Family of NZ mum Ariana Brown, killed in Phuket crash, calls for support

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Family of NZ mum Ariana Brown calls for support


The family of New Zealand mum Ariana Brown, killed in a motorbike crash last Saturday (Jan 23), has called for donations in order to repatriate Ms Brown’s body home for proper burial. photo: Supplied

PHUKET: -- The family of New Zealand mum Ariana Brown, killed in a motorbike crash last Saturday (Jan 23), has called for donations in order to repatriate Ms Brown’s body home for proper burial.

Ms Brown was returning from her first fight victory when the motorbike she was riding hit a roadside tree in Soi Ta-iad, Chalong, an area renowned for its many Muay Thai and MMA gyms and training centres.

Since then, tributes have flowed for the much-loved mum.

“This page is for those who wish to help out Ariana’s family in bringing her home from Thailand and with the funeral costs,” notes the family on the Give A Little support page. (See here.)

“Any donation will be incredibly appreciated during this very difficult time. Ariana touched the lives of many and a number of people have been wanting to help out her family so we thought we would set this page up.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/family-of-nz-mum-ariana-brown-calls-for-support-55976.php

-- Phuket News 2016-01-29

[craigt3365]

I'd hate to think of how many times I've read reports like this. Inexperienced scooter driver, here on holiday, driving around late at night....and no proper insurance to deal with the consequences. Thailand is perhaps the most dangerous country in the world for riding a scooter. Very sad. Best of luck to her surviving family.

[bristolgeoff]

get travel insurance to cover things like this.everybody does the same thing now beg for help.i take out travel insurance so why not others,then you don,t have the begging bowl out if stuff happens

[LivinginKata]

get travel insurance to cover things like this.everybody does the same thing now beg for help.i take out travel insurance so why not others,then you don,t have the begging bowl out if stuff happens

Harsh as that advice might seem in this incident - I have to agree that travel insurance is essential.

[samsensam]

sorry to be harsh but there are more deserving causes than someone not prepared to take out holiday insurance, especially when visiting Thailand and riding a motorbike. as we all know thailand has the second most lethal roads in the world.

[nottocus]

No insurance, no helmet and drunk.

Nah...I'll save the money and donate it to myself thanks.

[bra]

My world wide travel insurance will NOT cover me for motor bike riding in SE Asia - not that I would ever want to do this. However if you don't have insurance for this activity you should at least have sufficient money to cover any medical expenses if you have an accident and enough to get your body back home if that is what you and your family want. There are far more deserving causes in this part of the world.

[Graemej100]

I'd hate to think of how many times I've read reports like this. Inexperienced scooter driver, here on holiday, driving around late at night....and no proper insurance to deal with the consequences. Thailand is perhaps the most dangerous country in the world for riding a scooter. Very sad. Best of luck to her surviving family.

Kiora. From what I know of here she had been in Thailand for some months training for Muy Thai. She'd had her first fight that night - and won. Apparently she was quite talented. Most Travel Insurance expires after 3 months. Just saying.

[DoctorG]

I'd hate to think of how many times I've read reports like this. Inexperienced scooter driver, here on holiday, driving around late at night....and no proper insurance to deal with the consequences. Thailand is perhaps the most dangerous country in the world for riding a scooter. Very sad. Best of luck to her surviving family.

Kiora. From what I know of here she had been in Thailand for some months training for Muy Thai. She'd had her first fight that night - and won. Apparently she was quite talented. Most Travel Insurance expires after 3 months. Just saying.

Not actually correct. Some of my trips were of 12 months duration. No trouble getting TI for the whole period.

[SOTIRIOS]

....sad....

...good luck......

....who says travel insurance would cover that.....

...isn't the vehicle insured when one rents it......???

...roadside tree or tree in the road......???

[NamKangMan]

I'd hate to think of how many times I've read reports like this. Inexperienced scooter driver, here on holiday, driving around late at night....and no proper insurance to deal with the consequences. Thailand is perhaps the most dangerous country in the world for riding a scooter. Very sad. Best of luck to her surviving family.

