The brother of a man seriously injured in a scooter crash in Thailand has auctioned his body as a blank canvas to help get him home.

However, Kane Kenzie, 28, has been saved from the tattoo parlour by a Christian childcare centre that won the Trade Me auction and asked that he go unmarked, the Herald on Sunday reported.

Kane's brother, Sean, 27, of Tauranga, has been stuck in a Bangkok hospital for three weeks with severe injuries, including broken ribs, a broken jaw, punctured lungs and a split liver after a taxi van hit him from behind.

Life-saving treatment cost more than $16,000 and his family have been told it would cost $50,000 for ongoing treatment and a flight home.

His travel insurance did not cover scooter accidents.

The Trade Me auction closed last week, with the winner offering $1350 to stop him from getting inked.

Noah's Ark Learning Centre in Whangarei was determined to win, placing $20 bids every few minutes.

Meanwhile, Kane's good friend, Michelle Carlton, is preparing for a blind date this week with the winner of her auction "date me to save a life".

University of Auckland engineering student Maurice Chai paid $1300 for a date with the 21-year-old student and barmaid.

"He has already put it in the account but I don't know anything about him," Carlton said. "He sent me an email and seemed very nice, humble and kind."