Was he a "resident"? – a long stay? Or was he a tourist?

Those involved in victim blame are not helping – and most probably don't have adequate insurance themselves – and are unaware of it too!

Appropriate insurance is the key. - It seems for one reason or another in this case they aren't paying out – and let's face it, they will do anything not to...

If a long-term stayer, everyone should make sure they have adequate insurance.

If you are a visitor, then make sure you have repatriation included...

However, is there possible Thai government compensation for foreigners in serious accidents in Thailand?

For foreigners there is the Emergency Relief Fund – the government occasionally runs temporary budgets offering up to 500k Baht for serious medical care or 1M Baht for death/disability.

There are zero payouts if you are at fault... any negligence, illegal acts (no helmet, no valid driving licence, or DUI), or risky behaviour instantly disqualifies you.

Compulsory Vehicle Insurance: If a registered vehicle is involved, this mandatory cover pays basic medical costs to anyone injured, regardless of fault.

There is also the possibility of legal processes. Under Thai law you can sue a liable party or business for damages, but this is a lengthy court process, and it is not worth pursuing a "man of straw".

So you should never rely on the government to bail you out. Every foreigner should make sure they have travel or health insurance.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by kwilco

5 hours ago, Chris BKK said:

In Australia they say when people drive on flooded roads ' a bloody idiot'. In Thailand if ride on a motor bike same saying applies, especially if not experienced on motorbike and especially if no helmet

They say ' if it's flooded, forget it' in Australia.

Not sure how your comment is relevant to the OP. Unless he crashed during a flooded road situation.

Not ICU, but an old friend was treated for colo-rectal cancer at Bumrungrad about 15 years ago. He's wealthy, but I believe that it cost him around £40,000.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by Andrew65

5 hours ago, Tim Othy said:

Let's not forget that the racist Thai government allow medical facilities to charge foreigners double what thais pay for any treatment, and the racist Thai medical facilities take full advantage of the fact, its disgusting !

In the UK it seems to be free for all-comers "The world's favourite health service."

I wish our government were much more 'racist' in that regard, then our waiting lists might be a bit shorter.

If riding a motorbike, only do so if you have many years of experience. Especially on the southern islands, where huge numbers of foreigners leave Thailand in a wooden box. Wear the best helmet you can afford. And drive like a grandmother. This applies to ex-pats too. Bring along an international drivers license. This helps you to avoid being fleeced by the local police franchisee.

Many of us drive motorcycles or scooters here, and it is dangerous getting on the roads with some of these other drivers.

Getting on a scooter, or a motorcycle anywhere in Thailand, much less Phuket, Phangan, Dark Tao, or Samui without a very good helmet, is like playing Russian Roulette with three or four bullets in the chamber. It is absolutely asking for problems. The degree of recklessness here is astounding. And many foreigners come here thinking "how much trouble could I get in on a little scooter, on a tropical island"? Well, the answer is alot. The amount of foreigners who are killed on the Southern islands is staggering. Most are not reported in the media. I had a friend who worked for Samui rescue for many years, and said the numbers were about 30-60 a month, on Samui, Phangan and Koh Tao. The official number is about 3 a month. Rider beware. Use as good a helmet as you can afford, and do not use these eggshells pieces of crap. They crack at the first impact, and what lies underneath them? Your skull, which is very delicate.

I have been riding bikes for 55 years. Without any serious accidents. A few minor ones over the years. Riding a bike here is very dangerous. If not the highest, one of the highest fatality rates in the world. And an accident here can be very costly, to your person. Just ask yourself- do I have enough problems already, without a broken skull, or smashed head, or face injury, or lost eye? I have three friends who have been in motorbike accidents on Samui within the last several years. One still cannot walk, or talk or function on her own, from a motorbike accident, where she hit her head on the pavement going only 20 kph. The other one has lost alot of his mental capacity after hitting his head. He insisted for years he would never wear a helmet. Now, he seems 15 years older. The third one is a close friend, who was hit by a sidecar, and nearly lost his leg. 11 operations later, he can walk, but with a limp, and the leg has caused him constant problems, many years later. And he admits he was not driving carefully, or defensively.

