Lack of travel cover costly for British tourist in Thailand

A British man is facing heavy medical bills after not taking out travel insurance for a holiday in Thailand.

Travel Insurance News - 31/01/2013

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A British man is facing heavy serious bills after not taking out travel insurance for a holiday in Thailand.

Thirty-year-old Gareth Harnett from Kent suffered a heart attack in the country’s popular beach resort of Pathong on the island of Phuket at the weekend. He was rushed to nearby Vachira Hospital and later sent to the private facilities at Bangkok Hospital Phuket, where the visit is proving to be a costly misfortune.

Harnett remains in intensive care and is unable to speak, although his friend Patrick Dyett told the Phuket News that he has already spent around £10,000 amid the ordeal and has had to sell his car to cover medical expenses, because Gareth had failed to take out travel insurance prior to what was supposed to be a nine-day trip.

Dyett said that Harnett leads a fairly unhealthy lifestyle back in the UK.

As expenses continue to grow, Dyett and Harnett’s family have set up a Facebook page to help raise money for their loved one. Mr Dyett said that his friend is a very popular individual at home and that so far they’ve been able to raise about £12,000 for his medical fund.

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