Yuval Cohen, 23, was critically injured in a road accident Saturday in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, along with five other Israelis in their 20s, authorities and family members said.
Cohen was rushed to Nakornping Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, but his condition remains critical. His sister, Racheli, issued an urgent appeal to Israelis in Thailand with O-negative blood type to donate. “Yuval can only receive O-negative blood,” she said. “Anyone who can donate is asked to come to Nakornping Hospital, floor 2, at 8 a.m. local time and specify the donation is for Yuval Cohen.”
She added that doctors are awaiting stabilization before conducting further scans of his head and spinal cord. “He just arrived in Thailand a few days ago, after more than two years of reserve duty as a combat soldier,” she said.
The group had been traveling in a minibus carrying 10 Israeli passengers when the vehicle reportedly overturned. According to the Israeli insurance company PassportCard, alongside the critically injured Cohen, five others sustained moderate to serious limb injuries. All were evacuated to Bangkok Hospital in Chiang Mai in stable condition. Their parents have been flown to Thailand.
Rescue personnel dispatched to the scene with the help of Magnus Search and Rescue evacuated the injured to three different hospitals, based on on-site medical assessments.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed that the minibus had overturned and that the Israeli consul in Thailand was en route to the scene. “The Department for Israelis in Distress Abroad and the Israeli Embassy in Thailand are in continuous contact with the injured, their families, local authorities, medical teams and insurance providers,” the ministry said.
Thailand is a popular destination for Israeli tourists, but has seen several recent fatal accidents involving Israeli citizens. Last month, an Israeli man was killed in a motorcycle crash there, and his son was seriously injured. In October, 25-year-old Liam Shrout of Haifa died in a motorcycle accident on the island of Koh Samui. Her partner from Nesher was also injured after they lost control of their vehicle and were struck by another. Last year, reserve soldier Rotem Yaish was killed in a motorcycle crash on Koh Samui while vacationing with his family.