Koh Phangan hospital backtracks after pregnant English tourist is unable to pay medical bill

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Koh Phangan hospital backtracks after pregnant English tourist is unable to pay medical bill

Image: Workpoint News via Sanook

 

A private hospital on Koh Phangan backtracked on a 100,000 baht hospital bill after initially taking an English woman's passport because she could not pay.

 

Following the full moon party an English woman tourist had been admitted to the hospital with blood coming from her uterus. She was three months pregnant and was further suffering from fainting fits.

 

With friends she explained that she had very little money after being in Thailand for a month but she did have travel insurance.

 

The hospital admitted her then transferred her to a sister hospital on Koh Samui.

 

When a bill for 103,319 baht was presented to her it was realized that the policy did not cover pregnant women. She had no money to pay and the hospital took her passport and threatened her with legal action.

 

This happened before she was due to fly home on Sunday and she was unable to leave. Friends helped her come up with just 20,000 baht for the treatment after negotiations with the hospital.

 

Thai friends of the English woman went to the tourist police and reporters from Workpoint News got involved, reported sanook.com.

 

When this happened the hospital immediately backtracked, returned the passport and even returned her money.

 

No quotes or further information from the hospital was reported in the Sanook.com article.

 

Source: http://news.sanook.com/2123094/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-12

[Strange]

5 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

and the hospital took her passport and threatened her with legal action.

 

Never, EVER, give up that passport. 

 

Single most important thing to a foreigner here in Thailand, second is bug-out cash and credit cards. They get you by the balls (or uterus).

 

Also its a real chickenshit maneuver/probably illegal to take someones only travel document and hold it hostage. Let alone its wasn't even an official person, just hospital people. Pretty pathetic on the hospital and infuriating just reading it. 

 

As for the rest of the topic, well, Full Moon Party, 3 months pregnant, no money..... 

 

[A1Str8]

How come they changed their mind at the hospital and gave back the passport? Haha. Low life entities always amuse me. 

[z42]

Absolute thievery by some of the hospital brass foiled seemingly... Or am i missing something (itemised bill maybe)? And also a glaring example how travel insurance in a lot of instances is pretty worthless when it is actually needed. 

Glad to hear the girl will be getting home without any extra undue stress

[surangw]

the embassy  won't back up the  citizen in favor of the hospital ?

[Badbanker]

It is very illegal for any person or agency, other than law enforcement to retain your passport and then only on the imposition of a criminal case against you.

 

Not paying a car rental, hotel or hospital bills is a civil matter and the damaged party must retain a lawyer to file a civil suit against the person that they have a bill with.

 

Yes, I know as in this case, hospitals and hotels try to retain your passport as surety, but an embassy can and does very regularly cancel an existing passport being held hostage, and issue you with a new one in a day.

 

The embassy will then call to the entity that is wrongfully in possession of the passport and ask for it to be returned to the embassy asap as it is the property of the issuing government.

 

Of course the person wrongfully retaining the passport who was short changed, is shocked but this is the law in Thailand!

 

Been there done that!!!!!

[thetruth revealer]

1 hour ago, Strange said:

 

Never, EVER, give up that passport. 

 

Single most important thing to a foreigner here in Thailand, second is bug-out cash and credit cards. They get you by the balls (or uterus).

 

Also its a real chickenshit maneuver/probably illegal to take someones only travel document and hold it hostage. Let alone its wasn't even an official person, just hospital people. Pretty pathetic on the hospital and infuriating just reading it. 

 

As for the rest of the topic, well, Full Moon Party, 3 months pregnant, no money..... 

 

By International Law Standards, technically the owner of any Passport is the corresponding Government. The Holder is just only the Person who is allowed to carry and use it for well known purposes..So far, its illegal and everybody who gives a Passport as Deposit for Rental Motorbikes etc,. is breaking Law. (The good thing is, anybody could report it lost or stolen and then get issued a new Passport, so happen in the past ...)

Edited December 12, 2016 by thetruth revealer

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, Strange said:

 

Never, EVER, give up that passport. 

 

Single most important thing to a foreigner here in Thailand, second is bug-out cash and credit cards. They get you by the balls (or uterus).

 

Also its a real chickenshit maneuver/probably illegal to take someones only travel document and hold it hostage. Let alone its wasn't even an official person, just hospital people. Pretty pathetic on the hospital and infuriating just reading it. 

 

As for the rest of the topic, well, Full Moon Party, 3 months pregnant, no money..... 

 

Taking the passport or not is irrelevant.  Try leaving a hotel with any amount due whether true or not, and watch how fast the old security guard tries to stop you and if you resist some cops show up pretty quickly.  You won't make it down the street or to the airport. 

