A GRANDAD who lay on the floor of an apartment in Thailand for eight days after having a stroke could be flown home within a matter of days.

Bill Fairbairn had left his home in Dunbar on January 16 to explore the Asian country and was due home next Thursday (March 19).

The 64-year-old regularly travels but keeps in touch with his family to let them know he is alright.

His daughter, Fiona, said they started to worry that something was wrong when they were unable to get in contact with him.

She said: “Whenever he goes abroad, he messages my auntie, his sister, every day.

“On February 22, he stopped messaging her.

“On the Friday of that week, she text me to ask if I had heard from him.

“It was not unusual for me because I would not speak to him every day but he normally got in touch with her just to check in.

“I sent him a text message but it would not even send through WhatsApp.

“He was not answering emails and I started to get worried.

“We knew he was in Bangkok but did not know where he was staying and the only thing I could think of was to put a post on Facebook asking people if they had seen him or had any details.

“That was shared over 740 times.”

Bill had previously sent a picture to his sister of himself drinking in a bar in the Thai capital.

That would prove key in trying to find Bill, who works as a consultant.

People recognised him and the search was narrowed down to a single street before Fiona contacted all the various businesses there.

Eventually, they managed to find the apartments Bill was staying in and a member of staff went to his door.

Fiona said: “When she found out that his family were looking for him, she realised something was really wrong.

“She had gone up to his apartment and when she opened the door she saw him lying on the floor and in a really bad way.

“She got her son to cut the lock on the door open and that is how they got in.”

It was discovered that Bill had pulled out a pipe, which flooded his apartment and gave him a supply of water.

The cost of medical treatment saw Fiona, who works as a management accountant, set up a GoFundMe page urging people to help.

Bill’s insurance had lapsed while he was out of the country and the cost to take him to hospital – 20,000 Thai Baht (about £490) – and continuing medical costs have spiralled.

More than £5,000 has already been donated through the appeal, with Fiona describing the donations as “so generous”.

Now, 31-year-old Fiona was pleased to say that her dad’s health was improving.

She said: “Honestly, the doctors cannot believe he has made such an amazing recovery already.

“He was at death’s door but now he is able to sit up, he is propped up, and they have certified him fit to fly home.”

Now it is hoped that Bill could be flown home, via Turkey, over the weekend or early next week.

Fiona, who lives in Glasgow, said: “I speak to him twice a day.

“I video chat with him via WhatsApp.

“The hospital he is in is very different to a hospital here.

“He has a mobile phone assigned to him, which the nurses use to phone by video call and to show us what they have been doing.

“They do that twice a day, which is difficult with the time difference and means early-morning calls.”

To make a donation and support Bill, click here.