Picture courtesy of Julie Hecquet via Steunactie

A Belgian man, Jeremy Bartholomeus, claims he was detained in a Thai hospital without receiving adequate care due to an unpaid medical bill nearing 2 million baht, following a motorcycle crash he says was not his fault. The situation was brought to light through a fundraising effort by his 16-year-old sister, Julie, who is appealing for help through Steunactie to settle her brother’s medical expenses.

The accident occurred while Bartholomeus was on vacation in Thailand. He explained that he was stationary on the roadside when another motorcyclist, reportedly speeding at over 100 km/h, collided with him. Bartholomeus sustained severe injuries, including a pelvic fracture, ruptured pubic symphysis, and multiple fractures, among other critical conditions.

Despite having insurance, Bartholomeus said his company denied the claim, accusing him of fraud, a charge he and his family contest but have not been explicitly briefed on. Julie insists CCTV footage absolves her brother, despite the differing Thai legal findings. The family's efforts to raise funds to cover the nearly 3.3 million baht in expenses have so far been unsuccessful.

The financial breakdown includes roughly 1.9 million baht for hospital bills and 1.5 million baht for additional related costs. The family seeks to resolve these financial burdens as both legal and survival challenges persist in the aftermath of the accident, reported The Thaiger.

Key Takeaways:

• Jeremy Bartholomeus alleges lack of treatment in a Thai hospital over unpaid bills.

• His insurance has refused to pay, citing unsubstantiated fraud claims.

• The family’s fundraiser aims to cover the 3.3 million baht in mounting costs.

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2026-01-05

 

 

One....don't ride a motorcycle in Thailand......two.....don't trust insurance companies......three.....pick a better and safer country to travel in....Thailand is dangerous for travelling in/on any vehicle, and you will be held hostage until you pay your medical bill. Also, no matter who is at fault, you will pay!

....four....have a family that can raise a bit of cash without begging.

Let me guess.

Had travel insurance but not covered as no motorcycle licence in Belgium 🤔

22 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

Also, no matter who is at fault, you will pay!

I gotta disagree with that.

The hospital will go after the one who is more likely to be able to pay. The other guy in the accident may not have had any insurance or any assets. And yes, the hospital will hold you ransom. A Brit I know, a few years back, got held until his family got a loan on their property. His bed was moved out of a room and into the hallway to cut expenses.

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

One....don't ride a motorcycle in Thailand......two.....don't trust insurance companies......three.....pick a better and safer country to travel in....Thailand is dangerous for travelling in/on any vehicle, and you will be held hostage until you pay your medical bill. Also, no matter who is at fault, you will pay!

Great and invaluable advice for all AN members!

1 hour ago, RAZZELL said:

Let me guess.

Had travel insurance but not covered as no motorcycle licence in Belgium 🤔

My thoughts too...

But, I wonder why, given that there is 'CCTV footage' that the Danish mans sister claims absolves the him of any fault, that the Police concluded otherwise ?

Dodgy Police blaming the foreigner or is there more to this ? we're only reading one side of the story here.

Also, as pointed out above - was the Danish Man riding legally ? i.e. did he have a licence - whether at fault or not, this is the only reason I can see that an insurance claim would be rejected ?

So, why is the Insurance company claiming fraudulent activity as the reason for them not paying out oh the claim ?

There are are a lot of unanswered questions in this story.

---

Slightly off topic - Thailand has long debated a 300 baht 'entry free' that would cover medical costs for those injured here - Such policies would prevent these horrific stories where someone is injured through no fault of their own (he could have been crossing a road for example) and their own travel insurance refuses to pay out etc (for whatever reasons, drunk etc).

With 'clever optics' Thailand could turn such a policy into a complete win-win...

Also note: that the medical burden cost of international tourists in Thailand is a tiny fraction of the income from International Tourism - placing people in a corridor without care because they cannot pay a bill is terrible publicity.

Just asking as I don't know anything about this.

In a similar situation: foreigner/tourist, accident/sudden illness, no insurance/cash in hand is hospitalized - will he be treated free of charge and discharged at zero cost? - in the developed world?

20 minutes ago, ravip said:

Just asking as I don't know anything about this.

