UK soap star's four million baht Thai hospital bill - yet more fiction from "The Sun"

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, Eli1 said:

It should be made compulsory for anyone travelling overseas to have insurance no insurance no travel part and parcel of travelling simple as that it's not a hard equation... seriously what is wrong with people.

Be careful throwing such a wide net. If insurance was a requirement then the number of posters here who actually live in Thailand may diminish substantially in a very short period.

Edited July 21, 2017 by tryasimight

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, mikosan said:

I believe I said 'visiting' Thailand in my comment.  I am perfectly aware that for some of us who live here that it is difficult, even impossible, to get insurance and even those who have, me included, it expires when I am 70.  That is a rather different, but also important, issue, but not one we are discussing at present.

Unless you have citizenship or permanent residency then you/we are all visiting Thailand old mate.

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

 Hello Rupert Murdock American??????????????

He is an AUSSIE.

Not anymore he has US citizenship and has had for a number of years. All done so he could enter into the US media business. As much principle as a snake.

Edited July 21, 2017 by tryasimight

[lvr181]

32 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Not anymore he has US citizenship and has had for a number of years. All done so he could enter into the US media business. As much principle as a snake.

U.S. or Murdock is the 'snake'?

[TheLobster]

6 hours ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

Thanks to the Sun...how funny. Everything they print is a fabrication, fake or misinterpreted. This story is no different. The guy is a moron. Not only did he wonder off alone, not tell anyone and now he can't cover any Hospital bills. Thank <deleted> for the Sun...phew!

Glad you appreciate my sense of humour 

[rwill]

When my family was visiting here last year we went to Koh Samui.  My dad needed to go to the hospital.  He had low O2 levels.  We went to Bangkok Hospital there.  They charged him 5,000 baht just to see the doctor.  Later in the trip we were in Ratchaburi where I live.  We took him to the Bangkok Hospital there and the charge was only 500 baht for the doctor.

 

[AboutThaim]

7 hours ago, colinneil said:

Hello Rupert Murdock American??????????????

He is an AUSSIE.

Nooo!  We disowned him years ago!!

[animatic]

3 hours ago, khunPer said:

This story seem to be another brick in the wall for mandatory travel insurance...

 

The first stories with amount for hospitalization sounded completely unrealistic, even at up-priced Samui private hospital – £13,000 a night; i.e. more than half a million baht – a 46,000 baht bill at a private hospital for some level of intensive care sounds much more reasonable, and for how long time, two days..?

 

Recently it was stated that all hospitals by Law shall provide up to three days emergency treatment, after which a patient can decide to be moved to another hospital, for Thais often a choice for government hospital with free treatment, or under the "30 baht scheme".

 

Can imagine it was rather 13,000 baht a night for room, than 13,000 Sterling, and then some on top for the emergency treatment and other costs. Wonder where the £90,000 figure for an operation came from..?

7

46,000 is far closer to the real figure from '4 hours emergency treatment' in hospital 1.

but the ridiculously inflated figures get more clicks. (not in either case BHS)

He is resting reasonably comfortably in hosptial 2, in a nice room.

Not luxury suite, nor is he destitute in a group ward. 

 

The doctor at hospital 1 trying to blame Paul for being allegedly unclear,

after he was in shock with a compound fracture and without food for 3 days,

and because of another 'totally unconfirmed' medical-condition, prompted by a tabloid reporter,

that as a doctor he should never have spoken of, is most likely defamation.

And so unneccessary I might add. Trying to address the tabloid press and it's

whole cloth fabrications as if this saves the hospitals face is ludicous,

but blaming it on the gravely injured patient is far worse.

 

And Paul is IN NO WAY doing a Help Fund Me begging session to pay his bills. Those suggestions are false.

He has a current show, Ackley Bridge, he is the lead, and it was renewed for a second season.

He was not driving a motorcycle in the jungle. He doesn't drink alcohol.

He got robbed prior to the accident and is still waiting for credit card replacements etc.

And lost his phone during the accident, it died in the water.

 

But hey, some of you get your jolly's kicking someone when they're down.

Edited July 21, 2017 by animatic

[dogpatch55]

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Not anymore he has US citizenship and has had for a number of years. All done so he could enter into the US media business. As much principle as a snake.

He has always seemed more like a loud mouth yank than  anything else

[animatic]

8 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

And you know this how? One of his poorly paid but loyal publicists.

Guess what...nobody cares!!!

Because I saw him yesterday in the hospital for an hour or so.

