Campaign to help get seriously ill British man home from Thailand

[thaibeachlovers]

No insurance, ok error.....it's times like these I would like to see the British government step in and help one of our own for once!

But the british government wouldn't be funding it - the taxpayer would!

True, and why should they? Too much nanny statism going on already. It really is up to the individual to be responsible, or accept the consequences.

[Christie Paul]

I've seen foreigners ill, taken to hospital.

Next thing you know they are drugged to the max - endless tests - dozens of doctors consulting, one after the other - more tests - more doctors. Massively inflated prices for everything. Then they are virtually held as prisoners until the family can ransom them out.

These hospitals even hire falang doctors to act as guard dogs to make sure the extortion goes smoothly.

[AyG]

40k gbp in 5 days?

Where is he being attended to?

He is obviously in a private hospital where the intensive care room costs approx 2000GBP/night, then there are the very expensive drugs he will require, the ventilator and other equipment costs and doctors fees. So this cost does not surprise me.

ICU rooms don't cost that much here.

According to the appeal website he's in Bangkok Hospital ICU. On top of the GBP 2,000/day cost for the ICU there's the cost of the initial treatment, GBP 16,000 covering a week - https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/cvDA5/ab/94Mk63

There's a Bangkok Pundit article commenting on another article. The original article stated

"The total cost of staying in an ICU room at a leading private hospital is about 100,000 baht per day" (almost exactly GBP 2,000)

and Bangkok Pundit's comment

"Bumrungrad charges under 10,000 baht a day for a room and service charges for ICU rooms. You will have doctors fee and drugs on top of that, but 90,000 baht a day is far and above what I know people have paid. In fact, it sounds so beyond what I have heard it is ridiculous."

http://asiancorrespondent.com/20595/public-hospitals-in-thailand/

Not sure what to think.

[BigC]

Insurace is a must hard way to learn when you need it.

I stopped my insurance because I don't trust the insurance companies

I had a inssue with bupa thailand and j had to pay the bill myself then wait 90 days for them to pay me back

Though I did not know if they were going to pay me back at the time

So if I did not have me money to pay the Bill then j would Benin trouble

So I worked out that with no inssurence for 10 years prior and 3 years after its actually cheaper for me to have no inssurence and pay myself every 5 years rarther than 50-60 k per year.

For a bigger policy I just can't afford it for my whole family

About 160 k per year

It's allot

Do if I don't have any problems for 3 years then I can afford a bill of 200 k or more it actually cheaper

[lawdog]

Very interesting post about insurance exclusions. I do not think we have a situation of martial law any more but we certainly have a situation of usurped power. The military have taken over by a coup and replaced the democratic system, albeit bloodlessly and with some merit.

If most or all insurance companies have the exclusion for countries with usurped power most people, either short term or long term visitors, with travel insurance will not be covered. Worrying thought for many.

[bridge2bridge]

How on earth can this hospital justify a bill of almost a million Baht in less that a week. He is parlayed so it is not like they have performed cutting edge open hear surgery. Flying Dick Turpin not Flying doctor.

More like 2 million baht.

[skildpadden]

17,000 GBP to fly him within Thailand?!?! I don't believe these numbers.

In the website it is stated that it is 7.000 GBP. Altthough high, it is a figure that sounds quite right. Bear in mind this guy is not able to fly seated with an escort, hence an air ambulance with the right equipment, doctor(s) and nurses with air medical training. It is not a simpe job to move a patient with tubes and ventilator.

But as everybody else mentions be sure you have the proper insurance in order before flying - and most often it can be worth to spend a bit more money on thei nsruance than going for the cheapest option.

[malt25]

No sympathy for no travel insurance, if u cant afford the cost then u cant afford the trip, I always take travel insurance, and take copies, one in my room, one in my bike..any body who doesent take out travel insurance needs their head read.....

Correct me if I'm wrong... but, I thought this post was about Craig Lindley & his plight & what can be done to assist him..... NOT, what a smart little princess you might happen to be.

Just sayin..... Mal.

[louse1953]

No insurance, ok error.....it's times like these I would like to see the British government step in and help one of our own for once!

You mean the govt.on behalf of the long suffering taxpayer.

[aussieinthailand]

No sympathy for no travel insurance, if u cant afford the cost then u cant afford the trip, I always take travel insurance, and take copies, one in my room, one in my bike..any body who doesent take out travel insurance needs their head read.....

Try reading YOUR travel insurance documents, think you will find that the EXCUSIONS might come into play there, so maybe he did buy and maybe not, so your point is of no consequence now, So just who now "needs their head read"???

If you are an expat and have to border bounce do you buy travel insurance every time?

