Northern Thailand

British Backpacker Stranded in Chiang Mai After Insurer Refuses to Pay Medical Bill

CHIANG MAI – A young backpacker who broke her neck in an accident is stuck in a hospital in Thailand unless she raises £60,000 to fly back to the UK.

Sophie Wilson had always dreamed of travelling the world – but was injured just a week into her trip after she dove into a swimming pool and misjudged its depth.

The 24-year-old was rescued from drowning on 1 December by a fellow traveller who pulled her from the water. She was rushed to hospital, unable to move or feel her legs.

Her head wound was stitched up at a local hospital and she then had to endure a three-hour trip to a main hospital “in agony” without any pain relief, she claimed. Sophie arrived there drifting in and out of consciousness and her family say it was “touch and go’” whether she would survive.

To her the relief of her parents John and Jane – who flew out there immediately – she pulled through but they were warned that their daughter may never walk again.

The former coffee shop manager has since had two successful surgeries and made some progress – she is now able to move one arm and is breathing on her own – but she still cannot use her legs.

Sophie’s medical bills have so far come to ฿1,556,000 (£37,600) – and on top of this cost of flying her home with medical support will come to around £60,000.

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Her family have launched a GoFundMe appeal in a desperate bid to raise the amount and get her back home.

She had taken out travel insurance with Insure and Go in the UK but she said the firm has refused to pay out because they deemed her injuries were a result of “a reckless act”.

Speaking from her hospital bed in Thailand, Sophie told iNews: “It is heartbreaking as I previously led a very active life style and the doubt of whether I will be able to walk again is hard to take.

“But I believe that being negative will only make things harder. I’m lucky to still be here.”

Sophie, from Shepshed, Leicestershire, had planned to travel around Asia for six months. She was in Pai in northern Thailand when she dove into the pool.

“Initially I was in shock, I never had any reason to believe the pool to have been so shallow as people were jumping and diving in before me. I never lost consciousness. I couldn’t feel my body, just excruciating pain in my neck. I remember saying that I couldn’t feel my legs.”

From the local hospital, she was sent to Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, a private facility 150 miles away.

“Doctors knew there was more severe damage so sent me in an ambulance to a bigger hospital in Chiang Mai. They refused to give me any painkillers or water. Every time my body was moved from the movement of the ambulance I was sick due to the sheer pain.

“Every time I was sick my friend Laine was trying to wipe it from my mouth to prevent me from choking. I was deteriorating very quickly. Laine was tying to keep me awake.”

When she arrived in Chang Mai, her blood pressure was drastically low and she was delirious. An MRI scan revealed she had two breaks in her neck, which had left the spinal chord compressed.

But the hospital would not perform surgery until Sophie’s family had guaranteed payment – something which the UK government warns is commonplace in many health facilities in Thailand.

From left to right: Sophie, father John, mother Jane, sister Georgie and Georgies fiancé Jack (Photo: Sophie Wilson)

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The Wilsons were able to arrange the guarantee and Sophie had two operations that took a total of 10 hours, which are said to have maximized her chances of recovery.

“I had no idea I was in a private hospital until around five days into being here,” said Sophie, who explained it’s hard to understand her doctors because of the language barrier. “Insure and Go sent an investigator to my hospital bed and then told me they wouldn’t pay because my diving was a reckless act.

“They are still unsure of whether I will be able to walk again, or at least make a full recovery, but I am trying to remain positive. The pain is still quite intense, but nothing in comparison to the initial break.”

Sophie’s sister Georgina, a 25-year-old PE teacher who set up the fundraising page, told iNews that her sister was “the bravest” person she knows.

“She’s is so happy and bubbly and still smiling despite what’s happened to her,” she said. “She called the family and told us to stop moping and get on with our lives.”

The UK government warns travellers that there are “excellent” private hospitals in Thailand but they can be expensive. It says public hospitals and clinics in Thailand are not always up to UK standards, particularly outside Bangkok and in the coastal islands.

It added: “Many hospitals require guarantee of payment before they will start treatment. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.”

InsureandGo is a British travel insurance company that promotes award-winning travel insurance packages.

To donate to the fund to help Sophie, visit here.

