A BARRHEAD dad has told how he will be forever grateful to people who supported a fundraising drive which enabled him to bring his seriously-ill daughter home to Scotland from Thailand.

James Geddes had been left distraught after 25-year-old Rebekah Fulton became ill on the paradise island of Ko Phi Phi Don, where she had settled down after travelling around Asia and Australia.

Rebekah had complained of an ear infection but, after undergoing extensive tests, it was found she had contracted a serious bacterial bug.

READ MORE: Dad's plea to fly home daughter hospitalised in Thailand​

James, 48, flew out to Thailand earlier this month to be at his daughter’s bedside and launched an appeal for cash to bring her back to Scotland, so she could receive treatment closer to home.

Within weeks, more than £25,000 was raised through his GoFundMe page as well-wishers across the world offered their support.

A plane carrying James and Rebekah, as well as medical experts, touched down at Edinburgh Airport on Monday morning.

An ambulance then took Rebekah straight to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, before she was allowed to continue her recovery at her gran’s house in Barrhead.

James told the Barrhead News: “Rebekah was taken straight to the RAH for some blood tests.

Barrhead News:

“She still had an elevated white blood cell count, however the hospital didn’t consider this too much of a problem as they are confident that she has beaten the infection.

“I was told a serious infection like that can leave a person with psychological effects and it will take a few weeks for things to settle down.”

James added: “She’s now back at my mum’s home and we will take it from there.”

Rebekah, a former pupil at Gleniffer High School, in Paisley, had been living on Ko Phi Phi Don, where she held a non-visitor status visa, when she complained of an ear infection.

However, the extent of her illness only became clear to James when the owner of the hostel where she was staying called him to raise the alarm.

James decided to fly to Thailand and, after arriving on Ko Phi Phi Don, took Rebekah straight to the island’s medical centre.

READ MORE: Barrhead dad touched as £20K raised to bring seriously-ill daughter home

Concerned by a lack of facilities there, he then hired a private speedboat to take her to a larger hospital in Phuket.

A number of Barrhead businesses, including Chic Boutique, Davie the Barber and Country Feeds Pet Store, backed the fundraising efforts to bring Rebekah home.

James has also expressed his thanks to staff from AALS Medical Services who helped to arrange the mercy flight.

“They went through everything with Rebekah and got everything sorted,” said James.

“They were absolutely fantastic.

“I want to thank everyone for their generosity and support throughout this.”