Man rescued after being trapped for three days in Samui jungle is British TV star

[webfact]

Man rescued after being trapped for three days in Samui jungle is British TV star

 

Nicholls made his EastEnders debut in 1996 as character Joe Wicks //The SUN

 

KOH SAMUI: -- A man who was trapped in the jungle on Koh Samui for three days has been identified as British TV personality Paul Nicholls.

 

The ex-Eastenders star had been trekking near Khun Si Falls when he fell and became trapped between rocks.

 

He was left stranded for three days before being rescued.

 

Speaking to the The Sun, Paul said: “I am lucky to be alive.

 

“I had a phone with me but I fell from such a height into the water it was unretrievable.

 

Image: The SUN

 

“It took such a long time to find me. It’s an understatement to say it wasn’t a great situation. It wasn’t that I was lost.

 

“The problem was I couldn’t move to get out of there.

 

“I’ve got a broken leg and I’m missing a kneecap. It needs complete reconstruction.”

 

The Sun reports how Nicholls had hired a motorbike under his real name of Gerrard Paul Greenhalgh and went off exploring the jungle when the accident happened.

 

After being rescued Paul was sent to hospital on Koh Samui, but his problems didn’t end there.

 

Image: The SUN

 

A source close to Paul says he now faces huge medical bills following the accident, with a local hospital demanding 13,000 GBP, approximately 570,000 THB per night, forcing him to be transferred to another hospital.

 

The source said: “He was out there by himself because he was between filming.

 

“He needs surgery. But it’s going to cost £90,000 for him to have it in Thailand.”

 

“The British Embassy want to fly him back here. They need to fly him to the mainland first to a proper hospital and then decide whether to bring him back to the UK or do the surgery there.”

 

Paul shot to fame in the 1990’s after starring as Joe Wicks in the popular British soap Eastenders.

 

He also appeared in a Bridget Jones movie and has starred in Law and Order: UK and Holby City.

 

Paul has previously spoken publicly about his battles with alcohol and drugs.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-07-19

 

[ChrisY1]

90,000 quid for a knee reconstruction??.....Talk about making a meal out of situation...he's better going to Oz or NZ

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“The British Embassy want to fly him back here. They need to fly him to the mainland first to a proper hospital and then decide whether to bring him back to the UK or do the surgery there.”

And why pray is the Embassy even interested?

[Orton Rd]

Washed up actor rather than 'star'

[Jeremy50]

Even a bottom-rung has-been 'celebrity' alcoholic gets energetic attention from the British Embassy while an unknown expat with dire problems would be left ignored, and expected to cope on his own, or just float quietly away to oblivion in a sea of indifference. 

[worgeordie]

"with a local hospital demanding 13,000 GBP, approximately 570,000 THB per night", 

They must have heard he was a Soap star and thinking he must be stinking rich,

charged accordingly..

regards worgeordie

[ChangMaiSausage]

570,000 per night something wrong with the reporting here.

 

90,000 over 4,000gbp for knee / leg repairs again this seems a little on the high side.

 

The British embassy is involved, wow a first they want him to fly to the main land.  I would have thought his insurance would take care of all this?  Or is it void, did he have insurance?

 

Just like an episode of East Enders all doom and gloom dadadadadaddddddaaaaaaa.

[farcanell]

So much for making Thailand a "medical hub".... extortion hub more likely.

 

im led to believe Malaysia is a good destination ( medical hub).... and a transfer would be able to be effected via ambulance vs flying.... or further south, across a bridge, and your in Singapore.

 

 

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“He needs surgery. But it’s going to cost £90,000 for him to have it in Thailand.”

I'm sure they have a sign in every staff room of the hospital saying:

 

"Forget lottery! Here is where money is made!"

[Pilotman]

British 'Star'?  Stetching the definition of the phrase a bit.  

[kwilco]

Do we get to hear how this all happened? Was it a motorcycle accident?

there are a few salutary points to be made there - not least the cost of private healthcare and even the emergency services need to report their role in the incident.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by kwilco

[PoorSucker]

Do we get to hear how this all happened? Was it a motorcycle accident?
there are a few salutary points to be made there - not least the cost of private healthcare and even the emergency services need to report their role in the incident.
 
 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/992382-Briton-survives-three-days-in-the-jungle-after-Samui-waterfall-plunge

Briton survives three days in the jungle after Samui waterfall plunge

[SymS]

570,000 THB per night? My insurance is limited to ~2000 Baht per night, 400,000 Baht per injury...

[smileydude]

As someone who works in a hospital I'd say the quoted numbers do sound wrong.  More like 570,000 for the entire surgery but everything is here say as not all facts on the news, especially social media are fact-checked and no one has to take responsibility for shady reporting and jumping to conclusions is even more pandemic nowadays then when people use to just whisper into each other's ears.

More importantly the guy is still alive.  

He should have had travel insurance.  

He needs to be more careful next time because traveling alone is not the smartest thing to do.   

Accidents do happen and when they do and require medical care YOU are responsible for yourself.

1 hour ago, ChangMaiSausage said:

570,000 per night something wrong with the reporting here.

 

90,000 over 4,000gbp for knee / leg repairs again this seems a little on the high side.