Northern Thailand

Tubers on Pai River Draw Anger Over Inappropriate Behavior

The Governor of Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand has sought stricter rules for tourist tubing on the Pai River, following allegations of tourists sneaking into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police reports and considerable criticism online.

After a resort owner in Pai protested about the existing situation of tubing activities along the Pai River, the Governor became aware of the matter. According to the accusations, wine and beer are discreetly offered to tourists while disguised in plastic water bottles to prevent detection.

After their tubing adventures, these tourists, both men and women, would walk around Pai town in their swimsuits. Men often wear one pair of swim briefs, but most women wear two-piece swimsuits or bikinis.

This behavior was considered derogatory to local culture. Recently, there were instances of tourists slipping into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police investigations and considerable online criticism.

Following the complaint, provincial governor Chuchip Pongchai requested a meeting of the police and allied authorities on July 16 to explore further tourism restrictions.

The province already restricts the selling of alcohol to tourists who go tubing, which involves floating down a river on inner tubes made of rubber tires. Most people observe the guidelines, but others, including some store owners, break them by concealing the alcohol by pouring it in water bottles.

According to TNA, Pai is one of Northern Thailand’s most popular tourist spots, attracting 40,000 visitors each year and strengthening Thailand’s economy.

Tubing in the Pai River has become a favorite activity among foreigners. However, the governor stated that the attitude of some tourists has jeopardised the province’s image.

Tourists Tubing on Pai River

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Northern Thailand

Pregnant Woman Goes Psycho Stabs Family Members in Phayao

Police in northern Thailand’s Phayao province have arrested a 40-year-old pregnant mother for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm.

Phayao Police report they were called after a woman and her daughter had been stabbed and beaten by a family member to a house number 206, Soi 7, Village No. 3, Ban San Nong Niao Subdistrict. Tom, Mueang District.

When officers arrived they found Ms. Chayada Chaiyawan, age 45, and her daughter Ms. Patida Chaiyawan, age 19, with injuries to their bodies and heads. Blood was spread all over the bedroom, and they found Mrs. Sakulkarn, aged 40 years, who was a relative living next door, tied up.

The police then transported all of them to Phayao Hospital for treatment. Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice. Both also sustained head injuries, according to Phayao police.

Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice

Ms. Chayada told police the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. She was sleeping in the room with her young son, when she heard someone opened the bedroom door. She said at that time it was still dark and all she saw a shadow of a person lifting what she though was a hammer.

She said the got up and fought until she fell after being hit in the head and stabbed with a knife, in fear for her life she screamed for her daughter to come and help. When the daughter entered the room the assailant proceeded to hit her in the head and stabbed her also.

The assailant ran out of the room and was immediately restrained by a neighbour who heard the screaming and ran into the house to help. Mrs. Sakulkarn who was 7 months pregnant was tied up and police and rescue workers were called to the scene. The neighbour told police that all the time they were waiting for the police.

Police said Mrs. Sakulkarn is being held in Hospital and is under psychiatric care. Ms. Chayada and her daughter were treated for their injuries and sent home.

According to Thai Media, Police said charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm will be filed against Mrs. Sakulkarn after she is released from Hospital.

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Northern Thailand

Train Crashes into Pickup Killing 5 in Phitchit Province

Five people were killed and two others badly injured when a pickup truck was hit by a north-bound train at an unguarded railway crossing in Phitchit province on Monday evening.

Phitchit police reported the horrific crash occurred around 6 pm at Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Thang of Muang district of Phitchit.

Police said the 201 passenger train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok approached the crossing, which was unguarded and had no safety barriers.

A four-door pickup truck plates drove across the tracks and into the path of oncoming the train which was was unable to stop or slowdown in time to avoid hitting the pickup truck.

The force of the crash drove the pickup about 30 metres down the railway crossing and off to the side. All passengers on the pickup were thrown from the vehicle.

Three women passengers died immediately and two more passengers died later at Phichit Hospital. Two others including the driver of the pickup were seriously injured.

Police investigators said truck driver Pratya Khongthat, 40, was taking relatives, including a 14-yea-old girl, to a funeral at Wat Ratchangkhwan in tambon Pak Thang, approximately one kilometer from the accident scene.