Australian mum appeals for funds to bring 'trapped' father home from Thailand hospital

[WhamBam]

At his grand age of 71 the insurance premiums could well have been very costly ( though not as costly as the medical bill(s) ) depending on the length of his stay. I bet there are many old people going to Thailand with no insurance cover. Seems to me, in many cases, it is a case of stay at home or go and take the chance nothing will happen. For many, being alone at home can be a miserable experience and they would rather take the chance and just go. Sadly, in this instance, he has had an accident and left others with financial problems and worry.

[FangFerang]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

Life stops when we die.

Up to then, everybody has the right to enjoy his life.

Yes, he should have insurance but it's very wrong of you criticizing him just because he wanted to enjoy the last years of his life.

Probably you are still young, but when you come to our age you will be looking at life from a different angle.

Costas made sense twice in one day. I am either having an out-of-body experience or need to look out the window to see the Star of Bethlehem rising.

[emilymat]

Firstly, I have a great deal of sympathy with the family over this.

Secondly, I am really angry with the indication in the OP that he was transferred to BPH because they thought he had insurance. Why not a government hospital?. Don't they have those in Bangkok?.

I remember 6 years ago when I felt under the weather, a doctor diagnosed Denghi Fever. The next thing I knew there was an ambulance outside which 'rushed' me to BPH in Pattaya,where I spent two nights with an intravenous drip and was discharged after paying a ludicrous bill. I had insurance at the time. I should have refused the ambulance and the suite of rooms, but I wasn't thinking straight - it happened so quickly

Anyway 2 years later I had the same symptoms and went to bed for 24 hours with plenty to drink and then I was fine.

My point is simply that there must have been some link with the doc and BPH for things to happen so quickly.

Finally, I'm over 70 and pretty fit (I think). but I'm leaving Thailand in 3 months, with the cost of healthcare being a major factor - if I slipped like this poor fellow or had a stroke like my mate I see my savings disappearing pretty quickly.

Believe you me, for 5 years I have tried to get some form of health insurance but 'over 65' no chance - even though I would be happy to submit to any health check system.

I hope he makes it back to Australia.

[trogers]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

Life stops when we die.

Up to then, everybody has the right to enjoy his life.

Yes, he should have insurance but it's very wrong of you criticizing him just because he wanted to enjoy the last years of his life.

Probably you are still young, but when you come to our age you will be looking at life from a different angle.

Nahhhh...the little head would still out think the big head, irregardless of age.

[roamer]

I pay £15 (THB750) monthly for a bank account in the UK that includes insurance cover for 4 family phones, £2000 cover for laptops and cameras etc lost or damaged whether travelling or not. Vehicle breakdown cover. Family travel insurance worldwide for people up to the age of 80 for up to 30 days at a time.

Seems like I have a good deal.

I'm well aware that the cost of insurance would be higher if he were on an extended trip or had medical problems but nothing to indicate this one way or the other.

[Dustdevil]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

Well, I don't know. I'm a healthy 65; everyone says I look 55, and I travel internationally out of Saudi Arabia two or three times a year. I take 24-hour indirect flights to the States on one trip and other trips to Thailand to see a gf. Is there a necessarily a big difference me and someone six years older? I don't consider 71 necessarily elderly and incapable of taking international trips safely.

[Dustdevil]

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Some people can't afford insurance. 3,000 baht a month is huge for some people.

What a lovely hospital. Putting health before money.

Once again if I knew where to donate I would put in a bit.

$ 3000 THB/Month sounds quite low for a plan to cover a 71 year old. I carry a decent policy now at 56 that runs me $ 52,000 for the year. Likely to go up next year. If there's a good plan out there at $ 36,000, I'd love to know about it.

Agree on hospital's move. Noteworthy.

What? You pay US$4333 a month? Or 4333 Thai baht? You have a dollar sign there. Even full US insurance for an individual is less than that.

[colonialboy]

Let me see, he has enough money to come over to Thailand, then has enough to get s#@t-faced in a Bangkok bar BUT does not have money for insurance! Seems his priorities are in order!

[colonialboy]

Beggars belief An ex Teacher coming here gets hammered falls over on his not so thick skull private hospital No Travel Insurance,

Always thought common sense was wrongly named as it's not to common seems I'm correct what a fool.

[BB24]

Health Insurance - often an issue that is overlooked until something happens (like motorbike helmets/safety).