In a similar situation: foreigner/tourist, accident/sudden illness, no insurance/cash in hand is hospitalized - will he be treated free of charge and discharged at zero cost? - in the developed world?

Not in USA. Damned freeloader! Expect other people to pay for you? /s

34 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

My thoughts too...

But, I wonder why, given that there is 'CCTV footage' that the Danish mans sister claims absolves the him of any fault, that the Police concluded otherwise ?

Dodgy Police blaming the foreigner or is there more to this ? we're only reading one side of the story here.

Also, as pointed out above - was the Danish Man riding legally ? i.e. did he have a licence - whether at fault or not, this is the only reason I can see that an insurance claim would be rejected ?

So, why is the Insurance company claiming fraudulent activity as the reason for them not paying out oh the claim ?

There are are a lot of unanswered questions in this story.

---

Slightly off topic - Thailand has long debated a 300 baht 'entry free' that would cover medical costs for those injured here - Such policies would prevent these horrific stories where someone is injured through no fault of their own (he could have been crossing a road for example) and their own travel insurance refuses to pay out etc (for whatever reasons, drunk etc).

With 'clever optics' Thailand could turn such a policy into a complete win-win...

Also note: that the medical burden cost of international tourists in Thailand is a tiny fraction of the income from International Tourism - placing people in a corridor without care because they cannot pay a bill is terrible publicity.

I think the fraud was him hypnotising you over the Internet into thinking he is Danish, when the article clearly states Belgian. 😊

Update from his sister:

little update following the situation from my brother's own testimony: 

I am alone in a room, without real medical monitoring, without rehabilitation, without regular dressing changes, without appropriate nutrition. Where I used to take twenty to thirty medications a day, I sometimes only get one, if any. I am seriously physically impaired and can only move very partially, practicing alone in a wheelchair, without medical supervision.

The main reason for this situation is financial.

The hospital bill amounts to 1,900,000 Thai baht, or around 55,000 euros.

Added to this are additional costs linked to third parties and people involved, estimated at around 40,000 euros.

The total amount of the financial situation therefore reaches around 90,000 euros.

To date, I have already paid 20,000 euros, or all of my available financial resources.

Despite this, there would still be around 35,000 euros to be paid for the hospital, as well as additional amounts linked to family compensation for the party concerned.

I no longer have any financial means. This debt prevents me from leaving the hospital and, more broadly, the country. In Thailand, unpaid debt leads to a real administrative blockage. If I don't pay, I stay. And if I remain without care, my health deteriorates dangerously.

Being a foreigner, without local support, each day that passes makes the situation worse. Fees are increasing, procedures are becoming more complex, and possibilities are closing. I contacted all possible embassies and authorities. The answers were clear: no intervention is planned in this type of situation. The embassy told me that its role is limited to death, repatriation of bodies or criminal detention.

https://steunactie.be/actie/tout-pour-la-guerison-de-jeremy-alles-voor-de-beterschap-van-jeremy/-59049

2 hours ago, Upnotover said:

....four....have a family that can raise a bit of cash without begging.

I find it difficult to understand why people get so het up over other people's money. It seems a strange affliction to apply to yourself.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

My thoughts too...

But, I wonder why, given that there is 'CCTV footage' that the Danish mans sister claims absolves the him of any fault, that the Police concluded otherwise ?

Dodgy Police blaming the foreigner or is there more to this ? we're only reading one side of the story here.

Also, as pointed out above - was the Danish Man riding legally ? i.e. did he have a licence - whether at fault or not, this is the only reason I can see that an insurance claim would be rejected ?

So, why is the Insurance company claiming fraudulent activity as the reason for them not paying out oh the claim ?

There are are a lot of unanswered questions in this story.

---

Slightly off topic - Thailand has long debated a 300 baht 'entry free' that would cover medical costs for those injured here - Such policies would prevent these horrific stories where someone is injured through no fault of their own (he could have been crossing a road for example) and their own travel insurance refuses to pay out etc (for whatever reasons, drunk etc).

With 'clever optics' Thailand could turn such a policy into a complete win-win...

Also note: that the medical burden cost of international tourists in Thailand is a tiny fraction of the income from International Tourism - placing people in a corridor without care because they cannot pay a bill is terrible publicity.