As for the medical bill, Must be a privet hospital and They really know how to gouge the falang or Thai with falang surname.

Six months ago My wife spent 5 days in hospital = 500,000 Baht.

Edited January 7, 2015 by aussieinthailand

[madmitch]

No travel insurance?

Expensive lesson learnt for this bloke.

Most people, even with travel insurance would have no coverage under the martial law, as that is specified in the exclusions ....

WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE INSURANCE (GENERAL EXCLUSIONS)

Treatment for sickness or injury directly or indirectly caused if you actively engage in, participate in or choose to go to a region where there is: a war, invasion, acts of a foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war has been declared or not), civil war, terrorist acts, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power, martial law, riots or the acts of any lawfully constituted authority, or army, naval or air service operations (whether war has been declared or not),

This wording does not actually make proper sense. It's also the first wording I have seen that includes the words "choose to go to a region".

If you are taken ill as the guy here you will almost certainly be covered by travel or medical insurance, regardless of the war exclusion clause.

[Jimbolai]

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No sympathy for no travel insurance, if u cant afford the cost then u cant afford the trip, I always take travel insurance, and take copies, one in my room, one in my bike..any body who doesent take out travel insurance needs their head read..... width=32 alt=coffee1.gif>

Read below copied from above and tell us what will your excuse be when you may need one?

Most people, even with travel insurance would have no coverage under the martial law, as that is specified in the exclusions ....

WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE INSURANCE (GENERAL EXCLUSIONS)

Treatment for sickness or injury directly or indirectly caused if you actively engage in, participate in or choose to go to a region where there is: a war, invasion, acts of a foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war has been declared or not), civil war, terrorist acts, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power, martial law, riots or the acts of any lawfully constituted authority, or army, naval or air service operations (whether war has been declared or not),

[rhondda]

No insurance, ok error.....it's times like these I would like to see the British government step in and help one of our own for once!

Having worked in a BKK private hospital for the last 10+ years and dealing with all the European and commonwealth embassies I can confirm that no embassy will pay for care and repatriation costs (unless the patient is a wanted criminal in their own country).

Think of the expense to the taxpayer of paying for the treatment and repatriation of every Brit who has no insurance and finds themselves with health problems. This is not just a Thailand problem it happens in all the countries where Britons live or holiday.

It is the responsibility of every tourist to get travel insurance that includes health and repat cover.

I would not consider buying insurance from the internet go to a live person who works for an insurance broker. The best deals I have found are from the Nationwide Building Society and the Post Office.

[mcfish]

Buy return tickets on gold credit card, covered.

nope, your only covered if anything happens to and from the airport only. At least it was in my case when I made a phone call, it freaked me out I was traveling for years thinking I was fully covered

[greenchair]

Unfortunately one wonders if the families are being taken advantage of in regard to medical and medical travel expenses in Thailand. One wonders if the Thai involved are charging in unison with the cost in Britain. Which is subsidised by the government. Somebodies lying. And since this has happened many times before. I am guessing it is not the families.

[Estrada]

If he has no money to cover his own hospital expenses he should be transfered to Chulalongkorn University Hospital on Rama IV road. The same expert doctors are in attendance as at Bumrungrad Hospital at 1/10th the cost because they have to teach there 3 days a week in repayment of the Government sponsored studies in the USA. This is a tip the original MD of Bumrungrad gave me when he started the Hospital. The only difference is the quality of accomodation and you are being looked after by student doctors supervised by a well qualified doctor.

Most people recover from this illness which is an attack by the bodies own immune system, so better to transfer to Chula and wait for recovery.

[Luxfare]

A friend of a friend had this in Thailand 2 years ago, even after her premium insurance paid up she was hit with a near 3million baht bill to cover the excess. This illness takes ages to get over, I remember the footballer Markus Babbel being wheelchair bound for nearly a year. Hope he gets the required cash to get him home.

[Jimbolai]

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No sympathy for no travel insurance, if u cant afford the cost then u cant afford the trip, I always take travel insurance, and take copies, one in my room, one in my bike..any body who doesent take out travel insurance needs their head read..... width=32 alt=coffee1.gif>

Correct me if I'm wrong... but, I thought this post was about Craig Lindley & his plight & what can be done to assist him..... NOT, what a smart little princess you might happen to be.

Just sayin..... Mal.

and it isn't about you either smartass.......malt25

[Luxfare]

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No sympathy for no travel insurance, if u cant afford the cost then u cant afford the trip, I always take travel insurance, and take copies, one in my room, one in my bike..any body who doesent take out travel insurance needs their head read..... width=32 alt=coffee1.gif>

Read below copied from above and tell us what will your excuse be when you may need one?

