Surat Thani dog owner refuses to pay full hospital bills after 2 bitten

By THE NATION

 

 

A Surat Thani dog owner whose pet bit two persons in the span of two days refused to pay their whole hospital bills, leading to one victim’s father lodging a police complaint.

 

The latest case came to light when a woman posted photos on Facebook of a boy with bite wounds in Surat Thani.

 

The 9-year-old told reporters he was bitten on Tuesday, at around 9pm. He said he was playing with his friends when their ball bounced into the house with the dog. Unconcerned about the animal, he went to collect the ball and was promptly bitten on his left hand and back. His father took him to hospital shortly after.

 

The boy’s father said the treatment cost precisely Bt5,822.51. When he showed the dog owner the bill, the person stated that he would pay only Bt500.

 

The angered father then filed a complaint with Muang Surat Thani police.

 

On Monday, another person was bitten.

 

The owner at first assured the person that he would pay the whole hospital bill, but later came up with only Bt1,000 and refused to pay more

Reporters tried to contact the dog owner, but his house was locked and his phone turned off.

 

The police, too, have been unable to contact him.

 

The man reportedly had two dogs in his garden. One was tied while the other roamed around freely in the compound.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398207

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-19

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Just now, webfact said:

The police, too, have been unable to contact him.

Police have been unable to contact him, surely should have read, police just cannot be bothered to contact him, as there would be nothing in it for them.

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

The police, too, have been unable to contact him.

So you just don't answer the door and turn your phone off,

and nothing happens....

regards Worgeordie

 

Retrain the dogs, shoot their owner 

A girlfriend was rushed by a dog while taking a walk with me on a country road and she hit it in the head with a stick she was carrying and the owner came out and complained and she basically told him to go to hell. I always had to carry a large bamboo club in that area, and sometimes there were just too many of them so I went elsewhere.

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Unconcerned about the animal, he went to collect the ball and was promptly bitten on his left hand and back.

Not sure about the second case, but here the boy entered someone else's property without permission and was bitten. 

 

That's the kid's fault, not the dog or the dog owner.

28 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Not sure about the second case, but here the boy entered someone else's property without permission and was bitten. 

 

That's the kid's fault, not the dog or the dog owner.

So if it bit the mailman, visitors, etc., likewise it would be their own fault.

 

What Universe do you hail from?

25 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Not sure about the second case, but here the boy entered someone else's property without permission and was bitten. 

 

That's the kid's fault, not the dog or the dog owner.

Hello earth calling, if anybody has a dog that is dangerous (bites) it should be secured at all times.

Now i have 2 dogs, 1 barks but is harmless, the other is quiet but she bites, nobody is allowed in our gate if that dog is running free.

We have high walls, and a high gate with spikes on, no easy for anyone to get in.

We also have a warning sign on the gate, warning people about the dog.

56 minutes ago, webfact said:

The boy’s father said the treatment cost precisely Bt5,822.51. When he showed the dog owner the bill, the person stated that he would pay only Bt500

I'm always a little baffled why these hospital bills that Thais rack up for dog bites are so high. Private hospital maybe? 

My wife, who is covered by the 30 baht scheme was bitten by her friends dog a few years ago and went to the local government hospital and everything was free, including all the follow up visits for more jabs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

So if it bit the mailman, visitors, etc., likewise it would be their own fault.

Of course - if they enter the premises without permission

 

Not when it happens outside

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Police have been unable to contact him, surely should have read, police just cannot be bothered to contact him, as there would be nothing in it for them.

He could always object to being investigated!

32 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

So if it bit the mailman, visitors, etc., likewise it would be their own fault.

 

What Universe do you hail from?

The universe where the property was locked. He climbed in does a mailman climb in. Usually people leave post boxes outside if they have an animal like that. They keep their dog fenced in and it guards that area. If my dog were to bit someone who got into m fenced off area (you have to climb to get in) then i would not feel responsible at all. 

 

 

31 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

So if it bit the mailman, visitors, etc., likewise it would be their own fault.

 

What Universe do you hail from?

I would have thought folk who have dogs do so to protect their area, or gated compound. We are not talking about out on the streets here....

30 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Hello earth calling, if anybody has a dog that is dangerous (bites) it should be secured at all times.

Now i have 2 dogs, 1 barks but is harmless, the other is quiet but she bites, nobody is allowed in our gate if that dog is running free.

We have high walls, and a high gate with spikes on, no easy for anyone to get in.

We also have a warning sign on the gate, warning people about the dog.

So colin would you feel responsible when someone gets bitten by your dogs because they climbed in while you did all you could to keep everyone out and separated from your dogs. I certainly feels if someone has to climb into a property that the dog was secure and the fault lies with those who climb in. 