If you do not have the following<

1) a motor bike licence from your own country

2) a International licence to cover you overseas

3) if you have a motor bike licence from your own country but did not get the International licence to cover you while overseas

Then the Insurance will not pay out.

We know that many tourists arrive and hire a bike without a licence then expect the insurance to pay out if in an accident.

We all know Insurance companies are there to make a profit and to dispute any claim in anyway they can so they do not need to pay out.

From facebook comments:

this guy had a travel insurance through his credit card company but he had no motorbike licence.

He wasn't stopped! He crossed a lane and got hit. Police reported that he was guilty after looking at cctv.

54 minutes ago, FrankieGoesToHolly said:

I think the fraud was him hypnotising you over the Internet into thinking he is Danish, when the article clearly states Belgian. 😊

Clearly the fact that he is Belgian and not Danish was edited 'after' I responded... 🤔

(no idea where I got Danish from !! - not enough morning coffee !!)

6 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

From facebook comments:

this guy had a travel insurance through his credit card company but he had no motorbike licence.

He wasn't stopped! He crossed a lane and got hit. Police reported that he was guilty after looking at cctv.

That makes a lot more sense...

I've never trusted my Credit Card insurance... and I'm very skeptical about regular or cheap travel insurance.

That said I did take out a dedicated 'winter sports package' travel insurance a few years back - and after a big accident, hospital costs were paid... But upon return to Thailand, further treatment was not covered by the travel insurance (which I'd misunderstood).... luckily I also had health insurance so expensive surgical treatment was covered.

20 minutes ago, stupidfarang said:

If you do not have the following<

1) a motor bike licence from your own country

2) a International licence to cover you overseas

3) if you have a motor bike licence from your own country but did not get the International licence to cover you while overseas

Then the Insurance will not pay out.

We know that many tourists arrive and hire a bike without a licence then expect the insurance to pay out if in an accident.

We all know Insurance companies are there to make a profit and to dispute any claim in anyway they can so they do not need to pay out.

A lot of travel insurance also has a 'booze clause' - so if you fall down the stair while pished-up that could void the coverage... (there are stories of this happening)...

I hate dealing with insurance companies - its never simple.

These types of articles seem to be summaries of local-interest crowdfunding appeals, and typically only highlight the claims of the gofundme listing with a few choice quotes from the family.

Rarely get any research into the actual situation, and of course the insurance company likely would not comment about an active or pending claim.

3 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

One....don't ride a motorcycle in Thailand......two.....don't trust insurance companies......three.....pick a better and safer country to travel in....Thailand is dangerous for travelling in/on any vehicle, and you will be held hostage until you pay your medical bill. Also, no matter who is at fault, you will pay!

Riding in Thailand is safer than you think. Most people are distracted by the headline stats; ~80% of both road accidents and road fatalities are bikes. 20,000+++ per year is horrendous - no argument there. However, there are nearly 23 million registered bikes here verses 9, 3.5 and 1.3 in the US, France and UK respectively. Bikes here are ridden daily as most users' only transport. Usage patterns in the US, France and the UK are very different. Most use their bikes for recreation, not obligatory daily use. The severity of the accidents here are due to not wearing helmets; 84% of Thai bikers hospitalised were not wearing helmets. More small accidents end up in hospital as almost nobody wears 'all the gear'.

When looking at the number of accidents per 1,000 bikes, it turns out that Thailand is very slightly safer than the US . But it is still 3x as dangerous as France or the UK.

Riders with genuine experience are more than likely to ride here in complete safety if they stick to some basic principles. Only those who can't ride, or can't understand numbers, or both, think that Thailand is especially dangerous.

Oh and yes, one needs specific insurance to ride here, especially as a tourist. That insurance hinges on having the correct permits to ride which the insurance companies are duty bound to confirm/deny before buying. You pay your pennies, you makes your choice...

4 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

Riding in Thailand is safer than you think. Most people are distracted by the headline stats; ~80% of both road accidents and road fatalities are bikes. 20,000+++ per year is horrendous - no argument there. However, there are nearly 23 million registered bikes here verses 9, 3.5 and 1.3 in the US, France and UK respectively. Bikes here are ridden daily as most users' only transport. Usage patterns in the US, France and the UK are very different. Most use their bikes for recreation, not obligatory daily use. The severity of the accidents here are due to not wearing helmets; 84% of Thai bikers hospitalised were not wearing helmets. More small accidents end up in hospital as almost nobody wears 'all the gear'.

