Local Tree Worker Falls

[drtreelove]

I posted this on Chiangmai forum, but the heads-up and questions I have extend to you all too.

On request I gave tree pruning advise to a Chiangmai expat friend a couple of weeks ago. He declined my offer to arrange a crew do the work, he had a local guy who had worked for him before.

The worker climbed a medium size raintree without safety belt or rope, a limb broke out from under him and he fell about 7 - 8 meters to the ground. He broke his back, fracturing a vertebrae and traumatizing the spinal cord but not severing it.

The expat employer sent him to the hospital and paid for emergency surgery and expensive steroid medications, etc., 42,000 baht so far and that doesn't include the intensive care unit required after surgery.

It's a heads up for those employing local workers for potentially dangerous technical work.

What's the best insurance to cover costs for something like this?

• Is there homeowners workers comp accident insurance here?
  
• Make sure they have their yellow 30 baht health card? Let the ambulance take them to the designated government hospital on the card?
  

Any expats have related experiences, or tips for protecting yourself against liability from this type of accident? don

[littlebigboss]

No insurance ! They are fired by the time they reach the ground !

More seriously, it seems our "moral" obligation is to drive the injured employee to the nearest hospital, then it's up to our generosity ...

I don't really know what are our legal obligation but when I talked about insurance I just got a blank "farangs are weird" look ...

Actually it just remind me a conversation about someone driving without license. I asked what will happen if he get caught by the police, the answer was he has to pay ... And what if he has an accident ? Just pay more !

[slapout]

How deep is the water in the well? Its a chance you take hiring local day labor, which is about all that is available in the village etc. The first payment is a commitment (real or imagined) The 30 baht card held by the person will get them into and treated by the hospital, if it is the hospital they are assigned to. Can not answer on insurance and the man who may give an answer is no longer allowed to. Lots of luck.

[littlebigboss]

How deep is the water in the well? Its a chance you take hiring local day labor, which is about all that is available in the village etc. The first payment is a commitment (real or imagined) The 30 baht card held by the person will get them into and treated by the hospital, if it is the hospital they are assigned to. Can not answer on insurance and the man who may give an answer is no longer allowed to. Lots of luck.

What's going on ? Is it a problem with the insurance companies that sponsor this forum ? Does it mean if Monsanto or Kubota decides to sponsor this forum we won't be able to discuss fertilizer or tractors?

[slapout]

I was referring to a individual who has farmland/business here in Thailand for several years and is probably very aware of the available insurance, 30 baht coverage etc. With the various enterprises he has going on, he would require a permanent labor force and probably seasonal help. I heard that he is suspended, so input from him will be hard to come by.

[littlebigboss]

I was referring to a individual who has farmland/business here in Thailand for several years and is probably very aware of the available insurance, 30 baht coverage etc. With the various enterprises he has going on, he would require a permanent labor force and probably seasonal help. I heard that he is suspended, so input from him will be hard to come by.

People come and go ...

Btw, I heard about a new forum dedicated to agriculture in SE Asia, something like corncultivator dot org or com ... Could be a good idea ...