Tourism News

Tourism News Phuketwan Tourism News
facebook recommendations

NEWS ALERTS

Sign up now for our News Alert emails and the latest breaking news plus new features.

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

Steve Thomas before his crash - now thought to be an attack

I Was Attacked on Phuket, Says British Bike Crash Victim as Memory Returns

Sunday, August 25, 2013
PHUKET: A British soldier, badly injuried in what was thought to be a motorcycle crash, now believes he was the victim of a vicious robbery on Phuket.

Two years on and still recovering from a massive blow to the head, Steve Thomas has spoken for the first time about the Phuket incident.

''They said I had a bad accident,'' the 41-year-old told WalesOnline. ''But I was attacked.''

Other similar one-rider motorcycle crashes on Phuket over the years are also feared to have been the result of attacks.

Often, with serious head injuries, the victim cannot remember precisely what happened.

Steve Thomas was discovered lying in a Phuket road near Wat Chalong on September 5, 2011, His eye socket was wrecked.

A fracture ran from it, over the top of his head, and to the back of his skull. His neck was broken.

After the incident he suffered three brain haemorrhages and was left with severe brain damage and permanent partial paralysis.

Mr Thomas, who was a Lance Corporal with 42 Commando Royal Marines and based in Plymouth, had been in Phuket for three weeks studying Muay Thai.

His mother Linda was ''numb and devastated'' when she heard what had happened but caught a flight to Phuket as soon as possible to find Steve in a deep coma.

With the help of Steve's step-father, Allan, funds were raised to help cover the cost of the care at Bangkok Hospital Phuket and a flight home.

Today, talking and walking are difficult. His right hand is weak. He is blind in his right eye.

''My speech is not very good but my brain is working all the time, a hundred to the dozen,'' Steve told Walesonline

''I'm working on that and have speech therapy once a week. It's very good.

''Only time will tell if it will make a difference. I'm feeling fine about it because I'm lucky to be alive.''

He returned to Britain on October 20, 2011, and left hospital on March 16 last year.

''They said I would be in a vegetative state,'' he said. ''I put my recovery down to my fighting spirit. And my mother, my children and my close team.''

The family hold little hope of catching his attackers.

''We have spent our time moving forward rather than going back and wasting money trying to find someone we may never find,'' Linda said.

Ath the time, she said: ''To see him lie there buckles your knees. It's just a really, really tough time.

''He's been in the Iraq war, he's been in lots of situations but this is by far the worst he has been through.''

Another British mother, Monica Vearer, who flew to Phuket to help her son Shane Free recover from a similar crash, is planning to write a book to help others deal with long recoveries.

Phuketwan supports the Mothers or Motorcycles (MoM) road safety awareness campaign and 100 percent helmet usage for motorcycle riders.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

gravatar

Could be what he now thinks is what happened, could be that was initially though is what happened. Should be, or have been easy to see on the bike what really happened.

"Other similar one-rider motorcycle crashes on Phuket over the years are also feared to have been the result of attacks."

Feared by who?

Posted by stevenl on August 25, 2013 18:32

gravatar

Is this the chap that had the accident on a big bike in a similar location?

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 25, 2013 19:09

gravatar

Another nail in the coffin for Phuket and nothing can or will be done for the victim. Very sad.

Posted by seht1912 on August 25, 2013 19:38

gravatar

One night in Patong I was riding home with my girlfriend on the back , turning right into Nannai from SaiNamYen when a very heavy set thai coming from the opposite direction , saw me and changed his line so that he would come straight at me and hit me. I managed to swerve out of his way and he just missed me. I asked my girlfriend if she saw the look on his face ? She was scared as was i and she said he was a bad man and probably drunk and looking to make an accident and get money from me. Even at the risk of injuring himself. Riding bikes in Thailand is dangerous especially if your not wearing protective gear and throw in hit and rob style attacks and the danger level goes up another notch. Thai bike renters need to provide a better quality helmet instead of the flimsy bits of Styrofoam and plastic they give out. Hope this guy continues to make progress in his recovery.

Posted by carvets on August 25, 2013 20:16

gravatar

steve was based in my home city of plymouth, i have the upmost respect for our marines, they fight around the world and then some (moderated) attacks them and ruin there lives, theres been plenty of cases in england where serving soldiers have come home on leave only to be killed by drunken thugs out on a sat night, hope you get better mate and i wish you well....

Posted by Darren walker on August 25, 2013 22:46

gravatar

wheres the bike hirer screaming for compensation a lot more information/evidence is required to draw any conclusions as to which story seems the most credible a open mind is required on the scant information currently available.

Posted by slickmelb on August 26, 2013 03:14

gravatar

Training and fighting in a Muay Thai camp, sometimes, can bring you to have some eneny, expecially if you are a very good fighter.. It is easier to beat someone treacherously with a piece of wood in the night than on the ring..

Posted by dave on August 26, 2013 09:39

gravatar

Would be good to know what he now thinks he remembers ??

Posted by LivinLOS on August 26, 2013 11:30


Friday October 4, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

FOLLOW PHUKETWAN

Facebook Twitter