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An important public statement from the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya

Short changed at bus station

Monster Traffic Problems

Jet skis… nasty little monsters

Pattaya’s newest tourist attraction

An important public statement from the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya

It has been alleged in the press that a severely injured man was not accepted by Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and that the injured man “died …. on this unnecessary journey” (to Chonburi Hospital), and “if they (the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya) would have accepted him … then maybe he would still be alive.”
We acknowledge the concerns of the expat community and consequently feel it necessary to correct some misconceptions and misinformation.
Although we are a private hospital, we are registered and accepted as the emergency center in Pattaya by the Chonburi Provincial authorities and Pattaya City. Our policy does not differentiate between Thais or foreigners presented as emergencies, and they are accepted immediately without administrative delay. Formal admission proceedings and/or transfer will be made later, after the patient’s condition has been stabilized as far as is medically possible.
Following allegations by one newspaper and repeated on some websites, it seems that sections of the expat community are under the impression that we turned away an injured American (quote) “because he was not carrying any ID, so he was put in the back of a pick-up truck and sent all the way to Chonburi and died of internal bleeding on the way.” We entirely refute those statements as being totally untrue. The real situation is as follows:
The injured American male was brought to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya at 10 a.m. on 28 April, 2007. A speeding truck had hit the victim while he was riding his motorcycle, resulting in multiple serious injuries.
Our doctor at Emergency Room noted the injuries, and immediate treatment was given and an urgent CT scan was done. Four specialist doctors (Orthopedic Surgeon, Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgeon, and two General Surgeons) attended the man promptly.
The injuries had produced massive blood loss and treatment was instituted, including the following:
1 Restoration of the blood volume with transfusions and pump to bring up the blood pressure.
2. Keeping his blood pressure and pulse up with medications
3. Supply of oxygen via endo-tracheal tube
4. Removal of blood from inside the chest cavity
5. Stabilization of his fracture site.
He had lost a lot of blood and received 4 units while he was at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. Our blood stocks are such that we can supply 99.9 percent of the emergency and our routine surgery needs, however the man’s condition was such that he would need enormous quantities of blood. The closest hospital with access to large volumes is Chonburi Hospital, and after discussions with them, the medical team decided to transfer him to Chonburi Hospital for further treatment and surgery. The patient’s medical condition dictated the urgent transfer, as it is not a simple matter of getting blood supplies from another hospital’s blood bank. Administrative logistics within the public hospital system, and the need to cross-match against the patient’s own blood, means that it would be quicker sending the patient to Chonburi, than getting permission for the blood to be released and then sent here for cross-match.
Far from being turned away and “put in the back of a pick-up truck”, he had been accepted and treated and transfused by our hospital and was sent in an ambulance, with an accompanying doctor and two nurses.
Whilst in this case, his ID had been ascertained (and we had informed his father in America), as a general rule, we do encourage everyone to carry some form of ID and details of next of kin (Thais have their ID card and foreigners have their passports or a copy of it). We are also willing to ‘pre-register’ your ID and next of kin and insurance details in our data bank, if you wish.
Along with his many friends in Pattaya, the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya wishes to extend its sympathies to his family, and we hope the understanding of the true situation will offer some comfort for the bereaved.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Surapant Taweewikayakarn MD
Assistant Director
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.

Short changed at bus station

Dear Sir, Madam,
I hereby wish to make a complaint about the lady selling bus tickets for Morchit Bangkok at the Pattaya bus station.
On Sunday morning my wife bought two tickets to Morchit bus station Bangkok. Each ticket costs 121 Bath, that makes a total of 242 baht She gave the lady who sells the tickets 1000 Bath and as she comes to me to say goodbye I asked her how much money did you get back? She looks and says she has 658 baht!
Now this is not the first time this ticket lady pulls this trick, I had it already done to me twice so my temper went off like a rocket. I went straight to the ticket window and told the lady that she gave my wife 100 baht short and this was not the first time that she has done that.
She knew very well she done wrong because without looking at my face she gave 100 baht back!
If this lady takes 100 baht every time somebody pays with a 1000 Bath bill, she sure makes a nice profit at the end of the day. I find it disgusting that somebody with such a job takes advantage of the non-suspecting passengers who thinks this lady who handles money every day is somebody you can trust. I call this dishonesty and I hope this practice comes to an end.
Belgian Expat living in Pattaya

