A British retiree is fighting for his life after a horror hit-and-run in Thailand - as his friends appeal for blood donations.

William Braid, 54, was riding his motorbike through Bangkok when he skidded and fell to the ground before being run over by a trailer truck on July 27.

The 20-wheeler rolled over the former teacher, from Arbroath, Scotland, crushing both of his legs before fleeing the scene without stopping. Police are searching for the driver.

Medics have amputated both of William's legs due to the severity of the injuries. However, the expat, known as Willie to friends, remains in intensive care, where he is in desperate need of A Negative blood type donations - with only 70,000 Thai nationals believed to have that type.

William's 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 shows the truck roaring away through an intersection. A rear-view clip, obscured by bright headlights, shows William appearing to be dragged under the tyres, sparks flying as his bike briefly scraped against the pavement, followed by a sickening thud.

Shocked motorists called the emergency services, which arrived in the Phaholyothin Soi 2 area shortly after midnight. Paramedics found William bleeding heavily from his severely mangled legs.

Despite the gruesome injuries, he was reportedly turned away by Phyathai Hospital 'over insurance and medical cost concerns'. He was taken to the Phramongkutklao Hospital instead, where doctors had to amputate his legs to prevent infection.

He remains in critical condition and is currently in an induced coma while battling kidney failure.

Police Lieutenant Chanon Kaewsom of 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.'

Ava said authorities have obtained dashcam footage but were yet to identify the truck involved because the license plate was not visible.

She said: 'Right now, we're coordinating with the lawyers to push the case forward.

'The accident took place in Soi Phahonyothin 2, near Phyathai Hospital. However, the rescue team's ambulance that transported our friend reported that the hospital refused to accept the case, due to concerns about lack of insurance or potential medical costs.

'That made us furious because it delayed urgent care. Our friend had to be taken all the way to Phramongkutklao Hospital, which was further away.

'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.

'To make things worse, Will has A-negative blood type, which is extremely rare. The doctor said there was only one bag of that type of blood available — from both the Thai Red Cross and Phramongkutklao Hospital combined. So we had to appeal for blood donations. 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.'

Ava said that William was previously living alone in Chiang Mai in the north of the country before moving to Bangkok, where he has been staying for four years. He regularly drove around the city on his powerful Yamaha super bike.

She added: 'We really want this case to progress and for the driver responsible to be held accountable. That's why we need help from the media.'

Authorities have informed William's family in Scotland of the horrific hit-and-run.

On a GoFundMe page, his sister, June Braid, wrote on August 4: 'Eight days ago, on July 27, 2025, Willie was involved in a devastating hit-and-run accident in Bangkok while riding his motorbike.

'The impact of the accident was catastrophic, leaving Willie with life-changing injuries. He is currently in a hospital in Bangkok, fighting for his life in an induced coma, grappling with kidney failure due to the severity of the injuries to his legs. Tragically, both of his legs have been amputated above the knee.

'Willie's road to recovery will be long and challenging. He will require 24/7 care in Bangkok, as he is unable to travel until his wounds heal. Once he is stable, he will undergo rehabilitation and be fitted for prosthetic legs, which will help him regain his independence.

'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.'

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.

However, a lack of road safety education in schools along with notoriously easy driving tests, police failures to enforce road laws, and chronic under-investment in infrastructure, all appear to hamper the efforts.