Yet another badly injured Brit in Thailand appeals for cash to fund surgery

[reader]

This article raises awareness on how unprepared even some expats are for unanticipated medical emergencies.

From Pattaya Mail

By Barry Kenyon

A long time expat and active businessman in Phuket, who suffered serious leg injuries and concussion in a hit-and-run accident, has made an urgent appeal for cash to complete his cycle of operations at the government-sector Vachira Phuket Hospital. According to notes on the Bangkok-based fundraising platform Weeboon and a report in the Phuket News, he was hit on his motorbike by an unknown SUV driver on March 31. Initially, the requests for assistance were blood donors for his rare blood group, but the updates now speak only of the need to raise 260,000 baht or GBP 6,000. So far, around 5 percent has been donated.

According to Linkedin Corporation, Richard is general manager of a cigar, whisky and wine lounge in the island resort, as well as being involved in miscellaneous business and charitable activities. On Weeboon, Richard speaks of the need to raise cash as his own resources and his limited insurance cover are both exhausted. He also anticipates he will need lots of rehabilitative treatment and physical therapy to try and resume a normal life. Potential contributors can check pay-in details on Richard’s Facebook page or the report in the Phuket News.

Richard now becomes the ninth Brit to be in the cash-nexus tragedy in as many months following an accident following a motorbike accident. All of the previous cases (mostly promoted on GoFundMe) never raised the cash amounts requested, but were sometimes useful in part-contributing to airfares back to the UK. This case is unusual as Richard intends to remain in Thailand which may explain why a Thai-based crowdfunder has been preferred.

An insurance claims assessor, based in Pattaya, told Pattaya Mail that he would advise Richard or his sponsors to provide more details and updates, for example the reasons why the insurance ran out and whether blood donations were still required. “If there is a key to maximizing charity fundraising, it’s being frank and anticipating the sort of questions which will be going through people’s minds. Sad to say, Brits needing cash in Thailand for operations is not news anymore.”

 

[PeterRS]

Barring once again the importance of sufficient insurance, I'd have thought if the reports are true the police should be searching for the SUV driver as he/she is likely to be responsible for the medical costs. Another issue is: surely this is a case of Personal Accident Insurance rather than medical insurance. Yet another is that if you have a rare blood group, you need to ensure there are supplies of that group should you need them. Not sure how to achieve that, though.

[unicorn]

Well, the rarest blood group is AB-, but those people can receive blood from any donor who's Rh-negative (for example A-, B-, O-). There isn't really a "rare" blood group, since the percentage of donors from each group will probably equal the percentage of those needing the blood. What is true is that O- is in greatest demand. This is because if someone needs an emergency supply of blood, and there isn't time to type and cross, one must give from O-, the only universal donor. In any case, this story doesn't ring true for me.