News Forum - Young Englishwoman needs surgery after hit-and-run on Thai island

[Thaiger]

A 20 year old Englishwoman is seriously injured and awaiting surgery after she was struck and abandoned in a hit-and-run crash on Koh Pi Pi island in southern Thailand last week. Ruby Spry, from Penzance in Cornwall, was driving a motorbike through the small island last Wednesday when a motorbike coming the other way drove …

The story Young Englishwoman needs surgery after hit-and-run on Thai island as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Ramanathan.P]

Almost all the accidents involved foreigners and tourists in Thailand involved moped. While riding in Thailand recently I noticed almost all Westerners in Mae Hong Son. Pai, Chiang Mai are happily squeaking through the roads with or without proper helmets. Some are only wearing the turtle shell helmet and none of them were wearing any riding boots. Almost all are with sandals or sneakers. Occasionally I do noticed some with canvas shoes and one or two only wearing shoes. Of course one or two are from middle east. Moped are the worst 2 wheeler on earth as your control is everything is automated. The acceleration is also not consistent sometimes. I wonder how these people ride motorcycle in their home country. Looks like once in  Thailand they are feeling like wanted to strip naked and run around with dangling body parts. These people are not only posing danger for themselves they are also a potential danger for other road users. 

[Grumpish]

Sounds like she is getting the full "rip-off the rich foreigner" treatment from the hospital.

[Pinetree]

where she was “refused pain relief” unless she paid 125,000 baht (£3000) upfront. 

Notwithstanding the insurance issues, this is a pathetic response from the medical staff, who clearly don't understand their oath to do no harm.  In Thailand, their version of the Hypocritic Oath must read, 'we will do no harm, provided we get paid, or you are on your own.  Suffer then, we will not care'.  They are a disgrace to medicine. 

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 hours ago, Thaiger said:

she was struck and abandoned in a hit-and-run crash on Koh Pi Pi island

And the extremely active Thai Police cannot find the perpetrator? One of two things, … no brown envelopes provided yet, or they know it was a police motorcycle! Now if they find the perpetrator, utilising the many spy cams Thai police have, the perpetrator can foot the bill.

[harry1]

1 hour ago, Pinetree said:

where she was “refused pain relief” unless she paid 125,000 baht (£3000) upfront. 

Notwithstanding the insurance issues, this is a pathetic response from the medical staff, who clearly don't understand their oath to do no harm.  In Thailand, their version of the Hypocritic Oath must read, 'we will do no harm, provided we get paid, or you are on your own.  Suffer then, we will not care'.  They are a disgrace to medicine. 

and a practising Buddhist country

[harry1]

no description of the hit and run offender on a very small island, ?  was it a local or another tourist, does anyone want to find the coward who left her to her fate. Has the local police made any arrest Thaiger

Edited February 15, 2023 by harry1
spelling

[socal]

2 hours ago, Ramanathan.P said:

Almost all the accidents involved foreigners and tourists in Thailand involved moped. While riding in Thailand recently I noticed almost all Westerners in Mae Hong Son. Pai, Chiang Mai are happily squeaking through the roads with or without proper helmets. Some are only wearing the turtle shell helmet and none of them were wearing any riding boots. Almost all are with sandals or sneakers. Occasionally I do noticed some with canvas shoes and one or two only wearing shoes. Of course one or two are from middle east. Moped are the worst 2 wheeler on earth as your control is everything is automated. The acceleration is also not consistent sometimes. I wonder how these people ride motorcycle in their home country. Looks like once in  Thailand they are feeling like wanted to strip naked and run around with dangling body parts. These people are not only posing danger for themselves they are also a potential danger for other road users. 

Very few of them have likely ever ridden motorcycles. And to top it all off, many have alcohol in their system when they ride in Thailand.

But when an accident happens, oh man. Its everyone's fault but theirs. It was the bike lenders fault, the other motorists fault, the cops faut and the municipality's fault. 

Edit: Oh and its the hospitals fault too. As I seen in the comments above.

