Why is the call for donations the last resort for tourists injured in Thailand?

Every year, many tourists are victims of accidents in Thailand and find themselves with difficulties paying the expensive Thai hospitals.

In addition to the fact that many Thai hospitals practice double pricing for foreigners, first-class hospital treatments, particularly intensive care, are now on par with European prices.

If the insurance refuses to cover them or if they don't have insurance, a second difficult problem to solve arises, the colossal sums to be paid.

See: A tourist fallen from a balcony in Thailand fights for his life, his family struggles to pay the hospital

For the 67 British injured who, since the beginning of 2023, have launched a call for donations to pay their hospital bills in Thailand, charitable donations are both the first step and the last resort.

The British government and insurance companies instantly recommend this path to desperate families, but they cannot find money elsewhere anyway.

Commercial funding platforms, such as the very popular GoFundMe, handle most of the campaigns.

The examination of the ads shows that the average amount requested is around 29,000 euros, and that around 40% of the money was paid before the ad was canceled or, more often, simply fell into disuse.

In almost all cases studied, the reason for the crowdfunding was a premature accident such as a road accident (often involving a motorcycle) or a fall from a condominium apartment.

The handful of exceptions involved being beaten in the street or receiving a stab wound during a quarrel with Thai nationals.

The general idea seems to be that, provided you have taken out prior travel insurance, the insured is assured of receiving free medical treatment abroad.

However, travel insurers are much more attentive to costly hospital operations than to claims for loss of luggage or leaving a camera on a bus.

In less than 10% of cases, parents publicly explained why insurers had refused to fund care, but Duncan Webb, an insurance assessor, told Pattaya Mail that the three main reasons were:

• Suspicion of alcohol or drug abuse (including marijuana recently declassified in Thailand)
• Lack of valid international or Thai driver's license
• Not wearing a helmet or seatbelt

These failures mean that the patient has not shown the necessary caution and attention.

The legalization of cannabis in Thailand is therefore a new windfall for insurers, as it gives them a reason not to pay.

Thai Ministry of Public Health officials said that cannabis is detectable in urine for 6 to 7 days after use when used in moderation.

In regular consumers, it can be detectable in urine for 2 to 3 months.

According to several surveys, only about half of British tourists abroad have health insurance.

Thai authorities had a limited policy of covering Covid-related risks during the pandemic, but this policy was abolished in 2022.

Today, only a few Thai visas are subject to this obligation and they all relate to non-tourist categories such as work permit holders or certain foreigners residing long-term and registered with the Investment Office.

Uninsured foreigners must pay for all hospital and outpatient care.

If they fail to do so, their treatment plan may be cancelled.

Our investigation into the 67 publicized cases revealed that more than half of them never revealed what had become of the injured Briton, or are still ongoing.

In four cases, we know that death occurred.

In other cases, family members have managed to negotiate a financial settlement with the hospital, while others have said that the cure has allowed them to obtain a ticket on a commercial flight.

We have not found any examples of air ambulance hire, with the typical cost in Thailand and the UK being €87,298 or more.

Charitable crowdfunding is clearly here to stay, even if it very rarely reaches the expected amounts.

The available data suggest that the most successful fundraising campaigns tell a complete story, provide updates with frequent photos or short videos, and share the experience on social media.

Fundraising events in the UK to supplement crowdfunding are also desirable.

The average age of the 67 British people examined in this case study is only 36 years old, and most of them were injured at night.

It is therefore difficult to escape the conclusion that alcohol and driving are obvious ways to end up on a hospital stretcher.

See also:

The double punishment of a tourist in Thailand after a motorcycle accident

Source : The Pattaya Mail