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

So colin would you feel responsible when someone gets bitten by your dogs because they climbed in while you did all you could to keep everyone out and separated from your dogs. I certainly feels if someone has to climb into a property that the dog was secure and the fault lies with those who climb in. 

Interesting point mate, now as i have said, we have high walls, rear wall 3mtrs high with spikes on.

Cameras, security lights, warning sign about the dog biting.

If it was a child being bitten by my dog, yes i would feel responsible, highly unlikely that would happen.

NOW if it was somebody intending to steal/ harm us, why would i feel responsible?

Dog would be doing what she is here for protection

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The boy’s father said the treatment cost precisely Bt5,822.51. When he showed the dog owner the bill, the person stated that he would pay only Bt500.

Private Hospital ? Our daughter was bitten by a dog our bills were zero, including going in every few days to replace bandages. 

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

Not sure about the second case, but here the boy entered someone else's property without permission and was bitten. 

 

That's the kid's fault, not the dog or the dog owner.

It that the opinion of a journalist?

55 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Interesting point mate, now as i have said, we have high walls, rear wall 3mtrs high with spikes on.

Cameras, security lights, warning sign about the dog biting.

If it was a child being bitten by my dog, yes i would feel responsible, highly unlikely that would happen.

NOW if it was somebody intending to steal/ harm us, why would i feel responsible?

Dog would be doing what she is here for protection

Point is for a kid i would feel pity and probably pay for hospital bills but in my view if you fence off your area put up a sign dog inside danger then its no longer my responsibility. 

 

I took precautions (presuming the sign is in Thai too) and it happens in my fenced off area. Then someone undoes all of that i feel its their fault then.

 

Now its highly unlikely that my dog will bite anyone he is 14 years old now meek as a lamb and I think a turtle can overtake him in speed (sad to see but that is aging) 

If my child climbed into a neighbour's yard or garden without permission and got bitten, I would feel personally responsible - for not teaching my child to behave properly.

2 hours ago, Enzian said:

the owner came out and complained

Shouldve  hit  him in the head as  well, they are such selfish morons

2 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

So if it bit the mailman, visitors, etc., likewise it would be their own fault.

 

What Universe do you hail from?

The article states the boy actually entered the house, not just the property. Perhaps it is an error 

Sounds to me like maybe the dog was protecting the property

3 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

I'm always a little baffled why these hospital bills that Thais rack up for dog bites are so high. Private hospital maybe? 

 

No, it's about anti rabies vaccine. Almost everyone who was bitten get it now. Otherwise you must sign a form in hospital that you don't want it at your own risk. Also another costs will come for the next 10-14 days for daily cleaning of the wounds.

So they trespass and the owner is responsible ? I would also never pay anything.

 

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

Police have been unable to contact him, surely should have read, police just cannot be bothered to contact him, as there would be nothing in it for them.

Whilst I feel some sympathy for the child that was bitten, the two dogs in question were on private property which was fenced/gated.

If someone came into my place and got attacked by my dog then they have themselves to blame.

 

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

So you just don't answer the door and turn your phone off,

and nothing happens....

regards Worgeordie

 

Worked for red bull kid . I’m not in go away , I’m rich you know ! ????

5,800 baht is Falang price

I am ‘very’ anti stray dogs and believe all stray dogs should be ‘removed’.

I am ‘very’ anti owned dogs which can get out of a property or are allowed to roam.

I am ‘very’ anti ‘any dog without an ownership collar'

I am ‘very’ anti ‘dangerous dogs’ and find ownership of dogs which are considered dangerous to be unnecessary. 

 

All of that said - in this case a Boy climbed a fence into a secure area and was bitten by a dog. 

I can’t see how this is the owners fault. A 9 year old climbed over a fence into private property.

If the child had fallen off the fence and broken his leg, or slipped over and smashed his head head, or cut himself on broken class on top of the wall or on the floor etc etc - if any incident had occurred to the child would it be the owners fault ?????? 

 

The fault in this case surely lies with the parents of the bitten child for not educating their children that they cannot go into private property without permission. 

 

Obviously the children 'should have’ rang the bell on the gate or call to the owner. If the owner wasn’t in wait.

 

As always with any of these incidents there is a lot of ’should have’s / shouldn’t haves’.... I feel sorry for the child, but in this case can’t really fault the dog or its owner. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The article does not say that the house was fenced.

The child going "into" the house could be a bad translation for "to" the house.

 

Poor journalism, as usual.

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

The article does not say that the house was fenced.

The child going "into" the house could be a bad translation for "to" the house.

 

Poor journalism, as usual.

 

 

 

Added: Two persons climbing the fence in 2 days? That is a lot!