When looking at the number of accidents per 1,000 bikes, it turns out that Thailand is very slightly safer than the US . But it is still 3x as dangerous as France or the UK.

Riders with genuine experience are more than likely to ride here in complete safety if they stick to some basic principles. Only those who can't ride, or can't understand numbers, or both, think that Thailand is especially dangerous.

That is interesting! Never looked at it like this and it makes sense.

10 minutes ago, atpeace said:

That is interesting! Never looked at it like this and it makes sense.

Hard to tell if we are being 'disliked' by someone who can't do numbers, or doesn't have the cohones to ride...

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Slightly off topic - Thailand has long debated a 300 baht 'entry free' that would cover medical costs for those injured here - Such policies would prevent these horrific stories where someone is injured through no fault of their own (he could have been crossing a road for example) and their own travel insurance refuses to pay out etc (for whatever reasons, drunk etc).

With 'clever optics' Thailand could turn such a policy into a complete win-win...

Anyone who thinks they'll be getting insurance for $9 USD isn't thinking it through. Thailand plans to use that 300 baht fee to compensate hospitals that can't otherwise get blood out of a rock. It's not meant to provide coverage that eliminates the need to either buy insurance or be able to come up with the cash if you need treatment.

BTW, here's the email from my travel insurance company to Bumrungrad regarding a request for payment pre-authorization for about $13,000 USD of emergency treatment I needed in November. I'm waiting now to see if they'll do the reimbursement... Even if they do, I was SOL for treatment if I hadn't been able to prepay the $13K USD. So even if you have travel insurance, you may have to pay in advance, file for reimbursement, and hope they come through.

1 hour ago, FrankieGoesToHolly said:

Update from his sister:

little update following the situation from my brother's own testimony: 

I am alone in a room, without real medical monitoring, without rehabilitation, without regular dressing changes, without appropriate nutrition. Where I used to take twenty to thirty medications a day, I sometimes only get one, if any. I am seriously physically impaired and can only move very partially, practicing alone in a wheelchair, without medical supervision.

The main reason for this situation is financial.

The hospital bill amounts to 1,900,000 Thai baht, or around 55,000 euros.

Added to this are additional costs linked to third parties and people involved, estimated at around 40,000 euros.

The total amount of the financial situation therefore reaches around 90,000 euros.

To date, I have already paid 20,000 euros, or all of my available financial resources.

Despite this, there would still be around 35,000 euros to be paid for the hospital, as well as additional amounts linked to family compensation for the party concerned.

I no longer have any financial means. This debt prevents me from leaving the hospital and, more broadly, the country. In Thailand, unpaid debt leads to a real administrative blockage. If I don't pay, I stay. And if I remain without care, my health deteriorates dangerously.

Being a foreigner, without local support, each day that passes makes the situation worse. Fees are increasing, procedures are becoming more complex, and possibilities are closing. I contacted all possible embassies and authorities. The answers were clear: no intervention is planned in this type of situation. The embassy told me that its role is limited to death, repatriation of bodies or criminal detention.

https://steunactie.be/actie/tout-pour-la-guerison-de-jeremy-alles-voor-de-beterschap-van-jeremy/-59049

fyi:
sad news but thats thailand
what is the additional 40,000 euros. for?
did u have a legal valid motorcycle license? an IDP?
friend of mine died in a hospital in Phuket. no insurance...no money
thye wouldn't release the body till the full amount was paid

good luck

Riding bikes here is a fool's errand.

4 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

Riding bikes here is a fool's errand.

No, it isn't – it's just stupid foreigners who don't know how to drive in Thailand.

Where did the accident take place?

What hospital is he in?

Why have they cited "fraud"? - is this a translation issue?

16 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

Hard to tell if we are being 'disliked' by someone who can't do numbers, or doesn't have the cohones to ride...

the is nothing more than a digital grunt!

4 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

One....don't ride a motorcycle in Thailand......two.....don't trust insurance companies......three.....pick a better and safer country to travel in....Thailand is dangerous for travelling in/on any vehicle, and you will be held hostage until you pay your medical bill. Also, no matter who is at fault, you will pay!

