Brit, 54, is fighting for life and has both legs amputated after hit-and-run with a truck in Thailand
William Braid, 54, was riding his Yamaha motorbike in central Bangkok on July 27 when he veered and fell into the road. Moments later, a 20-wheel truck drove over his legs and sped off without stopping.
The retired teacher, originally from Arbroath, Scotland, suffered devastating injuries.
Friends say William, known to many as Willie, urgently needs A-negative blood to survive. The rare blood type is found in just 70,000 of Thailand's population, and supplies have already run out.
His friend Ava Vora said: 'Willie's blood type is very rare in Thailand, just 0.1 per cent of people have A Negative. The doctors have run out of blood donations for him.'
'But there are many more Western people with this blood. We hope that somebody here will donate, or someone can come to Thailand to help him.'
Dashcam footage captured the horrifying moment the truck left the scene. In one clip, the truck is seen racing through an intersection.
Another rear view shows the moment sparks fly as the motorbike scrapes along the pavement, followed by a horrifying thud.
When emergency services arrived on the scene at Phaholyothin Soi 2, they found William lying in the road, bleeding heavily from his crushed legs.
Despite the urgency of the situation, paramedics say Phyathai Hospital refused to accept him, citing concerns over insurance and costs, which Ava said made her 'furious'.
He was later taken to Phramongkutklao Hospital, where doctors had no choice but to amputate both legs to prevent deadly infections. He remains in a coma and is battling kidney failure. His condition has been described as life-threatening.
Ava added: 'The doctors said they had to amputate both of his legs immediately because the main arteries were crushed, making it impossible for his body to eliminate waste.'
'Both legs were shattered so badly that the muscle tissue had died, and infections had already set in. If they didn't amputate, he likely wouldn't have survived.
'So, we coordinated with his younger sister, and since the surgery was urgent, she flew into Thailand. She's now here.'
Ava also narrated how doctors only found one bag of the blood type compatible with Watkins'.
She stressed: 'Even now, we're still in urgent need of more blood, as very few Thais have this blood type. He still needs blood daily because his platelet count is low and he's undergoing dialysis.'
'On the first day, many people donated, which helped. But during surgery, he lost a lot of blood, and the supply was quickly depleted.
'He's still in need of daily donations. He remains in the ICU, in critical condition, and hasn't passed the danger zone yet. His fever keeps spiking, and doctors are adjusting his medication constantly.'
William had been living in Thailand for several years, most recently in Bangkok, where he regularly drove his motorbike around the city. Before that, he lived in Chiang Mai in the north of the country.
Police say they are reviewing security camera footage in a bid to track down the truck driver.
Lieutenant Chanon Kaewsom from the Phaya Thai Police Station said: 'We are currently reviewing security camera footage. We've already received footage from the government and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration cameras.'
'Unfortunately, none of them captured the moment of the crash - just the truck passing through. However, we have footage from the dashcam, but the licence plate was not visible due to glare from the lights.'
'The victim is in a critical condition, and both his legs are severely damaged. If we receive any new leads or evidence, we will do everything we can to track down the truck owner.'
His sister, June Braid, has launched a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of his care and long recovery.
Writing on GoFundMe, she said: 'We are seeking your support during this incredibly difficult time. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference and help cover the costs of Willie's rehabilitation and care while he is in the hospital.