[Strange]

3 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Taking the passport or not is irrelevant.  Try leaving a hotel with any amount due whether true or not, and watch how fast the old security guard tries to stop you and if you resist some cops show up pretty quickly.  You won't make it down the street or to the airport. 

 

Fair enough, but with the passport securely in pocket, just defuse the situation by going back to the room to get the 'rest of your stuff' and book it out the stairway or whatever. 

 

I also never check out of a hotel all in one go. I always come down early to clear the bill before clearing out the room. Never just pack up and sit in the lobby with all my stuff. 

 

Honestly I never give a passport for a hotel, car, scooter, etc. Never Never. If a photocopy isn't enough, there are plenty of places that will take it. 

[BKKBrit]

And no one looks at the fact that she's pregnant..hasn't bothered to read her insurance policy (which one think would be critically important when travelling pregnant)...heads off to a full moon party (<deleted>???).   The hospital, as far as I am concerned, is in the right to claim the fees for the care and service provided. I pity this woman's child if even before birth mum can be so irresponsible. 

[jimlek]

Great mum to be. A full moon party of all places!

[ParadiseLost]

It is possible the young lady did not know she was pregnant...

 

The real story here is the hospital backing down - why besmirch the girl? The beer turning sour in that fat gut?

 

[ParadiseLost]

Most likely the hospital saw an insurance document, thought they hit the pot of gold, so gouged the hell out of her expecting an easy payday. Standard practice in the medical industry, no?

 

Once they realised the victim/patient had no cash and started making a noise they obviously decided better to make it go away. No point getting bad publicity.

 

One of the good things about social media.

[Bangkok Barry]

No father of the as-yet unborn child around? I don't like to stereotype, but no boyfriend/husband with her, Full Moon Party..... Good luck to the kid when it's born.

[Briggsy]

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

[Brigante7]

7 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Fair enough, but with the passport securely in pocket, just defuse the situation by going back to the room to get the 'rest of your stuff' and book it out the stairway or whatever. 

 

I also never check out of a hotel all in one go. I always come down early to clear the bill before clearing out the room. Never just pack up and sit in the lobby with all my stuff. 

 

Honestly I never give a passport for a hotel, car, scooter, etc. Never Never. If a photocopy isn't enough, there are plenty of places that will take it. 

So you advocate doing a runner from a hotel without paying? Very nice of you.

 

 

 

Brigante7.

[kingalfred]

How come they changed their mind at the hospital and gave back the passport? Haha. Low life entities always amuse me. 

Yeah low life coming to A foreign country pregnant and can't afford to pay medical bills. She didn't know Insurance cover this?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Briggsy]

You can be sure that the admin at this hospital has now received a severe bollocking. It is possible that the admissions system will be changed and an amount 'blocked' on a credit card or cash up front may be required. Insurance policies will be scrutinised far more thoroughly. The hospital managers will not be pleased about this.

[Strange]

5 minutes ago, Brigante7 said:

So you advocate doing a runner from a hotel without paying? Very nice of you.

 

I pay my bills, but if someone is trying to screw me, I'm gonna take care of #1, and thats myself. No loyalty to a scammer. 

[boooker]

First of all nobody as third party has the right to withold your passport as it still belongs rented service to you by Gov.

Read last page....secondly if you have a travel Insurance read the small print...exclusion of treatment...thirdly Hospital can claim fee from patient after policy not cover you.And last then it becomes a legal case between 2 parties with regards to payment.

Passport can only be claim by authorities such Police by criminal cases ....not pay is a civil case afterall.

Anybody whom give a passport aka motorbike rental is aswell in the wrong as you not entitle to hand over your passport to a third party ..read your own GOV law.

Despite practise is here by doing so but it is wrong if you go along with it by giving your passport instead of copy ...and if you do so than you legally spoken negligence your own International Law rights yourself.

Hospital here loosing a large amount every year because no insurance or policy is not known by themselves ....so if you do not have coverage in any event whom is to blame.

But Hospital practice withold passport is a violation under the International Law ..as claims admin is not a state police and prostecuter this is the court.

You need to know at least a little of your Law rights and duties.

[Straight8]

8 hours ago, BKKBrit said:

And no one looks at the fact that she's pregnant..hasn't bothered to read her insurance policy (which one think would be critically important when travelling pregnant)...heads off to a full moon party (<deleted>???).   The hospital, as far as I am concerned, is in the right to claim the fees for the care and service provided. I pity this woman's child if even before birth mum can be so irresponsible. 

