel without insurance.

From Wales Online:

"travelled to Thailand with a lifelong friend on May 30 and on arrival met up with another friend."

 

Sadly his pals didn't look after him very well.

Grown man (barely) but even still, he seems to have needed looking after.

Edit: Rereading the OP I see he is 29 years old, I had thought early 20s. The beginnings of maturity are possible at age 29 I guess. Even still sad his friends didn't look out for him a bit.

[Felton Jarvis]

4 hours ago, Gaccha said:

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

 I would chip in but I can't do it alone. Most of the Asean Now bunch are remarkably unsympathetic to situations of this type.

[connda]

Thailand - Safest Place In The World To Travel.

[nick supreme]

Heathcare is a human right. 

[thailand49]

4 hours 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.

That is true but from past reading drinking clubbing I sure they would have found a way to denied the claim.

I've not heard one story where a person had one actually got paid?

[cdemundo]

Just now, thailand49 said:

That is true but from past reading drinking clubbing I sure they would have found a way to denied the claim.

I've not heard one story where a person had one actually got paid?

The thing is if you have an insurance claim and it gets paid there isn't much of a story.

When you don't get paid it is a big story for the insured who feels cheated.

So there is a bias to hear about unpaid claims.