'Your kindness and generosity will mean the world to us and will help Willie on his journey to recovery.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The three boys and a little girl aged 11-13... who have been arrested for fatal hit-and-run in a stolen car that left 71-year-old woman dying as they fled to nearby Roma camp
Three boys and a little girl, all under the age of 14, have been arrested following a fatal hit-and-run in a stolen car that left a 71-year-old woman dead as the children fled to a nearby Roma camp, according to local Italian media. Cecilia De Astis was walking in the Gratosoglio neighborhood of southern Milan on August 11 when she was fatally hit at high speed by a stolen car that had lost control. Local police officers have arrested four children, all aged between 11 and 13. The driver of the vehicle was 13, two are 12, and the youngest of the group is an 11-year-old girl, reported La Stampa. Witnesses told local police that they saw at least two of the children run away to a nearby Roma camp after the crash. It was at this illegal camp at Via Selvanesco, just two kilometres from the incident, where officers reportedly arrested the children. The Citroën, which has a French number plate, skidded and crashed into the curb before striking the 71-year-old woman and launching her 10 metres. The vehicle then struck a nearby road sign. The incident was witnessed by residents in nearby housing blocks and others onboard a tram. The driver of the vehicle was 13, two are 12, and the youngest of the group is an 11-year-old girl, reported La Stampa Cecilia De Astis was walking in the Gratosoglio neighborhood in southern Milan on August 11 when she was fatally hit at high speed by a stolen car Local police officers in Milan have arrested four children, all aged between 11 and 13 Emergency services arrived at the scene to perform CPR, but De Astis's heart stopped beating just as she arrived at Niguarda Hospital with the paramedics. It comes after an influx of complaints from local residents about the illegal camp at Via Selvanesco, consisting of around five or six caravans. 'The residents of Viale dei Missaglia and Viale delle Terrazze have been reporting an increase in petty thefts for a few months, which they attribute precisely to this new unauthorised settlement,' said Natale Carapellese, president of Zone 5 of Milan. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, called for the camp to be 'cleared immediately' and 'razed to the ground' following the death of 71-year-old De Astis in the car crash. 'The Roma camp should be cleared immediately, then razed to the ground, after years of theft and violence, pseudo "parents" should be arrested, and parental rights should be revoked,' the right-wing League party leader said. He called on Milan's mayor, Giuseppe Sala, to take action against the unauthorised camps, writing: 'Mayor Sala and leftists, are you there??? A prayer for poor Cecilia.' But the mayor hit back in response, saying it was 'shameful to speculate on the death of a person in such terrible circumstances, especially by high-ranking government officials,' reported La Repubblica. The police are searching the homes of the suspects, analysing fingerprints in the vehicle, examining phone records, and reviewing other footage. Witnesses told local police that they saw at least two of the children run away to a nearby Roma camp after the crash after they exited the out-of-control car The Citroën, which has a French number plate, skidded and crashed into the curb before striking the 71-year-old woman The victim, who turned 71 in June, was a resident of the Gratosoglio neighbourhood The jurisdiction will likely be transferred to the juvenile prosecutor's office because the children arrested are under 14 - the age of criminal responsibility in Italy. The victim, who turned 71 in June, was a resident of the Gratosoglio neighbourhood. The widow was originally from Puglia and worked as a textile worker at the Cederna cotton mill before retiring. She had two sons, Gaetano and Filippo, who spoke to her the day before her death. 'She was my second mother, we grew up together,' her granddaughter told La Stampa. 'She was a good woman. You can't die like that.' The stolen car was reportedly the property of a 20-year-old from Strasbourg, who was visiting Milan with three friends. He had left the car parked on a street a kilometre and a half from the incident. He and his friends went to visit the the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology, but when they returned to the car, it was gone. The stolen car was reportedly the property of a 20-year-old from Strasbourg, who was visiting Milan with three friends On Sunday evening, he reported it stolen. The prosecutor on duty, Enrico Pavone, reportedly opened a case of vehicular homicide aggravated by failure to provide assistance. Italian politician Attilio Fontana, the President of Lombardy, said: 'A tragedy that cannot go unpunished. 'Those responsible have been tracked: according to the first press reports they are all between 11 and 14 years old. Absurd. 'They were stopped inside a Roma camp in Milan. Law enforcement are searching their homes. 'Cecilia De Astis was run over by a stolen car thrown at full speed. 'This is not an "accident". It is the fruit of a chain of lawlessness, arrogance and impunity that starts from afar and can no longer be tolerated.'
