British man badly injured in Koh Samui

[Dannie Boy]

A 21-year-old British soldier is fighting to recover from life-altering injuries after falling from Na Mueang 2 Waterfall on Koh Samui, Surat Thani, prompting his girlfriend to launch a £100,000 (4.4 million baht) fundraising campaign to cover his mounting medical bills and arrange an emergency evacuation back to the UK.

The case has drawn public attention since the UK's Daily Mirror newspaper reported the accident on May 3. According to the report, Liam Gibson, 21, a serving member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), sustained catastrophic injuries after slipping from the waterfall while attempting to take a photo on April 12.

The couple had reportedly seen the location promoted widely on social media as a must-visit spot. "It looked like a fun day out. But we didn't see the dangers until it was too late," said Lucy Burnett, his girlfriend.

Ms Burnett described the horrific moment in a GoFundMe appeal: "We were in a life-changing accident in Thailand at Na Mueang Waterfall 2 where he slipped off the edge whilst innocently taking a picture."

She said her boyfriend is a British soldier who has served for five years now and has done multiple charity events for various causes.

She said: "We then had two hours to wait for a rescue team in which Liam was in a horrific state with bones sticking out of his legs, broken bones everywhere, completely shattered face and skull and bleeding out fast!"

"Once the rescue team had gotten to us, it took them three hours to get him down the mountain to the ambulance. Once getting to the hospital, we discovered he had completely shattered his femur in three pieces, broken his right arm, shattered his left hand, shattered his eye socket, cheekbone, nose and skull and had multiple open wounds to the bone on his left leg.

"He has now been in hospital ever since and has had three major surgeries, multiple blood transfusions, antibiotics & medications and is still awaiting his main surgery once back in the UK to fix his femur and enable him to eventually learn to walk again."

Ms Burnett has launched a fundraising campaign via GoFundMe in a desperate attempt to raise the money needed to cover his medical expenses and the cost of a medevac jet.

"We both did not want to make this GoFundMe," she wrote. "But this is our last option... He cannot leave the hospital until this bill is paid."

According to a local source, Mr Gibson has been treated in Bangkok Hospital Samui. The source said Mr Gibson had no travel insurance, a factor complicating both his treatment and repatriation. The hospital has not permitted press access or interviews due to patient confidentiality.

This is not the first time tragedy has struck at Na Mueang 2 Waterfall.

In recent years, the site has seen multiple fatalities -- including an Indian tourist in 2024 and a French national in 2019 -- both of whom fell to their deaths after venturing beyond safety barriers. Despite visible signage warning visitors not to climb to the upper levels of the waterfall, the area remains popular with tourists seeking scenic photos, said the source.

Calls are growing for authorities to take stronger safety measures, including the possible installation of railings or restricting access to dangerous sections of the site.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... fundraiser

Whilst you have to feel for this guy whose obviously gone/going through a hell of an ordeal, you have to question why he never took out travel insurance?

[buksida]

Its a very common story, get injured in Thailand, get fleeced and held to ransom by the hospital. Yes, travel insurance should be compulsory for countries like this one where the state instructs the hospitals to overcharge foreigners, though you'd need a serious policy to cover Bangkok Hospital prices!

We never used to bother but took some out for our last overseas road trip and will do so going forward, it costs peanuts.

[Big Boy]

I avoided the waterfalls on Samui because I knew they'd be unsuitable for Mrs BB. However, I had a cousin with a similar problem on Samui in 2019 (he was insured) after falling whilst taking a photo at a waterfall. My cousin had to be medevac'd to Bangkok because the Samui hospitals could not deal with him.

I've heard of others sustaining injuries whilst visiting Samui's waterfalls. Is it safety at Samui's waterfalls that needs to be looked at?

[Big Boy]

Hmmmmm.................. I've just read the article to the end, where it also states:

In recent years, the site has seen multiple fatalities -- including an Indian tourist in 2024 and a French national in 2019 -- both of whom fell to their deaths after venturing beyond safety barriers. Despite visible signage warning visitors not to climb to the upper levels of the waterfall, the area remains popular with tourists seeking scenic photos, said the source.

Calls are growing for authorities to take stronger safety measures, including the possible installation of railings or restricting access to dangerous sections of the site.

[pharvey]

It's a difficult one quite frankly - there are (apparently) warning signs and there is the issue of common sense (and the BS "Selfie/lack of IQ wannabe "Social").

Do we have to put railings along the likes of "The White Cliffs of Dover" just to stop these Muppets taking photos on the edge? NO! They take their own lives (and at times others) in their own hands..... Sorry, but I have little sympathy for idiots (hence the "difficult one" comment).

Of course feel for the family/girlfriend, but........

[buksida]

And another one ...

Bristol chef left with £100k of medical bills after Thailand motorcycle crash
A restaurant owner from Bristol has been stuck with a £100K medical bill after he was hit by a motorcycle in Thailand.

Ricky Eury, from Hanham, suffered major injuries, including head trauma, when he was struck by the vehicle in Phuket.

The 39-year-old, who runs Gorilla Thai Kitchen on Fishponds Road, had been in the country since February training in Muay Thai and exploring new culinary ideas, when he was hit by a motorcycle on March 15.

His family and friends are raising funds for the restaurant owner, whose medical costs have already surpassed £100,000.

The GoFundMe page stated Ricky's injuries were "potentially life-threatening" but described him as a "fighter".

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bris ... l-10183874