Edited February 15, 2023 by socal

[socal]

20 minutes ago, harry1 said:

no description of the hit and run offender on a very small island, ?  was it a local or another tourist, does anyone want to find the coward who left her to her fate. Has the local police made any arrest Thaiger

It was all just what she is claiming. According to her, a motorcycle in the oncoming lane was trying to pass. And got in a head on collision with her. So 2 motorbikes got in a head on collision and one drove away from the accident. Im not buying it for 1 second

 

 

 

Quote

when a motorbike coming the other way drove on the wrong side of the road to overtake someone and hurled into her.

 

[Soidog]

30 minutes ago, socal said:

Very few of them have likely ever ridden motorcycles. And to top it all off, many have alcohol in their system when they ride in Thailand.

But when an accident happens, oh man. Its everyone's fault but theirs. It was the bike lenders fault, the other motorists fault, the cops faut and the municipality's fault. 

Edit: Oh and its the hospitals fault too. As I seen in the comments above.

This article is about a hit and run. The crime here isn’t hiring a motorbike. The crime is that some coward hit the woman and decided to leave her for dead. The secondary crime is that she is now possibly being ripped off by the Thai hospital who focus more in the money than the health of the woman. The only people at “fault” are the hit and run driver and perhaps the disgraceful pricing for people in need at a hospital. 

[BBY]

Absolutely appalling behavior.
 

To leave someone in pain like this for whatever the reason is inhumane. Whoever made this decision, you should be ashamed of yourself and karma will come your way.

 

Seems to me that Thailand does not really want tourists and especially those from the west. In todays news reel alone you harp on about the punishment levels for people who vape, (very popular in the west) which is astonishing. Far higher than dangerous driving for example. 

You are going to start charging 300 bht for entry, no mention as to who or how it will be collected and let’s face it it, will not stay at such a small amount for very long, will it.

The thought of this young lady suffering the pains of broken bones with no pain relief. Well it just goes beyond belief. 

Oh and congratulations. Thailand is now starting to appear in the exceptions sections of travel insurance quotes, making the insurance more expensive and discouraging the tourists you say you want. Your country is not added to those exceptions lightly. It’s done because of the risk of claims and costs.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by BBY

[Wackamole]

2 hours ago, socal said:

It was all just what she is claiming. According to her, a motorcycle in the oncoming lane was trying to pass. And got in a head on collision with her. So 2 motorbikes got in a head on collision and one drove away from the accident. Im not buying it for 1 second

 

My thoughts too. Though she might have crashed trying to avoid then.

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, BBY said:

Seems to me that Thailand does not really want tourists and especially those from the west

Correct. Tourism is an inconvenient necessity for successive Thai governments. They can’t avoid the call of the cheap money it brings in, while at the same time having no regard for tourists needs and even less regard for their opinions. Basically, if 40 million people could just send them around 75,000 baht once a year, then that would be perfect. 

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, BBY said:

Oh and congratulations. Thailand is now starting to appear in the exceptions sections of travel insurance quotes, making the insurance more expensive and discouraging the tourists you say you want.

Correct. I renewed my annual insurance last month and two of the five companies I dealt with saw Thailand as an exception. When I asked why they claimed it was due to terrorism risk in the South?

[BBY]

56 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Correct. I renewed my annual insurance last month and two of the five companies I dealt with saw Thailand as an exception. When I asked why they claimed it was due to terrorism risk in the South?

They may well have said that, but in all honesty, I think it’s more to do with the number of claims and the extortionate amount being charged for medical care. Like the states, they know if you have a medical problem, it’s not. Going to be cheap. 
 

[HiuMak]

Many tourists ride without a motorcycle license.

They do not know how to handle a motorcycle/moped well and it is not as simple as riding a bicycle.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

1 hour ago, HiuMak said:

Many tourists ride without a motorcycle license.

And How many Thais ride without a motorcycle license? Same Same but different.

[Faz]

3 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

And How many Thais ride without a motorcycle license? Same Same but different.

Not really.

