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Paralysed London tourist stranded in Thailand
2 Sep 2010A Londoner is stranded in Thailand after being paralysed in a road crash, his sister said today.
Tom Moss, 26, is unable to move from the neck down and has lost 95% of his sight after his moped hit a lorry and two cars in the resort of Chiang Mai.
He did not have travel insurance and is stuck in hospital in the capital, Bangkok, while his family tries to raise the £35,000 needed to fly him home.
Mr Moss, a telesales worker from Tooting, went to Thailand at the start of the year and spent six months travelling before his crash about a fortnight ago.
His mother, Gina Allaway, 53, has flown out to Thailand to be with her son, who is conscious but cannot remember the crash and finds it difficult to speak. He also suffered fractures to his jaw, cheekbones and nose.
Mr Moss's sister, Jamie Harvey, 31, said her family felt frustrated by the difficulty of finding out what was happening to her brother.
“My mum's out there on her own in a strange foreign country. It's just not knowing that's difficult - we try and get through to people but it's just not happening.
“We're just doing everything in our power to get him home. The problem is we haven't got any insurance to do it.
“He was living his dreams out there. It's in all our best interests to bring him home. It would be a big help for his rehabilitation for him to have us around him - we're such a close-knit family.”
Private air ambulance operator Mediaviation is helping the family raise the funds to bring Mr Moss back to Britain, but so far they have only raised a little over £3,000.
Donations can be made via www.mediaviation.com
Reader views (9)
HI EVERYONE I HAVE FOUND A WEBSITE WHERE WE CAN DONATE TO HELP TOM TO GET HOME. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT. IT ALL ADDS UP. WE CAN DO THIS IF WE ALL STICK TOGETHER. WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN. HE AND HIS FAMILY DESPERATELY NEED OUR HELP QUICKLY.
IN GOOGLE SEARCH FOR 'VIRGINMONEYGIVING.COM TOM MOSS'
- Bonita, Cheshire UK, 03/09/2010 21:20
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I am also in Thailand for most of the year. And I also got full Health Insurance as a matter of urgency, simply to avoid issues like this guy has. My very comprehensive plan costs about £120 a month.
Consider this though - would a Thai national in UK be asked to pay for treatment in the same situation? I don't think so!
- William B, London, 03/09/2010 08:36
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Just for once I would love to read a positive story about this beautiful place but all I ever read is doom and gloom. The guy came on an extended holiday here with no insurance. When I came here that was the first thing after the ticket that was sorted. Lets hope this stands as a warning to people reading this and thinking of travelling ? I know of many others that are in the same boat.
Condolences to the family.
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Thailand, 03/09/2010 07:38
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No offence meant.....but does anyone else notice that thhese terrible accidents seem to happen to those WITHOUT travel insurance....that some sort of omen..to heed ?
- Richard Merrell, Wentworth Falls, NSW Australia, 03/09/2010 06:19
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I'd like to send a cheque rather than pay online. Is this possible?
- Paul, Bromley, 02/09/2010 19:08
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Seems to be a trend now of not taking out travel insurance, but expecting everyone else to put their hands in their pockets when something goes wrong.
£50 for travel insurance, or £35000 medical costs. I know which I'd go for.
- Jock, Glasgow, 02/09/2010 16:57
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why can't teh government pay then the family pay the government back on a monthly basis until the debt is paid off?
- Paul, London, 02/09/2010 16:44
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"He did not have travel insurance"
Good luck then.
- Bob, Cheam, 02/09/2010 16:37
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Yet another sad case involving a serious injury to a British traveller and their family have all the pain and stress of a loved one abroad and no travel insurance in place, the silliness of this is that travel insurance for many people is relatively cheap.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford, 02/09/2010 15:56
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