10 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

$36,000 in donations thus far is substantial, there's hope. One wonders the usual things - did insurance refuse to cover him? Two accidents in one year, drinking? Seems like no helmet. Hope everything works out.

from the pic his head appears heavily bandaged which of course would tend to imply either no helmet or a toy plastic one....IMO anyone who rides a motorcy with no helmet needs their head examined before it gets smashed ....many often say it is their choice and why should anyone else care what they do...this story is a good example of how his choice did indeed impact a lot of other people for the second time in a couple of years. Sad for the guy but also sad for family hospital staff and all the gofund people whose money could well have gone to some poor kids or some other worthy charity.

11 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

Which city? Do they not have public hospitals? Why do farang mostly go to private hospitals? Do public hospitals have ICU?

And they usually stay in the most expensive hospital and in the best VIP rooms! All of our insurance policies reflect this because Thailand doesn't have a managed care option with a network of hospitals that are covered. My policy would be 30-50% lower if private hospitals were excluded with the exception of emergencies.

His family has no idea how the system works here and is paying the price.

11 hours ago, damo1967 said:

Maybe that is why the daughter is not giving any details about the 'accident'.

No Insurance, drunk, no licence, no Helmet, drugs in system maybe? (a total loser if he did not learn from 2025 accident... a deadbeat)

I was going to donate 5 thb to this loser, but have decided to keep my 5 thb.

The guy's famliy can take out 2nd or 3rd mortgages for him if they love him so much.

A better idea though: cancel the GoFundMe, turn off the machines he is on at hospital, let him pass away, hire a tuk tuk for 300 thb and dump him outside a Temple... they will then look after him and burn him.. (end of story)

Again, what a total loser!!!!!!! A lot of GoFundMe's are for patient's family to help them pay off their own mortgages. They 'use' relative's conditions for their own selfish purposes.

We know little about his situation but after that post, we do know that you are a loser. What a piece of garbage you are....

13 hours ago, Frankie baby said:

A warning over medical cover in Thailand

Whatever happened to the medical tourism being pushed about 15 years ago. Looks like the medical price hike as taken care of that.

What happened to it?... it's alive and well and an estimated 3 million international patients bring in somewhere in the region of USD9 billon per year

14 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

In the UK it seems to be free for all-comers "The world's favourite health service."

I wish our government were much more 'racist' in that regard, then our waiting lists might be a bit shorter.

long germ expats would not be covered on a return to UK for treatment

20 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

It would certainly be more expensive in the USA, but your not comparing apples with apples!

Because people are so aghast at the cost I made the point that if he got the same treatment in the USA it would make the cost in Thailand look tiny.

14 hours ago, pomchop said:

Sad for the guy but also sad for family hospital staff and all the gofund people whose money could well have gone to some poor kids or some other worthy charity.

Scenes from the influencer daughter's wedding in FEB 2026:

Edited August 25Aug 25 by JerryM

23 hours ago, impulse said:

and I suspect the private hospital won't release him to a cheaper place unless he settles up first.

That is the norm.

BKK Pattaya would not allow my release to my SS hospital until payment was made in full.

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

If riding a motorbike, only do so if you have many years of experience.

How is this even possible?

Everyone has to start for the first time in order to get experience

55 minutes ago, NewGuy87 said:

How is this even possible?

Everyone has to start for the first time in order to get experience

You misunderstood, I meant to say if riding a motorcycle in Thailand, only do so if you have a lot of experience, as the roads here are quite deadly.

Off topic troll post about UK immigration removed @Andrew65 discuss the topic, not your agenda. Reminder of the topic “Australian's Bangkok ICU care costs $50,000 a week”

On 8/24/2026 at 3:52 AM, Jonathan Swift said:

$36,000 in donations thus far is substantial, there's hope. One wonders the usual things - did insurance refuse to cover him? Two accidents in one year, drinking? Seems like no helmet. Hope everything works out.

We don’t know. And if any person can save a loved one, in any circumstances, they should.

On 8/24/2026 at 8:55 AM, damo1967 said:

Maybe that is why the daughter is not giving any details about the 'accident'.

No Insurance, drunk, no licence, no Helmet, drugs in system maybe? (a total loser if he did not learn from 2025 accident... a deadbeat)

I was going to donate 5 thb to this loser, but have decided to keep my 5 thb.