Kiora. From what I know of here she had been in Thailand for some months training for Muy Thai. She'd had her first fight that night - and won. Apparently she was quite talented. Most Travel Insurance expires after 3 months. Just saying.

"Most Travel Insurance expires after 3 months." - not true.

[craigt3365]

Travel insurance typically doesn't cover riding a scooter. Or other "dangerous" activities. Plus, if here for a long time, you need a Thai driver's license. Otherwise, your insurance won't cover you anyway.

Very sad. And unfortunately, happens here way too often. Thailand is a very dangerous place to ride scooters. Even if a highly skilled driver.

[jacksam]

Most travel insurance does not cover motor bike accidents in thailand. Does not come as a surprise.

[sawadee1947]

it's a sad and terrible story. And I pity surviving family. However it's not the first time I read such a story. All my friends visiting Thailand I advised NOT to rent a bike. It's simply too dangerous. Statistic tells. You can't compare driving here with driving in our countries. However many do it, most even without helmets or any insurance. Learning by doing was here a fatal mistake.

[stevenl]

Travel insurance typically doesn't cover riding a scooter. Or other "dangerous" activities. Plus, if here for a long time, you need a Thai driver's license. Otherwise, your insurance won't cover you anyway.

Very sad. And unfortunately, happens here way too often. Thailand is a very dangerous place to ride scooters. Even if a highly skilled driver.

Not correct, motorbike riding is normally covered on travel insurance, provided of course the rider has a valid licence. And that is quite often the issue.

[stevenl]

Most travel insurance does not cover motor bike accidents in thailand. Does not come as a surprise.

Not correct on both counts. Motorbike accidents normally are covered, and there is no connection between Thailand regarding the coverage. Edited January 29, 2016 by stevenl

[harrry]

Her family would be better off acepting that she came here and here is where her body will remain. No need to throw too much money at this. Keep her memory alive at her family home with her photos and a memorial service if that is what you need

[madmitch]

There's also the issue of alcohol. If the claimant was under the influence of alcohol, which is very likely from what I've read about this case, then the insurers are fully entitled to deny any claim. It's in the wording of just about every travel insurance policy. So it could be that she had insurance in place but the company, quite correctly, won't pay out.

[pedro01]

sorry to be harsh but there are more deserving causes than someone not prepared to take out holiday insurance, especially when visiting Thailand and riding a motorbike. as we all know thailand has the second most lethal roads in the world.

Agreed.

Cremate her for free & give donations to an orphanage

[DogNo1]

Well, a friend who I strenuosly warned against renting a motorbike is now riding one around Phuket. I've got my fingers crossed!

[jspill]

BUPA travel insurance doesn't cover repatriation of your remains back home, and it costs a fortune.

[hoffy66]

i read these rep;ies, but i think the N.Z. embassy has some responsibility in all of this?? why have the family asked them for help in this matter??

[craigt3365]

Travel insurance typically doesn't cover riding a scooter. Or other "dangerous" activities. Plus, if here for a long time, you need a Thai driver's license. Otherwise, your insurance won't cover you anyway.

Very sad. And unfortunately, happens here way too often. Thailand is a very dangerous place to ride scooters. Even if a highly skilled driver.

Not correct, motorbike riding is normally covered on travel insurance, provided of course the rider has a valid licence. And that is quite often the issue.

Not true with the one I use. It's an add on, and fairly restricted. Go on an unpaved/sealed road and you're not covered. Drive dangerously, and you're not covered. Don't have a local license, you might not be covered. No helmet, forget it. Speeding, forget it. The loop holes are endless. Many basic policies do not cover motorcycles.

http://helpdesk.worldnomads.com.au/customer/en_au/portal/articles/2103451-am-i-covered-if-i-want-to-ride-and-motorbike-or-scooter-?b_id=6389

[stevenl]

Travel insurance typically doesn't cover riding a scooter. Or other "dangerous" activities. Plus, if here for a long time, you need a Thai driver's license. Otherwise, your insurance won't cover you anyway.

Very sad. And unfortunately, happens here way too often. Thailand is a very dangerous place to ride scooters. Even if a highly skilled driver.

Not correct, motorbike riding is normally covered on travel insurance, provided of course the rider has a valid licence. And that is quite often the issue.