Monster Traffic Problems

Editor,
Recently there have been numerous articles in the local papers abut creating parking garages in Pattaya City, one by the Bali Pier and another around 2nd Ave. This is to ease up traffic problems and parking problems in and around Pattaya.
That is nonsense! In the past 30-40 years, no city in the world has built more garages to solve traffic problems. What it well known by Traffic Managers is that increasing parking spaces in a city brings in more and more traffic to the city, increasing traffic jams and pollution.
That is not the answer. Cities reduce traffic problems by providing alternative means to get into the cities, such as mass transit. If needed, increase parking well out of the city center, and build up a transit system to get people into the city.
The only place that I see that could use a parking garage is near/at the Bali Pier. Vehicles can get in and out of that area without too many problems and if increased traffic causes a problem, there are ways to correct those problems. Access roads to the pier are clear of heavy residential and shopping areas.
No to parking garages in Pattaya City proper, and yes to a well planned expansion of parking at the Bali Pier.
Bob
Pattaya

Jet skis… nasty little monsters

The beach areas of Pattaya are being ruined by jetskis. In the longer run this is going to cost the resort a great deal of money. In the short run, is it likely that the authorities will take any action? Not a chance! City Hall does not attempt to control boats and those who own and sail them.
Jet skis give pleasure to a few and misery to many. More and more are being put on local waters and they are being used as a lucrative means of extracting money from tourists – both Thai and farang. These nasty little monsters are like a 750cc motorbike on the water. The noise pollution is horrendous and they spray the air with petrol fumes, which destroy the marine habitat. Apart from being thoroughly unpleasant for anyone on the beach or in the water they are a serious danger.
Deaths and serious injuries have already occurred in Pattaya but there are no official statistics to indicate the extent of the carnage.
At the moment these horrible and highly dangerous machines are proliferating by the day and every local beach is adversely affected. Even on Ko Larn and the outer islands there is a serious problem. The main beach area on Ko Larn - Tawaen Beach has been utterly ruined.
Swimmers are confined to an area lined with huge, and ugly plastic floats in order to save them from being killed or seriously injured by jet skis and powerboats, which roar around people while they are swimming. The noise from these belching, farting and roaring monsters is almost deafening at times.
Tawaen Beach is more like a motorway than a tropical island these days and many recent visitors will not go there again. However, Taewan is relatively safe compared with some of the other island beaches where jetskis, driven by young louts who take pleasure in giving fright, weave around swimmers all the time.
There is no attempt to control those who can hire jetskis. They can be drunk, stupid or both but, if they have money, they are on and away. When they return, the slightest scratch or damage can result in demands for 5,000 baht or more. In one case recently a visitor was asked to pay 25,000 baht after his jetski got stuck on a sandbank and then blew up. When he refused to pay a very friendly and familiar policeman was called and he ‘arranged’ for payment of 15,000 baht on the spot.
Most responsible resorts - where there is concern about public safety and a desire to continue to attract visitors - ban jetskis or confine them to safe areas where they cannot endanger or cause annoyance and pollution. This will not happen in Pattaya for the simple reason that the ‘boat lobby’ is all too powerful. Boat owners have been allowed to pollute, vandalise and destroy the area between the Bali Hai Pier and the folly lighthouse. This new road, amenities and landscaping was recently created at considerable public expense. Above it is a proud sign proclaiming that this is ‘Pattaya City’ in multi-coloured lights. The area below this sign is now an eyesore and the new road is almost useless because of the failure of the public authorities (including the police) to control boats and related illegal parking. Boats need to be controlled on land as well as at sea, but in Pattaya, the authorities make no attempt to do either.
As a result, Pattaya is being made less safe and more unpleasant for visitors as well as residents.
Waterfront Resident
South Pattaya

Pattaya’s newest tourist attraction

Dear Editor,
I was pleasantly surprised to read about the recent invasion of Pattaya by pythons. This is definitely a selling point for tourists. Why pay a taxi to take you to the snake farm when a veritable free zoo is roaming the city? Maybe the city fathers can come up with a catchy saying like, “Balmy nights and a snake under every bed”. This is a much better draw than Uzbekistan prostitutes and violent bag snatchers.
Regards,
Bill Turner
California, USA

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
are also published here.