No hope for gran mugged in Bangkok

Page last updated at 15:43 GMT, Thursday, 3 September 2009 16:43 UK

'No hope' for Thai mugging victim

Lydia and Dougie Riach

Lydia and Dougie Riach moved to Thailand from the Highlands

The family of a Scotswoman left critically ill by an assault on a
Bangkok street have flown to Thailand to be at her bedside.

Doctors have told Lydia Riach's family that there is no more they can
do for her.

Police hoped to release images of two people wanted in connection with
the mugging at the weekend.

Mrs Riach, 58, and her husband Dougie had moved to Thailand from
Inverness to start a new life.

The couple's grown-up children and Mr Riach's brother have arrived in
Thailand to be at her bedside for her final hours.

Police in Bangkok said they were aware of the situation and were set
to launch a murder investigation.

Life support

Mrs Riach was pulled to the ground after a man on the back of a
motorcycle grabbed her handbag.

She was on a ventilator, but remained critically ill.

Mrs Riach gave up her job at Tesco's Inshes store in Inverness about a
year ago to join her husband of 30 years in Thailand.

The couple decided to start a new life in South East Asia after Mr
Riach was offered a job with a financial company in Bangkok.

He was one of the first directors of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and
was closely involved with Culloden Rotary Club.

Scots Thailand mugging victim has medication stopped

Lydia Riach from Inverness will be left to die naturally after
suffering severe head injuries when she was mugged in a Bangkok street
at the weekend.

03 September 2009 14:22 PM

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Scots Thailand mugging victim has medication stopped

Doctors in Bangkok have ceased to provide special medication for a 58-
year-old Highland woman who suffered severe head injuries when she was
mugged in a Bangkok street at the weekend.

But they have refused to switch off life support systems for Lydia
Riach from Inverness as it is against Thai law.

Now children's charity worker Lydia who was celebrating her 30th
wedding anniversary at the time of the attack will be left to die
naturally at the Police Hospital in Bangkok where she was admitted
last Saturday.

Husband Douglas Riach, 57, a former director of Inverness Caledonian
Thistle football club said: "I have received confirmation that Lydia
no longer has brain stem function. The law denies the choice in
terminating life support.

"She has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit to a ward where
life will continue, but medication will be capped. We anticipate a
matter of days only, which is a blessing as she is gone already."

The news was broken as the Lydia's son Roger, 34, an operations
manager for Securitas in Glasgow, and Patricia, 37, and their uncle
Eddie Riach, flew into the Thai capital to be with her.

"They have arrived together and the family will be together for
Lydia's last hours."

The mugging of Lydia in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Soi 22 has angered many
expatriates who say they are beginning to fear for safety in the
streets of Bangkok.

A delegation from the bar, where Douglas and Lydia used to go to watch
Celtic matches, earlier in the week called on the police station at
Thonglor in Bangkok to demand action over the attack.

Bar owner Ray McLaughlin, from Glasgow said: "We are very concerned
that the police wake up to the seriousness of this crime."

A spokesman for Thonglor Police however said that a witness had now
come forward and they would be issuing pictures of the suspects on
Friday.

The spokesman said: "We are aware that if she dies this will become a
murder investigation. However we have new information and are
confident of making an arrest."

But Douglas Riach said: "If there is one thing I want to get across
it’s that I do not blame Thailand or the Thais for this. It could
happen in many places. The Thai people have been very kind and
wonderful hosts to both Lydia and myself.

"Lydia's treatment in hospital has been caring and excellent. I do not
find Bangkok a dangerous place, in fact it is safer than most, so I
would not want people to say they are not coming to Thailand because
of this event.

"She is a great woman. My best friend. My soulmate."

Lydia received her head injuries when she was dragged along by a motor-
cycle after thieves snatched her handbag, which was around her
shoulder and neck, as they drove past. Her head smashed into the road.

Lydia’s son Roger said: "Our mum was everybody's friend and a very
cheerful person. She loved her new life in Bangkok . She was forever
sending us cheerful emails."

Mr and Mrs Riach have been a popular couple in the expatriate
community of the Thai capital. Douglas Riach first arrived in Bangkok
two years ago and secured work as a sales consultant for Infinity - a
financial consultancy, before Lydia flew out to join him.


Last updated: 03 September 2009, 16:54