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Most people, even with travel insurance would have no coverage under the martial law, as that is specified in the exclusions ....

WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE INSURANCE (GENERAL EXCLUSIONS)

Treatment for sickness or injury directly or indirectly caused if you actively engage in, participate in or choose to go to a region where there is: a war, invasion, acts of a foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war has been declared or not), civil war, terrorist acts, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power, martial law, riots or the acts of any lawfully constituted authority, or army, naval or air service operations (whether war has been declared or not),

Yeah, the small print......an insurance companies way of saying you're not covered for anything.

[ScotBkk]

No travel insurance?

Expensive lesson learnt for this bloke.

Heart of Gold. Mocking is catching my sarcastic friend.......

[Bluespunk]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

No sympathy for no travel insurance, if u cant afford the cost then u cant afford the trip, I always take travel insurance, and take copies, one in my room, one in my bike..any body who doesent take out travel insurance needs their head read..... width=32 alt=coffee1.gif>

Read below copied from above and tell us what will your excuse be when you may need one?

Most people, even with travel insurance would have no coverage under the martial law, as that is specified in the exclusions ....

WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY THE INSURANCE (GENERAL EXCLUSIONS)

Treatment for sickness or injury directly or indirectly caused if you actively engage in, participate in or choose to go to a region where there is: a war, invasion, acts of a foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war has been declared or not), civil war, terrorist acts, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion, military or usurped power, martial law, riots or the acts of any lawfully constituted authority, or army, naval or air service operations (whether war has been declared or not),

So does the southern conflict mean no one has been covered for the last 11 years?

[ScotBkk]

Buy return tickets on gold credit card, covered.

Heartless Braggart.......

[SOTIRIOS]

....dreadful.....

...could the trigger could have been contaminated food or water....???

...did anyone else in the party have any lesser symptoms...

[Noi657]

To all the people that have said why should the British tax payer pay for this guy that has no travel insurance, valid point, I get it.

However I'd rather pay for one of our own to get back home rather than the good old British tax payer paying for all the illegal immigrants and scroungers that turn up on our door step everyday!

Even if he did have insurance it sounds like he wouldn't be covered because of martial law.

So to all of you that have paid your travel insurance, maybe check the small print eh.

[smedly]

40k gbp in 5 days?

Where is he being attended to?

He is obviously in a private hospital where the intensive care room costs approx 2000GBP/night, then there are the very expensive drugs he will require, the ventilator and other equipment costs and doctors fees. So this cost does not surprise me.

ICU rooms don't cost that much here.

yes sounds rather expensive to me, why not get him transferred to a ward assuming that what he needs is a ventilator to help with breathing and not much else

also I'm wondering if he has medical insurance with his employer in Germany

[Max in Udon]

I can sympathise with this guy. I had the same illness back in 2005, but in the UK. A very unpleasant illness with a 10% fatallity rate for the first illness, and 100% fatallity for the second time.

It took two weeks for the illness to be diagnosed, and then a transfer to a much larger hospital with the correct diagnostic equipment. When treatment was commenced, the medicine was 1,000 GBP per day for 5 days, and it came from Switzerland.

10 years on, and now resident in Udonthani, I still have problems walking, and cannot balance very well. In the UK they registered me as disabled following the illness, and told me I would never work again. That was the impetus to move to Thailand.

I wish Craig all the best, and hope he recovers as well as I did.

In my case, there were no innoculations, or any prior symptoms, just hit me all within 30 minutes.

[kkup]

If they are looking for public support at least get the numbers correct so it doesn't loo like another scam.

[mike324]

They have not incurred £40,000, I think the original article was exaggerated, they link to the donation page yet they still write the numbers wrong, bad reporting. On their donation page, they clearly stated that the total for the first five days was £10,500 He was flown to bangkok by air which cost £7000, which sounds about right for air ambulance by helicopter (I have seen cost for 2-3 hr helicopter flights and it ranges from $8000 to $10,000).

So the total is at around £17,500 add to that £2000 per day ICU charges for days after that.

The cost are reasonable so far and a tad cheaper than the West, whats not is the costs in Bangkok Hospital, £2000 per day for ICU charges is a bit high for top thai hospitals, sounds like a rip off there.

[ChiangmaiRob]

No insurance, ok error.....it's times like these I would like to see the British government step in and help one of our own for once!

But how many "errors" will be made in the future with others British nationals who fall ill while on vacation? If you help one you have to help them all and at the end of the day, the "British Government" is simply the long suffering British tax payer!

[Bakseeda]

No travel insurance?

Expensive lesson learnt for this bloke.

Marshal law . .... insurance void... and wll not pay..