If he is here for a short holiday, then he should not have come without some form of health insurance (at least travel insurance to cover an accident). If he couldn't afford it, then he couldn't afford to come and he shouldn't have taken the risk.

If he is here as a long term Expat, then I can understand how local health insurance is very expensive for those over 65 and it may have been overlooked as he couldn't afford it.

Either way - he is both foolish and has my sympathy, and I would be willing to make a donation - as long as he commits to never returning here/abroad without health insurance coverage.

PS - if you cannot afford health insurance, then it maybe time to go home :- may this be a lesson to us all.

[roo860]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

Well, I don't know. I'm a healthy 65; everyone says I look 55, and I travel internationally out of Saudi Arabia two or three times a year. I take 24-hour indirect flights to the States on one trip and other trips to Thailand to see a gf. Is there a necessarily a big difference me and someone six years older? I don't consider 71 necessarily elderly and incapable of taking international trips safely.

Don't over doit with your gf!!!!

[Time Traveller]

He is 71 and he travels without insurance! Now that is what I call foolish!

Here we go! Another self righteous arrogant post that knows nothing about the circumstances of the person involved.

Firstly, people aged 71 often have difficulty finding any insurer to insure them.

Secondly, unless he actually signed something or agreed to be taken to an expensive private hospital, then he is under no obligation to pay the $80,000 bill. And it seems the hospital know this since they offered to waive the fees.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Time Traveller

[Artisi]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

On the contrary, it is your comment that marks you out as the silly fool.

You need to make some allowance for the non - thinking, I'm so smart and God's gift to the world pundits who have to find fault and embellish what was probably a simple trip over on the foot path. But then we aren't all perfect like some people.

[NoshowJones]

any of us can have accidents when we least expect it.yes he should have had medical cover but did n't,now his daughter is left to pick up the pieces,very inconsiderate of dad!

Lets hope for the daughter's sake there are still generous and compassionate people left in australia with a good bank balance.

She should just bloody leave him there. And why should those who have presumably worked for their 'good bank balance' feel they have to shell out for the consequences of this silly old man's actions. I could think of a thousand ways my 'charity' would be far better spent.

I get the impression people seem to think he was drunk, just because he was in a bar. does everyone who goes into bars get drunk? I have been in bars and I don't drink.

[NoshowJones]

any of us can have accidents when we least expect it.yes he should have had medical cover but did n't,now his daughter is left to pick up the pieces,very inconsiderate of dad!

Lets hope for the daughter's sake there are still generous and compassionate people left in australia with a good bank balance.

She should just bloody leave him there. And why should those who have presumably worked for their 'good bank balance' feel they have to shell out for the consequences of this silly old man's actions. I could think of a thousand ways my 'charity' would be far better spent.

I get the impression people seem to think he was drunk, just because he was in a bar. does everyone who goes into bars get drunk? I have been in bars and I don't drink. When you see the state oo some pavements here, is it surprising he fell?

[Suradit69]

Let me see, he has enough money to come over to Thailand, then has enough to get s#@t-faced in a Bangkok bar BUT does not have money for insurance! Seems his priorities are in order!

WoW... Fair enough.....
"The hospital has offered to waive the fees if his family can organize his transfer from the facility as soon as possible."

Which also raises the issue of mandatory medical insurance for tourists (what ever became of that plan?).

It seems whenever that has been "discussed" on TV some of the resident experts deny that any Thai hospital suffers losses for farang.

And since BPH is a business, they will need to recover the loss somehow. Those of us who pay our bills will have a little added to charges to cover the cost of treating him and others like him. No need to pass the hat. You will donate for those who can't pay one way or another.

[Thian]

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The evils of alcohol.

I think it's the hospital's fault for admitting him without checking if he had insurance.

Once in a drunken previous life they wheeled me out in pyjamas to the ATM to get cash out. That was Nontavej Hospital in Nontaburi.

I do have a healthcare insurance but if am unconscious then how can i prove that?

My healthcare card is all in foreign language, no Thai can read it or knows what it is.

I'm happy the Thai just take care of any farang and didn't bring him to a crappy hospital. Although i would like to know what they did for that 80.000 au$. I guess the bill is tenfolded because he's farang.

[FiestyFarang]

Let me see, he has enough money to come over to Thailand, then has enough to get s#@t-faced in a Bangkok bar BUT does not have money for insurance! Seems his priorities are in order!

