British chef Ricky Eury, 39, was left for dead after a horror crash in Phuket. With his travel insurance expired, his family faced a £10k-a-day bill to keep him alive. Now recovering, Ricky must remain in Thailand for months as fundraising efforts continue.
A UK family and friends of a popular celebrity restaurateur from Bristol in the United Kingdom had their lives turned upside down on Saturday, March 15th. The cause was a motorbike accident on the other side of the world. Indeed, in Phuket, Thailand, when 39-year-old Rick Eury was hit by a speeding motorbike. Within hours, his distraught family were confronted by a £10,000 bill to continue his treatment at a private hospital. That was after spending 36 hours in limbo and for some, also in the air, as loved ones rallied to assist Mr Eury. He was released from hospital this week. However, his condition is still fragile and he must stay in Thailand for up to six months. In addition, he requires continuous outpatient medical service.
The absence of travel and accident insurance has given rise to another horrific news story from Thailand. It comes just months after the Thai government again sidelined a plan to offer automatic insurance coverage to travellers from around the world.
Nevertheless, it must be noted that the plan put forward by Thai ministers was for a maximum ฿500,000 coverage ceiling.
This is far too little when you encounter a serious accident in Thailand. For instance, the story of British man Ricky Eury highlights the need. In March his family was confronted with a £10,000 bill a day just to save his life.
British tourist left for dead in Phuket after daylight road collision during trip to study Muay Thai
This case, however, is particularly unfortunate. 39-year-old Ricky Eury was involved in a catastrophic motorbike accident. This accident occurred on Saturday, March 15th. In short, Ricky was left for dead at the side of the road.
He had just finished lunch and was walking back from the gym when he began crossing a busy road in central Phuket. That’s when disaster struck. The crash happened in broad daylight on a hectic four-lane stretch near a junction.
The UK man from Bristol is a well-known food celebrity. He travelled to Phuket in February to study and train in Muay Thai kickboxing. Last year, his restaurant in Bristol won a national award. Gorilla Thai Kitchens was nominated for Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year in 2024.
He had flown to Thailand to reconnect with his Thai roots and refresh his culinary ideas. Muay Thai was part of his fitness routine—and personal journey.
Ricky was hit by a Russian couple. The bike was a large Yamaha XMAX scooter. It was reportedly travelling well above the speed limit. It struck Ricky with force. He was thrown across the road and left motionless.
Family shocked as expired travel insurance left them facing £10,000 daily bill to keep a popular son alive
He was left with a fractured skull, smashed nose, broken ribs and most significantly, bleeding on the brain. Indeed, for the first 36 hours, it was touch and go whether the young man would pull through. Doctors placed him on a ventilator. He could not breathe without support. His oxygen levels dropped critically low during the night.
Unfortunately, the UK man’s accident insurance had expired just 24 hours before disaster struck. Afterwards, his family and friends were confronted with a hospital bill of £10,000 a day.
They had no idea the policy had lapsed. Ricky had been due to fly home just one day later. When the family arrived in Phuket, they were told payment was required upfront. Treatment would not continue otherwise.
Of course, it did not take long for friends to organise crowdfunding. At the same time, his family mobilised to support him in Thailand. Within 72 hours, a GoFundMe page had raised over £30,000. However, that was quickly outpaced by hospital charges. By day five, bills had already doubled.
Thai police detain speeding Russian couple after crash left British restaurant owner in ICU on a ventilator
Originally from Hanham, Ricky had flown to Thailand to train and find fresh inspiration.
The Russian couple riding the Yamaha XMAX motorbike, identified as Sergei and Svetlana Medvedev, were reportedly speeding. They were immediately detained by Thai police at the scene and are now under investigation. Police later confirmed both riders were arrested on-site. Their passports were seized. They remain under active investigation.
Ricky’s injuries were catastrophic. He was rushed to Bangkok Hospital Phuket in critical condition and placed in intensive care. At first, he was unconscious and unable to breathe on his own. According to medics, his skull showed signs of shattering in two places. His nose had collapsed from the impact.
Family back in the UK were given a devastating warning—Ricky might not survive the night. His mother Annette said: “We were told to get on a plane. We thought we’d never see him alive again.” She added: “During the flight, we had no way to check if he was still alive. It was agony.”
Ricky’s father, George, heard his screams over the phone before they flew. He booked the next available seat. “That scream will haunt me,” he said.