 

The British embassy is involved, wow a first they want him to fly to the main land.  I would have thought his insurance would take care of all this?  Or is it void, did he have insurance?

 

Just like an episode of East Enders all doom and gloom dadadadadaddddddaaaaaaa.

 

Edited July 19, 2017 by smileydude

[animatic]

4 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Washed up actor rather than 'star'

Actually no.

He is working now, and is the lead in a TV show, I doubt it's topics wouldn't interest you, but Paul is the principal lead actor.

I was working with him a few days before this accident. I was wondering what happened with him. 

I wish him the best recovery.

[mikosan]

26 minutes ago, kwilco said:

Do we get to hear how this all happened? Was it a motorcycle accident?

there are a few salutary points to be made there - not least the cost of private healthcare and even the emergency services need to report their role in the incident.

 

 

Did you not read the original post above? It quite clearly states he had a fall whilst trekking, so nothing to do with a motorcycle accident.

[Knee Jerk Reaction]

1 hour ago, ChangMaiSausage said:

570,000 per night something wrong with the reporting here.

 

90,000 over 4,000gbp for knee / leg repairs again this seems a little on the high side.

 

The British embassy is involved, wow a first they want him to fly to the main land.  I would have thought his insurance would take care of all this?  Or is it void, did he have insurance?

 

Just like an episode of East Enders all doom and gloom dadadadadaddddddaaaaaaa.

I had my right leg and right arm reconstructed with plates and screws here after an accident. 250,000 baht, cost met by insurance.

[hobobo]

20 minutes ago, animatic said:

Actually no.

He is working now, and is the lead in a TV show, I doubt it's topics wouldn't interest you, but Paul is the principal lead actor.

I was working with him a few days before this accident. I was wondering what happened with him. 

I wish him the best recovery.

I'm really glad that not all TV readers jump to conclusions out of boredom, jealousy and got knows what else. Well said animatic!

[Maggusoil]

5 hours ago, Upnotover said:

And why pray is the Embassy even interested?

Yes strange indeed. They cherry pick the citizens they care for obviously. 

[zyphodb]

No prizes for guessing which hospital is responsible for the extortion on Samui, there's a chain of them all over Thailand & allegedly all the ambulances (they're private), are bribed to bring any farangs straight to them rather than to the gov. hospitals, where they then charge sky high prices and (allegedly)hold on to your passport until their bill is paid...

 Disgusting 

[Paul Laycock1]

I remember seeing a film like this, doesn't sound right to me.

Not sure what the film was called.

[Moti24]

2 hours ago, ChangMaiSausage said:

"The British embassy is involved, wow a first they want him to fly to the main land.  I would have thought his insurance would take care of all this?  Or is it void, did he have insurance?"

The insurance is void because he hired a motorcycle to get to the waterfall.  If he had not hired the motorcycle, he wouldn't have been there.

 

Got to read the small print!

[MyFriend You]

9 minutes ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

I remember seeing a film like this, doesn't sound right to me.

Not sure what the film was called.

Maybe "127 Hours" about a rock climber that had to cut his own arm off to free himself from being trapped between rocks.  The arm was clinically dead after 3 days no blood circulation, but he had a dull knife.........hs advice to other rock hounds??  Always carry a sharp knife.

[Kenegg]

The British Embassy want to help!!! They never help an ordinary British citizens.   just flaming shows you what we are up against...he was taking selfies and fell off the waterfall..his insurance should cover him the same as everyone else. ....

[sandemara]

Is this just an amped-up version of a "My Mate Nate" stunt that went wrong?

Either way it looks like Thai health authorities and TAT have missed an enormous amount of valuable positive publicity in the way they've allowed the health and emergency services to react. It's developing into a horror show for would-be tourists who will be mortified by the the way the story has unfolded so far, and the ramifications for their plans.

Would any sensible family group ever consider the risks and hazards they would face by visiting Thiland with his drama in mind? Ha!

[F4UCorsair]

7 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

90,000 quid for a knee reconstruction??.....Talk about making a meal out of situation...he's better going to Oz or NZ

Cost me, or more correctly, my private health insurance, under A$30,000 last year for a complete knee replacement in Melbourne.

[SunsetT]

1 hour ago, zyphodb said:

No prizes for guessing which hospital is responsible for the extortion on Samui, there's a chain of them all over Thailand & allegedly all the ambulances (they're private), are bribed to bring any farangs straight to them rather than to the gov. hospitals, where they then charge sky high prices and (allegedly)hold on to your passport until their bill is paid...

 Disgusting 

Please confirm which hospital chain this is for the benefit of those of us not as well informed as you might be. I prefer facts to guessing, with or without prizes.

[sambum]

1 hour ago, zyphodb said:

No prizes for guessing which hospital is responsible for the extortion on Samui, there's a chain of them all over Thailand & allegedly all the ambulances (they're private), are bribed to bring any farangs straight to them rather than to the gov. hospitals, where they then charge sky high prices and (allegedly)hold on to your passport until their bill is paid...

 Disgusting 

B.S.? And that is nothing to do with bovine excrement!

[The Deerhunter]

So it's  not. Bear Grylls then

  Oh good.

[jessy88]

Yeah I thought Goodbye Charlie Bright was a good film.