I am not a publicist, I did work with him twice in the last 2 months

on other technical aspects related to his current show.

But publicity is not my thing. He's a nice guy, many people aren't good to work with.

Having broken my leg and spent time in hospitals I knew he'd like a visit.

"Nobody cares", fits your attitude will.

And I care about nice people, even if you don't.

Edited July 21, 2017 by animatic

[the guest]

It's about time mandatory insurance should be introduced for all foreigners. 

[animatic]

2 minutes ago, the guest said:

It's about time mandatory insurance should be introduced for all foreigners. 

Can't disagree with you there.

[pjuk]

The SUN is not a news paper, it is a comic that relies on mostly exaggerated or completely B/S stories along with topless ladies to amuse its readers.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

There's an old saying in the press: never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

The Sun, as do many media platforms, sensationalize stories when it suits,  and I have seen many conversions rates quoted wrongly.

Sky News have pushed a story this week about a 5 year old being fined ฿6,500 for selling lemonade on the street without a licence, when the fine had been cancelled and the council had already apologized.

The Sun got the story of what happened in Sheffield wrong.

The truth has not been officially determined as yet. Another costly inquiry is to be held. One thing is for sure, the victims were not the cause of their own death, but there is a good chance other (late arriving) Liverpool fans had a hand in what happened, not just the inadequacies of the police and stewards.

 

[William C F Pierce]

Bi-polar, that@s the Artic & Antartic in the SUN.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

We used to call it schizophrenic (see below) but is was renamed for PC reasons, like mongol has become Down syndrome.

 

This guy was only on BBC's Ear Benders soap for about 18 months and the character he played was bi-polar so let's not get even more mixed up than The Sun has with exchange rates.He is certainly not a star, just a TV actor.

 

 

[jacko45k]

Newspapers like The Sun are an embarrassment.

[David Walden]

20 hours ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

I understand that in the UK, an expat is only eligible for free treatment there if he is able to prove that his return to the country is on a permanent basis.  

 

An expat cannot return to the UK just to get free medical treatment, but of course they still tax you on all UK earnings just the same as if you are resident there, despite limiting the State Pension to its original starting level and the fact that you are unable to avail yourself of any of the usual benefits claimed by UK residents.

For Australians returning to Aus your medicare Govt cover is reinstated the moment you go through customs.  This is during the 1st 2 years of absents.  After 5 years things get complicated in that you cover has lapsed.  I live near Perth Aus and travel to Thailand 3 months on 3 months off at a time, just love it.  As I leave Aus and  go through customs my Govt medicare cover is automatically suspended and reinstated when I return after 3 months  Medicare is linked to customs.  My Medibank Private (MBP)cover  (top up cover) I have to advise them when I am leaving and returning, my contributions stop for my time of absence.  All my benefits are recommenced with no waiting time when I arrive back in Aus.  

Thailand if fairly close to Aus, and free Govt Medicare will be reinstated as you arrive back in Aus.  There is a very strong temptations not to have travel insurance when visiting Thailand.  Travel insurance only requires the insurer to fix you up enough to get you back to Aus so you are then covered by Medicare.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2017 by David Walden

[The Teacher]

Noted, A former actor but still a foreigner , but a nest egg no doubt they thought, now he is penny-less still we will run with this over sized bill just in case there's any chance of a spare Baht or two ....

[Eli1]

On 7/21/2017 at 8:04 PM, tryasimight said:

Be careful throwing such a wide net. If insurance was a requirement then the number of posters here who actually live in Thailand may diminish substantially in a very short period.

Mate if you can't have insurance while you're travelling overseas then you are definitely trying to live on the cheap and you don't have any money to be living overseas just stay home where you get free medical care simple... Sorry cause if you don't have insurance then your lugging on family members and friends to pay your medical bills...

[Eli1]

On 7/21/2017 at 2:52 PM, baansgr said:

That's all well and good for youngsters but a 90 year old just wanting a day trip to France could expect to pay close to 1,000 pounds for cover

Honestly don't know what insurance company you're looking at.

[elliss]

12 hours ago, lvr181 said:

Whatever the amount he just does not want to pay.......................tight ass?   If he ever was a 'star' now he is a 'fallen star'.

 

I wonder why the British Embassy is not helping out?

Whatever they spend getting him home and on the cost of treatment to date in Thailand, they can put a lien(?) on his future earnings?  Once he has cleared immigration in the UK, on his return, they can suspend his passport until such time as all debts are re-payed? Or is this all rocket science?