Family and friends scrambled to raise funds as expired policy leaves Ricky without critical cover
His girlfriend, Hannah Ryan, also rushed to Thailand. “My whole world collapsed,” she said tearfully. When the family arrived, Ricky was still in intensive care. He was sedated and couldn’t speak. She later said: “Seeing him in that condition broke something in me. I couldn’t recognise him.”
With no valid insurance, his family had no choice but to pay hospital fees up front, starting at £10,000 per day. Solomon Wilkinson, Ricky’s close friend, said they only discovered the lapsed policy after contacting insurers. “We had no idea,” he said.
Solomon started a GoFundMe page. It raised over £30,000 in just a few days.
However, the total medical bill has already exceeded that and continues to grow rapidly.
Later, they updated the fundraiser daily. New scans, medications and consultations are pushing costs higher every hour.
“Ricky had been unconscious, so we couldn’t confirm his insurance details,” Solomon explained. “We were just scrambling to pay. The hospital needed full payment before continuing treatment.”
“We had to come up with £10,000 on day three alone,” Solomon added. “It was a nightmare.”
Muay Thai fitness and quick medical response help Ricky survive critical injuries after crash in Phuket
Doctors say Ricky’s physical condition helped him survive. “He’s very fit,” said his father George. “That’s helped his body fight back.” Muay Thai training had kept him in top form. That strength, doctors believe, saved his life.
Eventually, Ricky regained consciousness and began speaking, but only in short bursts.
Annette explained at the time, “He asks the same question every two minutes. He doesn’t remember what’s just happened.” She said: “He forgets every answer almost instantly. It’s like pressing reset every few minutes.”
Moreover, there are still serious complications. A piece of fractured skull remains lodged in his brain. He’s also experiencing severe double vision that may last for up to a year. Doctors have said surgery may be required later. Until then, he must avoid flying or high-pressure environments.
Despite being moved out of intensive care, and later hospital, Ricky is not yet stable enough to travel home. Doctors estimate he may need to stay in Thailand for another three to six months. His condition is still fragile. A return to the UK now could cause brain swelling.
Friends and family remain in limbo as medical evacuation not possible for at least several more months
“It’s just a waiting process,” said friend Harry Bradford. “He still has skull fractures and bleeding. Flying isn’t safe yet.” Harry added: “It’s hard being so far away. We’re doing everything we can, but it’s been incredibly tough.”
Harry told BBC News: “Recovery is happening, but slowly. We can’t rush it. One wrong move could be fatal.” A fundraiser event is planned for 10 May at Lost Horizons in Bristol to raise further support. The night will feature DJs, live music, and raffles—all to help cover ongoing treatment and care.
The local community has rallied around Ricky’s family, offering help and donations.
Still, the emotional toll has been overwhelming. “We couldn’t hear from him for days,” said his brother Joey.
“Hearing his screams over the phone before we flew out was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced,” his father again vividly recalled. George also said: “That 24 hours of silence—waiting to land—was the longest day of my life.”
Doctors remain hopeful, though cautious. The next few months will be critical for Ricky’s long-term recovery.
Renewed pressure but Thai officials unlikely to act as another tourist faces ruin for lack of insurance
Meanwhile, the story has renewed calls for automatic traveller insurance in Thailand for visitors. As Ricky’s family fights to get him home, others are demanding action to prevent this from happening again.
Observers say it is presently unlikely the Thai government will act. A shelved plan to introduce automatic foreign travel insurance is unlikely now to be resurrected. Although supporters argue it would save lives, it is understandable that Thai officials are shy. Certainly, the coverage required in such cases can be prohibitive.
Time for dithering on tourist insurance to stop as the PM orders universal coverage for all visitors to Thailand
New Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system coming soon with a ฿300 tourist levy and insurance
Help with Ricky’s medical costs in Thailand
Irish man’s family turn to media when confronted with a ฿6.6 million medical bill to save tourist’s life
Right now the best recourse for travellers to Thailand—or indeed any developing country—is to have adequate accident insurance cover. Notably, this should be sufficient to cover all eventualities.
In particular, a facility to cover an emergency medical evacuation home. Or indeed, as in Ricky’s case, provisions for having to stay in the destination country to recuperate.
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Further reading:
New Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system coming soon with a ฿300 tourist levy and insurance
Tragic death of a Taiwanese tourist is another wake-up call for the government on insurance cover
66-year-old Thai woman highlights Thailand’s official tiered pricing in hospitals for foreigners
Negative reaction and horror at Thailand’s plan to charge foreigners more than locals at hotels