I live in Thailand and pay every month for private medical insurance not because I am wealthy, I even did it in the UK and Australia but I would hate to beg like he is doing.

Life is more dangerous here for many reasons, there are holes in the pavement that at night you cannot see and would easily break a leg if you fell into one, I drive a motorbike etc. Roads in the monsoon season get many potholes, so I have little sympathy for a man of his age who should have one way or another taken at least basic medical or travel insurance. He has money to travel to Thailand, probably was drunk but does not do so. It goes to show that these so called "Nanny" states are good in the respect that they make people have medical care by enforcing taxation. Personally I think it is a cheek to come on here asking for money as most other seem to agree. Perhaps the family need to sell or re-mortgage their house, property is Australian cities is expensive and has been rising rapidly, why should strangers take care of an old man that should know better.

[FiestyFarang]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

Well, I don't know. I'm a healthy 65; everyone says I look 55, and I travel internationally out of Saudi Arabia two or three times a year. I take 24-hour indirect flights to the States on one trip and other trips to Thailand to see a gf. Is there a necessarily a big difference me and someone six years older? I don't consider 71 necessarily elderly and incapable of taking international trips safely.

Don't over doit with your gf!!!!

Stick to the point sitting on a plane is easy......but do you have medical insurance especially in the US which is far more expensive than most places for medical treatment.

[FiestyFarang]

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Some people can't afford insurance. 3,000 baht a month is huge for some people.

What a lovely hospital. Putting health before money.

Once again if I knew where to donate I would put in a bit.

$ 3000 THB/Month sounds quite low for a plan to cover a 71 year old. I carry a decent policy now at 56 that runs me $ 52,000 for the year. Likely to go up next year. If there's a good plan out there at $ 36,000, I'd love to know about it.

Agree on hospital's move. Noteworthy.

$52,000 a year - take the syringe out your arm, you mean 52,000Baht correct. Medical insurance is cheaper in Thailand as the room rates are lower, London for example at least $1500 per night just for the private room!!!!

[tif]

The evils of alcohol.

I think it's the hospital's fault for admitting him without checking if he had insurance.

Once in a drunken previous life they wheeled me out in pyjamas to the ATM to get cash out. That was Nontavej Hospital in Nontaburi.

Exactly. That's the very first thing they do. If no insurance, it's off to the nearest knackers' yard for you. So why didn't they this time? Chancing their collective arm? Which does in no way detract from the fact this old guy's an idiot.

[Wat dee]

Travel insurance apparently doesn't cover you if you have an accident while drunk.

Usually hospitals ignore the alcohol levels due that clause.

[chainarong]

Nothing in OZ papers and nothing on TV, maybe they have a Thai black out in force , seriously nothing mentioned in OZ ???

[callaway]

Maybe people criticizing this guy might care to look a most insurance policies for travel and will notice many exclude people over 70.

[tif]

Nothing in OZ papers and nothing on TV, maybe they have a Thai black out in force , seriously nothing mentioned in OZ ???

Good point. There do seem to have been a few 'calls for donations' for farang on this forum lately ...

[colonialboy]

Hope they get the funds. If you can't afford travel Ins . In my mind you can't afford to travel . I'm 70 Travel ins Direct cover me worldwide travel Aud

$420.00 per year 12 months cover

[steven100]

Dear Susan Monaghan,

You need to contact the media organisation office in Australia and ask them to cover your plight / story on one of the television networks over there.

They have the resources and any good coverage will certainly guarantee enough could be raised to get your father repatriated to Adelaide.

[Broeno]

Another story of the Bangkok hospital robbers.

[jimky]

<snip>

Once again if I knew where to donate I would put in a bit.

From the OP link:

By Thursday morning more than $12,000 had been raised, but more than $40,000 is still required. If you would like to help bring Susan Monaghan's father Malcolm home, donations can be made by visiting http://www.gofundme.com/bringmalcolmhome

Donated. Thanks for posting that.

[manarak]

What's a 71 year old man doing travelling alone here to Thailand? Rhetorical question. Particularly when you consider the silly old fool 'fell when exiting a bar'. Som nom na, as they say hereabouts.

Foolish yes, but your comment is most insensitive, morally bigoted and uncalled for.

His only fault is to travel without insurance, one can also fall on the pavement when exiting a church - not that this would give anyone any happyness.