This is bad, misleading advice

Insurance companies have quite clear contracts – unfortunately the customers only ever read what they want – you need to be aware of your cover, not make assumptions.

 

“Thailand is dangerous for travelling in/on any vehicle” – this is an uninformed statement – in a 4-wheeler you are in fact LESS likely to die than in the USA – the truth is that most foreigners are simply not good enough drivers to cope with the different driving environment in Thailand (and other countries)

 

“you will be held hostage until you pay your medical bill” – this is not true = many foreigners owe hospitals for treatment – this is a problem that Thai authorities are very worried about – there is in fact a Thai insurance scheme to counter this – it is of course hopelessly ineffective…but that’s a different aspect altogether.

 

“Also, no matter who is at fault, you will pay!” – this is a myth of “foreigner is always to blame” promulgated by uninformed foreigners and represents a condescending attitude to Thai people. The reality is that often the police rather than the courts may pass judgement on an accident – but if you have good insurance you will not pay unnecessarily.

 

People should check their facts before ranting on a topic of which they have no knowledge or experience but just rely on anecdotal evidence.

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

Anyone who thinks they'll be getting insurance for $9 USD isn't thinking it through. Thailand plans to use that 300 baht fee to compensate hospitals that can't otherwise get blood out of a rock. It's not meant to provide coverage that eliminates the need to either buy insurance or be able to come up with the cash if you need treatment.

Its a tricky one because there is 'risk' that more tourists would travel uninsured...

However - the maths works..

35.5 Million toursits (x 300 baht each) = 10,650,000,000 Baht (10.65 Bn Baht).

Medical Burden of Tourism (unpaid bill) = 227,000,000 Baht (227 Million).

Thus: Income from a 'psudo tourist tax' is 46x greater than the medical burden.

Remembering people do not get hurt deliberately I'm not sure there would be 46x more unpaid bills on Thailands healthcare system... Though, as mentioned there is 'risk' that more tourists would travel uninsured IF the 'tourist tax' were marketed differently.

IMO - the best option IMO would be to charge the 'Tourist Tax' into the the cost of a ticket to Thailand - and use that to 'write off' the medical burden and prevent negative articles such as this.

Thailands income from Tourism is 3,000,000,000,000 Baht (3  Trillion Baht)

The medical burden of Tourism as a percentage is 0.007% of that amount.

Thailands income from Medical Tourism is 125,000,000,000 Baht (125  Billion Baht)

The medical burden of Tourism as a percentage is 0.18% of that amount.

Whichever way you look at it - the medical burden of tourism is tiny compared to overall income from either overall tourism or just looking at medical tourism alone.

These costs 'could' be written off without the news about holding patients hostage or putting people in corridors and drawing bad publicity - the optics 'could' be made much better for Thailand and in doing so attracting more tourists, which again, offsets the medical cost burden such that it becomes less compared to actual income tourism

Again - its a difficult one because sending the message that people will get treated for free without insurance will encourage some not to get themselves insured - a better approach could be take, but it requires nuance.

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

BTW, here's the email from my travel insurance company to Bumrungrad regarding a request for payment pre-authorization for about $13,000 USD of emergency treatment I needed in November. I'm waiting now to see if they'll do the reimbursement... Even if they do, I was SOL for treatment if I hadn't been able to prepay the $13K USD. So even if you have travel insurance, you may have to pay in advance, file for reimbursement, and hope they come through.

I actually prefer to pay ahead myself, using my credit card - it gives me good points !!!!

That said: I did have one insurance pre-authorise treatment about 5 years ago, then cancel that on a technicality after I'd had treatment - Bumrungrad chased me up months later for the costs.

So there is no guarantee that even with Pre-authorisation and direct settlement the Insurance company will honour the cover - but, I understand - direct settlement 'feels' much better, especially when large amounts are paid.

I have an injury - and after seeing the Dr with an MRI about treatment etc - surgery recommended - I stupidly told him of a surgical repair a few years ago (same joint / separate issue) - this went into the Dr's notes: Now I have a 'pre-existing condition' and I'm not covered - so I can't risk going back to that hospital for surgery and will have to start the process again with a different hospital that doesn't share the same info.