Thinking the same thing. Pregnant and banging it out at the full moon party. No insurance, no money to pay hospital bill?

 

Some people can be so stupid!!

 

 

[Straight8]

6 hours ago, ParadiseLost said:

It is possible the young lady did not know she was pregnant...

 

The real story here is the hospital backing down - why besmirch the girl? The beer turning sour in that fat gut?

 

3 months - would have missed at least 2 if not 3 period cycles, in all of that having unprotected sex during that time. Wouldn't be concerned?? Was she really that clueless or just didn't give a toss?

Edited December 13, 2016 by Straight8

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Never, EVER, give up that passport. 

 

Single most important thing to a foreigner here in Thailand, second is bug-out cash and credit cards. They get you by the balls (or uterus).

 

Also its a real chickenshit maneuver/probably illegal to take someones only travel document and hold it hostage. Let alone its wasn't even an official person, just hospital people. Pretty pathetic on the hospital and infuriating just reading it. 

 

As for the rest of the topic, well, Full Moon Party, 3 months pregnant, no money..... 

 

It was pretty chickenshit of the woman to be in Thailand with invalid insurance and insufficient funds to pay her hospital bill. These are the types who need blacklisting!

[Strange]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

It was pretty chickenshit of the woman to be in Thailand with invalid insurance and insufficient funds to pay her hospital bill. These are the types who need blacklisting!

 

She had valid travel insurance, valid travel documents, probably had tickets, and probably had enough money to continue "slumming it" for the last couple days. 

 

Now I don't have a lot of sympathy for the woman, but take it easy. 

 

10 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

With friends she explained that she had very little money after being in Thailand for a month but she did have travel insurance.

 

10 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

When a bill for 103,319 baht was presented to her it was realized that the policy did not cover pregnant women. She had no money to pay and the hospital took her passport and threatened her with legal action.

 

10 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

This happened before she was due to fly home on Sunday and she was unable to leave.

 

[louse1953]

9 hours ago, A1Str8 said:

How come they changed their mind at the hospital and gave back the passport? Haha. Low life entities always amuse me. 

I rekon the low lifes are the cheap charlie tourists that have left the hospital and Thai taxpayers poorer.Will she send the money when they get back to UK?

[LukKrueng]

10 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Never, EVER, give up that passport. 

 

Single most important thing to a foreigner here in Thailand, second is bug-out cash and credit cards. They get you by the balls (or uterus).

 

Also its a real chickenshit maneuver/probably illegal to take someones only travel document and hold it hostage. Let alone its wasn't even an official person, just hospital people. Pretty pathetic on the hospital and infuriating just reading it. 

 

As for the rest of the topic, well, Full Moon Party, 3 months pregnant, no money..... 

 

so running up a bill you cannot afford is ok...

[F4UCorsair]

13 minutes ago, Straight8 said:

Thinkiing the samhn thing.inPregnant and banging it out at the full moon party. No insurance, no money to pay hospital bill?

 

Some people can be so stupid!!

 

 

 

Agree entirely.  Stupid woman on multiple counts, not knowing her travel I nsurance didn't cover pregnancy, pregnant at a full moon party, Insufficient money for an emergency, expecting a foreign hospital to take a loss, and no doubt will walk away with no Intention of paying the balance.

 

Just Imagine the IQ of the kid with that as a mother.

 

I'm outraged by the moral outrage at the hospital trying to secure what was owed to them.

 

Her behaviour will be to the detriment of others In the future.

[bkk_mike]

9 hours ago, surangw said:

the embassy  won't back up the  citizen in favor of the hospital ?

 

The UK embassy will visit their citizens that are in jail and proclaim they're giving them "support", but you get the distinct feeling it's only because they're expected to do that as a minimum.

 

For normal citizens they exist solely to charge them large-ish amounts of money for a piece of paper essentially saying that our citizen has said he earns this much / lives at this address because the Thai government demands a letter from the embassy.

 

They've sold off some of the land they were given by Chulalongkorn for the express purpose of building the embassy, so they are just doing the usual job of post-Thatcher era civil servants - that is extracting money from assets, and their citizens are simply another asset for that purpose.

[louse1953]

7 hours ago, jimlek said:

Great mum to be. A full moon party of all places!

I met a woman in Kan that was 8 and half months pregnant and still smoking,wanted a small baby and pain free birth!!!!!I think she had another fag after i took issue with that response.

[Strange]

10 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

so running up a bill you cannot afford is ok...

 

Surely you guys can see the difference between "running up a bill you can't afford" as an intentional act of thievery & deception, whereas the story in the OP is not the case at all. 

 

Surely this isn't lost on you?