Not true with the one I use. It's an add on, and fairly restricted. Go on an unpaved/sealed road and you're not covered. Drive dangerously, and you're not covered. Don't have a local license, you might not be covered. No helmet, forget it. Speeding, forget it. The loop holes are endless. Many basic policies do not cover motorcycles.

http://helpdesk.worldnomads.com.au/customer/en_au/portal/articles/2103451-am-i-covered-if-i-want-to-ride-and-motorbike-or-scooter-?b_id=6389

Would depend on residency and cover you have. Motorbike riding (under 125 cc and no touring) is for UK residents under the company you link to e.g. covered under level 1, so the most basic level. So on all policies. Same for Australian residents, also level 1 covered, but one has to tell them in advance, same with UK.

And no, it is not as you describe, the reference to off roading does not mean that as soon as you hit an unpaved road you're not covered, etc.

Edited January 30, 2016 by stevenl

[NamKangMan]

BUPA travel insurance doesn't cover repatriation of your remains back home, and it costs a fortune.

"and it costs a fortune" - in general, around 500,000 baht to repatriate the remains back to Europe on a commercial flight.

Edited January 30, 2016 by NamKangMan

[NamKangMan]

i read these rep;ies, but i think the N.Z. embassy has some responsibility in all of this?? why have the family asked them for help in this matter??

"i think the N.Z. embassy has some responsibility in all of this?" - wrong.

Don't count on your Embassy for anything out here, except for a new passport, which you have to pay for.

In a time of need, they may allow you to telephone home for free to arrange a money transfer, and use of their internet, but that is about it.

[stevenl]

BUPA travel insurance doesn't cover repatriation of your remains back home, and it costs a fortune.

Are you talking about Bupa Thailand? I would presume repatriation of the remains to Thailand to be covered.

[NamKangMan]

There's also the issue of alcohol. If the claimant was under the influence of alcohol, which is very likely from what I've read about this case, then the insurers are fully entitled to deny any claim. It's in the wording of just about every travel insurance policy. So it could be that she had insurance in place but the company, quite correctly, won't pay out.

You are correct madmitch, but does the Thai doctor doing the autopsy test the deceased's blood for alcohol / drugs, and are such toxicology levels in the report?

[arunsakda]

BUPA travel insurance doesn't cover repatriation of your remains back home, and it costs a fortune.

"and it costs a fortune" - in general, around 500,000 baht to repatriate the remains back to Europe on a commercial flight.

Check the small print on Travel insurance policies, I doubt they cover repatriation of full HR in casket. I am an airline captain and unfortunately we carry HR fairly frequently and VERY EXPENSIVE, but due to cultural necessities many require this service regardless of cost.

As for Thailand documentation on the US counsul website for example suggests against it as mortuary embalming practices are not up to international standard. Better to cremate.

Such remains are allowed on flights as even as carry on baggage in an approved container with death certificate, or can be shipped via FDX, DHL,etc., at a reasonable cost.

RIP to the Kiwi mum, bikes kill more in this country than terrorists could ever dream of.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NamKangMan]

BUPA travel insurance doesn't cover repatriation of your remains back home, and it costs a fortune.

"and it costs a fortune" - in general, around 500,000 baht to repatriate the remains back to Europe on a commercial flight.

Check the small print on Travel insurance policies, I doubt they cover repatriation of full HR in casket. I am an airline captain and unfortunately we carry HR fairly frequently and VERY EXPENSIVE, but due to cultural necessities many require this service regardless of cost.

As for Thailand documentation on the US counsul website for example suggests against it as mortuary embalming practices are not up to international standard. Better to cremate.

Such remains are allowed on flights as even as carry on baggage in an approved container with death certificate, or can be shipped via FDX, DHL,etc., at a reasonable cost.

RIP to the Kiwi mum, bikes kill more in this country than terrorists could ever dream of.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My travel insurance company covers full repatriation, but yes, if people require this type of coverage, they should check the fine print.

"bikes kill more in this country than terrorists could ever dream of" - the Phuket transport mafia are terrorists. They have caused untold pain and suffering to thousands here, and their families abroad.