The guy's famliy can take out 2nd or 3rd mortgages for him if they love him so much.

A better idea though: cancel the GoFundMe, turn off the machines he is on at hospital, let him pass away, hire a tuk tuk for 300 thb and dump him outside a Temple... they will then look after him and burn him.. (end of story)

Again, what a total loser!!!!!!! A lot of GoFundMe's are for patient's family to help them pay off their own mortgages. They 'use' relative's conditions for their own selfish purposes.

What a lot of unpleasant and unnecessary speculation.

I hope you find better ways to spend your time.

If she sells that rock on her finger it should raise a few thousand...💍

On 8/24/2026 at 3:35 AM, Georgealbert said:

An Australian man is in a coma in a Bangkok intensive care unit following an accident in Thailand, with his family saying his medical bills have already exceeded $135,000.

Sydney model and Copini Beauty co-founder Casey James said her father had undergone multiple emergency brain operations and had spent 10 days in the ICU as of Sunday, 23 August.

James, 28, said she received a call from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs telling her that her father had been involved in an accident and was in a Bangkok ICU.

"Within two hours, my husband and I were on a flight to Thailand," she wrote on Instagram.

She gave not further details of the accident, but did state that her father had previously survived a serious motorcycle crash in March 2025, pulling through, after the hospital had described his injuries as life threatening.

Family faces uncertain wait in Bangkok

James said the extent of her father's future needs was not yet known, but described him as "one hell of a fighter".

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"My dad has been in a coma for ten days and counting. What his future looks like is unknown," she wrote.

She added that her mother's 57th birthday fell on the day of her post, saying she was sitting in the ICU while remembering her mother, who had died from cancer.

James urged others to hold loved ones close, saying life could change "in a blink of an eye".

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ICU and medical evacuation costs mount

A GoFundMe appeal started by James's cousin, Bridgette Pereira, is seeking $250,000 to help cover the man's treatment. It had received well over $36,000 in donations by Sunday.

In a note on the fundraising page, James said more than $135,000 had already been incurred for emergency brain surgery and continuing ICU care.

"The cost of keeping Dad in the ICU is approximately $50,000 per week, and the cost of transporting him safely home to Australia is expected to be around $500,000," she wrote.

Those sums do not include long-term care and rehabilitation expected after he returns to Australia. James said the family had been told he was likely to need ongoing medical support, potentially for life.

A warning over medical cover in Thailand

The case underlines the potentially substantial cost of emergency private hospital treatment and medical evacuation for foreign visitors and residents in Thailand. James has not stated whether her father held travel or health insurance.

Foreigners arranging travel insurance should check the policy's cover for emergency treatment, intensive care, pre-existing conditions and repatriation, as medical evacuation can involve specialist staff and equipment.

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Pictures courtesy of Daily Mall

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24 August 2026

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If you don't have the money or insurance don't stay in a first class hospital and beg people to support you. Stay in what you can afford.

14 hours ago, NewGuy87 said:

How is this even possible?

Everyone has to start for the first time in order to get experience

He's just boomering it up, but means well.

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

If you don't have the money or insurance don't stay in a first class hospital and beg people to support you. Stay in what you can afford.

It doesn't work that way when the rescue ambulance literally zooms you to the one it's based at.

By the time the casualty even is aware where they are the money is already racked up. Plus it's dangerous to move a patient when they're like that.

who knows but it appears that the family has a nice pile of assets without having to do gofund me

1. Massive Growth Trajectory: Following a strategic rebranding and relaunch phase, Copini Beauty reportedly achieved an 890% revenue growth. [1]

2. Marketing Efficiency: The brand sustained a 10x Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER) during its scaled acquisition phase, indicating a highly profitable conversion rate on their advertising spend. [1]

3. Benchmarking Scale: According to independent cosmetics manufacturing data, medium-sized influencer or creator-backed beauty brands typically capture anywhere from $500,000 to over $3 million in annual revenue depending on audience conversion and product drops. [1]

28 minutes ago, pomchop said:

who knows but it appears that the family has a nice pile of assets without having to do gofund me

I thought about doing a search like this -- but then I decided to just post the picture of the Rolls Royce as above.