BreakingNews.ie
11 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Thailand says it may act in ‘self-defence' as soldier hurt near Cambodian border
Thailand's army warned that it may have to 'exercise the right of self-defence' in response to continuing incidents it blames on Cambodia, in which Thai soldiers patrolling along the two countries' border have been wounded by land mines. A statement from Thai army spokesperson Major General Winthai Suvaree said a sergeant was patrolling the border with seven other soldiers on Tuesday morning when he 'stepped on an anti-personnel landmine covertly planted by the Cambodian side, resulting in severe injuries to his left ankle'. Advertisement The incident and the Thai reaction indicates the precariousness of the ceasefire that took effect on July 29 with the aim of ending five days of armed clashes over disputed territory along their border. The fighting killed dozens of people on both sides, including civilians, and displaced more than 260,000. Tuesday's landmine incident was the fourth of its kind in about a month, and the second since the ceasefire. It took place about half-a-mile from Ta Muen Thom temple, which Thailand claims is located in its Surin province. The area, which was the scene of heavy fighting in July, is one of several along the border that both countries claim as their own. Advertisement In another disputed area on Saturday, a Thai sergeant major suffered severe injuries, including losing his left foot, while two privates suffered lesser injuries. A Thai military engineer with anti-personnel mines (Thai Army via AP) 'This incident serves as clear evidence that the Cambodian side has violated the ceasefire agreement and shows no respect for international humanitarian law, particularly the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use and placement of all types of anti-personnel landmines,' the Thai army statement about the latest incident said. Both countries are parties to the international agreement. The statement noted the multiple similar incidents and said that Thailand 'has consistently adhered to peaceful approaches and has not been the initiating party'. Advertisement 'However, should circumstances become compelling, it may be necessary to exercise the right of self-defence under international law principles to resolve situations that cause Thailand to continuously lose personnel due to violations of ceasefire agreements and sovereignty encroachments by Cambodian military forces,' it said. Cambodia's defence ministry 'categorically and unequivocally rejects the baseless, false, and deliberately misleading allegations from the Thai side regarding the injuries of Thai soldiers', its spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, said. 'Cambodia, as a proud and responsible state party to the Ottawa Convention, maintains an absolute and uncompromising position: we have never used, produced, or deployed new landmines under any circumstances, and we strictly and fully honour our obligations under international law,' she said, echoing previous official denials. Ly Thuch, senior minister and first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, noted that Cambodia had cleared more than one million mines and nearly three million other pieces of unexploded ordnance left over from more than three decades of war and civil unrest that began in 1970, according to an interview with the Cambodian state news agency AKP. Advertisement Cambodia and Thailand have clashed in the past over their 500-mile (800km) border. Tensions had been growing since May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics.
The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Thailand warns it may act in 'self-defense' after soldier hurt by a mine blast near Cambodian border
Thailand's army warned that it may have to 'exercise the right of self-defense' in response to continuing incidents it blames on Cambodia, in which Thai soldiers patrolling along the two countries' border have been wounded by land mines. A statement from Thai Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree said a sergeant was patrolling the border with seven other soldiers Tuesday morning when he 'stepped on an anti-personnel landmine covertly planted by the Cambodian side, resulting in severe injuries to his left ankle.' The incident and the Thai reaction indicates the precariousness of the ceasefire that took effect on July 29 with the aim of ending five days of armed clashes over disputed territory along their border. The fighting killed dozens of people on both sides, including civilians, and displaced more than 260,000. Tuesday's land mine incident was the fourth of its kind in about a month, and the second since the ceasefire. It took place about 1 kilometer (a half-mile) from Ta Muen Thom temple, which Thailand claims is located in its Surin province. The area, which was the scene of heavy fighting in July, is one of several along the border that both countries claim as their own. In another disputed area Saturday, a Thai sergeant major suffered severe injuries, including losing his left foot, while two privates suffered lesser injuries. 'This incident serves as clear evidence that the Cambodian side has violated the ceasefire agreement and shows no respect for international humanitarian law, particularly the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use and placement of all types of anti-personnel landmines,' said the Thai army statement about the latest incident. Both countries are parties to the international agreement. The statement noted the multiple similar incidents and declared that Thailand 'has consistently adhered to peaceful approaches and has not been the initiating party.' 'However, should circumstances become compelling, it may be necessary to exercise the right of self-defense under international law principles to resolve situations that cause Thailand to continuously lose personnel due to violations of ceasefire agreements and sovereignty encroachments by Cambodian military forces,' it warned. Cambodia's Defense Ministry 'categorically and unequivocally rejects the baseless, false, and deliberately misleading allegations from the Thai side regarding the injuries of Thai soldiers,' said its spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata. 'Cambodia, as a proud and responsible State Party to the Ottawa Convention, maintains an absolute and uncompromising position: we have never used, produced, or deployed new landmines under any circumstances, and we strictly and fully honor our obligations under international law,' she said, echoing previous official denials. Ly Thuch, senior minister and first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, noted that Cambodia has cleared more than 1 million mines and nearly 3 million other pieces of unexploded ordnance left over from more than three decades of war and civil unrest that began in 1970, according to an interview with the Cambodian state news agency AKP. Cambodia and Thailand have clashed in the past over their 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. Tensions had been growing since May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics.