   Ugh ,  he his  dole foder . RIP

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

On 7/21/2017 at 11:52 AM, baansgr said:

That's all well and good for youngsters but a 90 year old just wanting a day trip to France could expect to pay close to 1,000 pounds for cover

That's right, in fact people over 60 with any existing medical condition or a drinker or smoker will be lucky to get any cover at whatever cost unless they have been in the scheme for years. Also those that moved overseas need to have made the necessary and tricky adjustments to the policy.

 

 

[lvr181]

10 hours ago, elliss said:

   Ugh ,  he his  dole foder . RIP

Could well be, but then he could be given 40 hours a week community service for the next ten years? Perhaps that will repay his debt to his society?  And still no passport!

[Dustdevil]

On 7/21/2017 at 1:07 AM, Arandora said:

You are joking! Have you not read about the furore that has just broke out a couple of days ago when theBC was forced to publish a lost of the salaries to its highest paid stars? Even these are understated in some cases as some top earners are paid by private companies for BBC shows. See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/bbc-salaries-names-not-highest-earner-list-pay-wage-emily-maitlis-jane-hill-jenni-murray-women-a7848991.html

I would have published a link to the Sun's article but they may have got the facts wrong! 

It is being widely reported with a "No comment" response from his representatives that this "fallen star" had no travel insurance. That being the case why has the British Embassy stepped in? Would they do that for an uninsured ordinary UK visitor? 

Bet you didn't know that Jay Leno's starting salary for the Tonight Show 20 years ago was around $14 million, and that's also what (I read) Drew Carey makes on the daytime quiz show The Price is Right. That's a 9 am (Pacific and Mountain zones) quiz show!

Edited July 23, 2017 by Dustdevil

[The Deerhunter]

On 7/20/2017 at 9:09 PM, chickenslegs said:

 

This guy has been a successful (well paid) actor for years but seems to have pi55ed most of it up against the wall. Not to mention his (alleged) expensive drugs habit.

 

Is there a GoFundMe campaign yet?

 

 

Would get naff-all from me!

[Arandora]

6 hours ago, Dustdevil said:

Bet you didn't know that Jay Leno's starting salary for the Tonight Show 20 years ago was around $14 million, and that's also what (I read) Drew Carey makes on the daytime quiz show The Price is Right. That's a 9 am (Pacific and Mountain zones) quiz show!

So what! US shows and their stars are not paid for as a tax, called the TV Licence in the UK, which is how the BBC and its "stars" are funded. Paul Nicholls is not starring currently in a BBC show. No excuse for him not having or being able to afford travel/medical insurance.

[TheLobster]

On ‎21‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 1:15 PM, the guest said:

It's about time mandatory insurance should be introduced for all foreigners. 

 

On ‎21‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 1:17 PM, animatic said:

Can't disagree with you there.

Ignorance is bliss

 

20 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

That's right, in fact people over 60 with any existing medical condition or a drinker or smoker will be lucky to get any cover at whatever cost unless they have been in the scheme for years. Also those that moved overseas need to have made the necessary and tricky adjustments to the policy.

Exactly, but in my old age rather than paying ridiculous insurance payments, why do I need insurance if I have enough money in the bank to pay for any medical treatment I need in Thailand ?

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Expats from the UK that didn't get a company Bupa (or similar) or never worked overseas are more than likely to have used the NHS before, so I bet there are many without policies going back into their 20s or 30s.

You need two things if you don't have a policy:

1/ A credit/debit card for immediate needs and emergencies .

2/ Enough in the bank  (as Lobster rightly says) for anything worse.

 

 

 

[Arandora]

1 hour ago, TheLobster said:

 

Ignorance is bliss

 

Exactly, but in my old age rather than paying ridiculous insurance payments, why do I need insurance if I have enough money in the bank to pay for any medical treatment I need in Thailand ?

This topic has become confused between a visitor needing expensive medical treatment which he should have taken out travel insurance including appropriate levels of medical insurance which the vast majority of responsible travellers do and ex pats living in Thailand and paying for ongoing medical bills which is an entirely different matter. 

The point about elderly visitors not being able to get cover for Pre Existing Medical Conditions at home is not true certainly as far as myself and my wife, both 70 spending 4 months every year in Thailand and both with not inconsiderable PEMCs which are more than adequately covered at a not unreasonable extra premium on the insurance through our Nationwide bank account. I appreciate that is different in Thailand.