British Family’s Nightmare as Father Falls Critically Ill in Thai Hospital, Faces £3,000-a-Day Medical Bills
A British family has been plunged into a nightmare after their father, Raymond Wallace, a 72-year-old retired lorry driver from Sidmouth, Devon, fell critically ill while traveling in Thailand. What began as a suspected scam call turned into a harrowing ordeal as the family grapples with exorbitant medical bills and uncertainty about his condition.
Raymond, a father of six, had been exploring Thailand when he fell ill and checked himself into Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin on February 14, suffering from respiratory issues. Within hours, he was sedated and placed on a ventilator as doctors struggled to diagnose his condition. His daughter, Karrie, 40, told MailOnline that the family initially thought they were being scammed when they received a 5am call from a Thai hospital clerk demanding payment for his medical bills.
“I knew as soon as I saw her name flashing up on my phone at that time in the morning that something was seriously wrong,” Karrie said of the call from her sister. “She’s not a disrespectful person who would be calling you at a stupid time for no reason.”
The family was shown a distressing FaceTime call with Thai doctors, who revealed an unconscious Raymond hooked up to tubes, with black markings around his mouth. Initially diagnosed with pneumonia, doctors later changed their assessment to acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the British embassy suggested Raymond might be suffering from kidney problems, leaving the family confused and desperate for answers.
Compounding their stress, Raymond’s travel insurance had unexpectedly expired before his hospitalization, leaving the family to foot a staggering bill of over £3,000 per day. Karrie, who works in healthcare, set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs, which are expected to rise the longer Raymond remains hospitalized. Doctors have warned that if his condition worsens, he may need to be transferred to a hospital in Bangkok for specialized care.
Karrie and her brother are set to fly to Thailand this week to better understand their father’s situation. “The doctors keep saying they’re going to keep him sedated for a couple of days to see if his vital signs improve,” she explained. “If they don’t, they’ll transfer him to Bangkok and put him on a different type of ventilator. But we haven’t been given a clear timeline or plan.”
The emotional toll has been immense. Karrie admitted she hasn’t slept since receiving the news, fearing the worst. “You feel like you don’t want to go to sleep because you don’t want to wake up to something you don’t want to hear,” she said. As someone in the healthcare field, she has also felt pressure to explain her father’s condition to family members, which has only added to her stress.
Raymond had been traveling in Asia three years after losing his partner, Jane, to a sudden brain tumor. He initially visited Goa, India—a favorite spot he shared with Jane—but decided to travel to Thailand after a friend convinced him. “We were all shocked to find out he was in Bangkok,” Karrie said. “Maybe it was overwhelming for him to be in Goa without her.”
Despite the fear and uncertainty, the family has rallied together, using a WhatsApp group to coordinate efforts. “Everybody’s actively posting and trying to do stuff—someone’s contacting the embassy, I’ve set up the GoFundMe,” Karrie said. “The GoFundMe was the last thing we wanted to do, but as soon as the bills started coming through, we realized we couldn’t handle this on our own.”
The family is now racing against time to bring Raymond home, hoping for answers and a miracle. The UK’s Foreign Office has been contacted for comment as the Wallace family continues their fight to save their father.
