British war veteran fights for life in Thai hospital battle
Family launches urgent bid to raise funds for medical evacuation
A British veteran is in intensive care in Thailand after falling critically ill, while his family urgently try to raise funds to bring him back to the UK.
Seventy-three year old Alexander Parker, a former Royal Fleet Auxiliary officer who served in the Falklands, the Gulf, Bosnia and Iraq, is in intensive care in Chanthaburi with suspected lymphoma. The Scot had been dividing his time between the UK and Thailand, where he worked as a teacher until falling ill five months ago.
His daughter, 47 year old Jayne Simpson from Helensburgh, said the ordeal began when her father complained of stomach pain and was treated for acid reflux. In May, he collapsed and was found to have ulcers on his spleen and liver. Despite intensive antibiotics, his condition worsened and, by August, he had been admitted to a provincial hospital in a critical state.
When Jayne and her sisters flew to Thailand, they were horrified to find their father unconscious and receiving minimal care.
“He was in a community hospital on oxygen, but with very little equipment. There were no machines. He had a drip, but he wasn’t being fed.”
Parker was later transferred to King Prajadhipok Memorial Hospital, where he was intubated and placed in intensive care. Doctors say his spleen has enlarged to the point of collapsing a lung, which must be drained daily. While tests suggest an 80% likelihood of lymphoma, results remain inconclusive.
The family face crippling bills of around £500 (21,000 baht) per day, plus thousands for additional procedures. Without health insurance, Parker cannot access private facilities. The cost of a medical evacuation to the UK is estimated at £30,000 to £85,000, far beyond the family’s means, reported Manchester Evening News and Pattaya Mail.
“We are desperate to get him home. He wants to see his grandchildren and get the treatment he needs. The health system here is so different; families are expected to provide care.”
A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than £8,000, supported by forces charities, though the Royal British Legion said it cannot cover medical bills directly.
Local MSP Jackie Baillie pledged to assist the family.
“Time is of the essence, and the battle is on to return Alexander to the UK.”
Parker’s plight highlights the risks of being uninsured abroad. This year alone, dozens of British nationals in Thailand have turned to crowdfunding to pay mounting medical costs, often with little hope of reaching their targets.
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