Friends bid to repatriate body of killed Briton Sam Austin

[chainarong]

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Does it really cost 12,000 pounds to repatriate a body?

Wouldn't be far of the mark , to repatriate a body costs some where between twice, three times an ordinary first class fare

Edited November 22, 2014 by chainarong

[wooloomooloo]

Fat Haggis, on 22 Nov 2014 - 14:40, said:

Apart from the fact that some Travel insurance is null and void here due to the coup and martial law which many seem to have forgotten ?

My UK travel insurance is very much valid under the current martial law.

I double checked back in May.

[tingtongtourist]

So where did the guy die? Surely if the friend found him they would know where the body was

[mrtoad]

Mai Pen Rai

[SteveFong]

an american was beaten into a coma last week in thailand, showed his near lifeless body, ten the story vanished

[neverdie]

Expensive.

It's a familiar story, the old got a job in a bar (how's that possible?) then died, had no money, no travel insurance, bit of mystery and a Facebook page to raise funds to boot.

Edit to say:

RIP young man.

Edited November 22, 2014 by neverdie

[mrtoad]

Expensive.

It's a familiar story, the old got a job in a bar (how's that possible?) then died, had no money, no travel insurance, bit of mystery and a Facebook page to raise funds to boot.

Edit to say:

RIP young man.

Not sure ND but he might be half Thai. Either way a tragic end

[neverdie]

Expensive.

It's a familiar story, the old got a job in a bar (how's that possible?) then died, had no money, no travel insurance, bit of mystery and a Facebook page to raise funds to boot.

Edit to say:

RIP young man.

Not sure ND but he might be half Thai. Either way a tragic end

Well we don't know. He might have died peacefully in bed.

Half Thai, Sam Austin. If half Thai, no Thai family to help.

I wonder why details are so light? Normally there's at least something.

Anyway, I hope his family sought thrust this mess ASAP, must be terrible for them.

It never ends.

[mickyboy]

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What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

I'm British and I don't expect my embassy to give a flying fig about my corpse once I've carked it. What does it matter where a body is finally laid to rest? I'd rather my family (or indeed my country) kept the money (and its expensive to fly the deceased home - it's not the same as finding them an aisle seat - there are health regulations to be met, coffins to be found to hold the body, etc.) rather than moved my no-longer-in-the-remotest-bit-concerned flesh around the world.

roughly about £4000 to get the body home i read a guy that dies philopines cost that much back uk

[falangjim]

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

I'm British and I don't expect my embassy to give a flying fig about my corpse once I've carked it. What does it matter where a body is finally laid to rest? I'd rather my family (or indeed my country) kept the money (and its expensive to fly the deceased home - it's not the same as finding them an aisle seat - there are health regulations to be met, coffins to be found to hold the body, etc.) rather than moved my no-longer-in-the-remotest-bit-concerned flesh around the world.

The move is to help the grieving family, not the deceased.

[bkkgooner]

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

Trust me, the British Embassy are far from decent when it comes to matters of this kind.

[mrtoad]

RIP.

I hate it when people don't buy insurance, don't arrange self-insurance -- then expect the taxpayer to "do the right thing". The right thing is not to be a burden on others. I have told my sister that if I die here - that the cheapest option is the best option and whatever remains in the estate should be used to help out friends of mine (which she has been introduced to) from time-to-time. If there is an option to "feed me to the fishes" at a discount rate - then so be it.

The embassy is not there to be a social service... that is not it's function.

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

[White Christmas13]

Fat Haggis, on 22 Nov 2014 - 14:40, said:

Apart from the fact that some Travel insurance is null and void here due to the coup and martial law which many seem to have forgotten ?

My UK travel insurance is very much valid under the current martial law.

I double checked back in May.

I checked today on the Australian travel insurance no restrictions for Thai travel

[White Christmas13]

an american was beaten into a coma last week in thailand, showed his near lifeless body, ten the story vanished

I might have missed that please show me a link

[wooloomooloo]

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

Until an autopsy is performed and the findings published, and as it stands, there is no evidence, whatsoever, of anything dodgy.

[bkkcanuck8]

RIP.

I hate it when people don't buy insurance, don't arrange self-insurance -- then expect the taxpayer to "do the right thing". The right thing is not to be a burden on others. I have told my sister that if I die here - that the cheapest option is the best option and whatever remains in the estate should be used to help out friends of mine (which she has been introduced to) from time-to-time. If there is an option to "feed me to the fishes" at a discount rate - then so be it.

The embassy is not there to be a social service... that is not it's function.

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

I don't like things getting covered up either, but this is not the UK. "The plan was to move to Thailand, find a job and live there and when you live there you don't really get travel insurance.". So he was planning on leaving the UK - likely not paying UK taxes - working in Thailand, then expecting to have the UK taxpayer pay for it? He was making a choice to move here. The UK is no more responsible for someone who has left the country than some starving person in Uganda. He also made the choice to save money and not get travel insurance. Guess what - he was not working yet, he was looking.... you can get travel insurance for lengthy periods of time during the transition. There is no exclusion that indicates that if you are "looking for work" you cannot buy it. If the family thinks there is something being covered up, then let them pay for an independent (local) autopsy.