If Thais weren't covered by Insurance, they'd request a transfer to a local Government hospital.
Aftercare would be provided by family at home.
A Tourist typically doesn't have a home or family in Thailand, therefore has to remain in a hospital for aftercare as well.

[Grumpish]

21 hours ago, Soidog said:

Correct. I renewed my annual insurance last month and two of the five companies I dealt with saw Thailand as an exception. When I asked why they claimed it was due to terrorism risk in the South?

Which is BS - more likely the high medical costs, since the areas at risk of terrorist attacks are on the Foreign Office's essential travel only list so wouldn't be covered by most policies.

[Faz]

5 hours ago, HiuMak said:

Many tourists ride without a motorcycle license.

A valid motorcycle licence.

This woman is from the UK, where a valid car driving licence also acts as a provisional licence for a motorcycle - but only up to 50cc. I'll guarantee that's the basis of why her Travel Insurance won't pay out.
She didn't have a valid licence to ride a 125cc motorcycle.

[Soidog]

57 minutes ago, Grumpish said:

Which is BS - more likely the high medical costs, since the areas at risk of terrorist attacks are on the Foreign Office's essential travel only list so wouldn't be covered by most policies.

I think that’s possibly how they managed to use it a an excuse. They’ve obviously picked up on the issues in the South and feel they can justify an additional cost for the whole country. On the other hand, it could be the higher claims they see coming in from Thai hospitals as you suggest. 

[JamesR]

 

"Ruby Spry, from Penzance in Cornwall, was driving a motorbike through the small island last Wednesday when a motorbike coming the other way drove on the wrong side of the road to overtake someone and hurled into her."

I would likle to add, "She claimed".

"The driver didn’t stop leaving Ruby unconscious and seriously injured on the roadside."

Again, she claimed.

"Some locals found Ruby and took her to the hospital"

So they found her after the event and so did not witness the event.

"...... where she was “refused pain relief” unless she paid 125,000 baht (£3000) upfront."

She claimed.

"In a fundraising appeal set up by Ruby’s friend Tegan, Ruby’s parents say that her travel insurance isn’t paying out."

"They didn’t say why, but she said the company is “keeping us waiting” and “trying to find loopholes” as Ruby lies in hospital."

In my opinion, the family is trying to blame the hospital as both they and the hospital know travel insurance companies do not cover the policyholder when riding a motorbike, they are trying to make it a sob story in order to raise enough money so they do not have to pay.

I have been to a Thai hospital both in Hua Hin and Phuket a number of times once after gashing my leg very badly and I was treated immediately first and asked to pay after for the treatment, I was not asked first how I was going to pay.

I see the comments left by the usual Thai bashers on this site are the usual believe everything a farang claims to have happened and bash the horrible Thais who only think about money, it does make me laugh really, though.

If Thailand is so bad then go somewhere else.

 

 

[JamesR]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:24 PM, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

And the extremely active Thai Police cannot find the perpetrator? One of two things, … no brown envelopes provided yet, or they know it was a police motorcycle! Now if they find the perpetrator, utilising the many spy cams Thai police have, the perpetrator can foot the bill.

Or she made the cause of the accident up as another option?

She might have been the only one in the accident, or maybe it was Superman riding the other bike and that is why he was not hurt badly as she was. 

 

 

[JamesR]

On 2/15/2023 at 2:09 PM, socal said:

It was all just what she is claiming. According to her, a motorcycle in the oncoming lane was trying to pass. And got in a head on collision with her. So 2 motorbikes got in a head on collision and one drove away from the accident. Im not buying it for 1 second

 

Have you never watched any superhero films, maybe The Hulk was on his holidays? 

[RobBkk]

9 hours ago, JamesR said:

I have been to a Thai hospital both in Hua Hin and Phuket a number of times once after gashing my leg very badly and I was treated immediately first and asked to pay after for the treatment, I was not asked first how I was going to pay.

Do you remember the cost? Charging this girl over a million baht for some broken bones seems wildly outrageous.

Hard to believe that the thousands of Thais who get injured everyday pay that kind of money. So it seems that this girl is being exploited.