[mrtoad]

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

Until an autopsy is performed and the findings published, and as it stands, there is no evidence, whatsoever, of anything dodgy.

And back in the real world....

[Nuddy]

Bury or burn me in Thailand when I go

Why cost so many so much to move dead person me around the world?

Regards

[dabhand]

Apart from the fact that some Travel insurance is null and void here due to the coup and martial law which many seem to have forgotten ?

As my sister is traveling out to Thailand at Christmas would be appreciated if you could identify which Insurers are declaring that Thailand is not covered in their travel policies.

Thanks in advance.

[wooloomooloo]

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

Until an autopsy is performed and the findings published, and as it stands, there is no evidence, whatsoever, of anything dodgy.

And back in the real world....

Back in the real world some of us avoid guesswork.

[wooloomooloo]

As my sister is traveling out to Thailand at Christmas would be appreciated if you could identify which Insurers are declaring that Thailand is not covered in their travel policies.

From which country is your sister departing?

[stat088]

He died on the 13th.
Check a facebook page;
I <deleted> love sam austin

[blueshark]

This is &lt;deleted&gt; bad another good lad from England killed. The UK government is not doing enough to warn them of the dangers. Writing to my Mp about this.

[mrtoad]

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

Until an autopsy is performed and the findings published, and as it stands, there is no evidence, whatsoever, of anything dodgy.

And back in the real world....

Back in the real world some of us avoid guesswork.

The real world this stuff doesnt get covered up

[car720]

JOC, on 22 Nov 2014 - 13:21, said:

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

Sorry, but it's not the British taxpayer that is responsible for repatriation. That's what travel insurance is for.

I note the victim's friend states:

Mr Russell, a chef, said: "I always thought that a British passport was a ticket to get back home if anything happens to you but it does not work like that

"If you are not insured, then your family and friends have to raise the money to repatriate."

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Appeal-launched-bring-home-Sam-Austin-s-body/story-24583021-detail/story.html

His friend, Jon Russell, said: "The plan was to move to Thailand, find a job and live there and when you live there you don't really get travel insurance."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-30142309

Well, you do get travel insurance if you want to save your friends and family the trouble of raising the money themselves. I note that nearly £11,000 has been raised on a fundraising page for the victim's body to be repatriated.

If you have an accident abroad and are lucky enough to survive then repatriation will cost in excess of £30,000.

As much as I have sympathy for the young man and his family and friends, the small cost of insurance saves additional heartache if something untoward occurs whilst abroad.

This happens so often and is well documented but still people do not learn.

Anyway, RIP to Mr Austin.

Sorry friend but if you think travel insurance is a small cost then you know nothing about it at all.

If you are going somewhere for a 2 week holiday it is expensive enough but after that you can say goodbye to your testicles, wallet and watch.

[blueshark]

RIP.

I hate it when people don't buy insurance, don't arrange self-insurance -- then expect the taxpayer to "do the right thing". The right thing is not to be a burden on others. I have told my sister that if I die here - that the cheapest option is the best option and whatever remains in the estate should be used to help out friends of mine (which she has been introduced to) from time-to-time. If there is an option to "feed me to the fishes" at a discount rate - then so be it.

The embassy is not there to be a social service... that is not it's function.

I hate it when dodgy stuff gets covered up

I don't like things getting covered up either, but this is not the UK. "The plan was to move to Thailand, find a job and live there and when you live there you don't really get travel insurance.". So he was planning on leaving the UK - likely not paying UK taxes - working in Thailand, then expecting to have the UK taxpayer pay for it? He was making a choice to move here. The UK is no more responsible for someone who has left the country than some starving person in Uganda. He also made the choice to save money and not get travel insurance. Guess what - he was not working yet, he was looking.... you can get travel insurance for lengthy periods of time during the transition. There is no exclusion that indicates that if you are "looking for work" you cannot buy it. If the family thinks there is something being covered up, then let them pay for an independent (local) autopsy.

Not sure a 26 year old lad would know all of the intricate dangers and details needed to cover all of his bases. I believe it's the government's responsibility to warn and educate these young people on the best course of action before travelling to these countries.

[dabhand]

As my sister is traveling out to Thailand at Christmas would be appreciated if you could identify which Insurers are declaring that Thailand is not covered in their travel policies.

From which country is your sister departing?

Departing from the UK.

Don't want her pitching up with a duff policy. Don't think she has arranged anything at the moment, but I could be wrong as she has already bought her ticket.

Edited November 22, 2014 by dabhand

[dcutman]

A German man stealing 280 baht from a temple gets national news, and a Brit national being killed gets nothing here in Thailand anymore? I would think the local papers would be all over this. If they would have known.

[Halion]

It would appear that the majority of TV posts are embroiled in the effect with little concern for the cause. A young man has died under suspicious and as yet unreported circumstances and that should be cause for the British Embassy to investigate through the Thai authorities and clarify. Why has there been a potential news blackout on this.Where did it happen and how did it happen are significantly more serious than pontificating on travel insurance. Are we all getting conditioned into accepting that life is cheap and irrelevant in this country ?

[mrtoad]

A German man stealing 280 baht from a temple gets national news, and a Brit national being killed gets nothing here in Thailand anymore? I would think the local papers would be all over this. If they would have known.

A great point!