Damning news that the government didn't want you to hear: Desperate couple turned away by hospitals go to the police

[webfact]

Picture: Naew Na

 

It was news that Thailand's prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was determined the public would not hear.

 

He issued a government gazette gagging order on the press coverage a couple of weeks ago for anything scary related to Covid-19 to be kept from you.

 

But the courts told him to get lost and overturned the ruling saying it was unconstitutional. Prayuth was forced to make an embarrassing about face and allow the press freedom to tell the truth.

 

Yesterday such a story that we are now legally able to report hit the Thai media and was reported by Naew Na. 

 

It should be noted that this media is usually more of a lackey of the Thai authorities rather than one of their 'detractors-in-chief', suggests ASEAN NOW.

 

They said that a desperate Bangkok couple on a motorcycle had been trying to find a hospital bed after the wife took a turn for the worse.

 

They had been refused help at a hospital in Bang Rak then were turned away again at a hospital in Rama IV.

 

They decided to give up and ride home to the Udom Suk area of Bang Na in the south eastern part of the Thai capital when the wife developed severe breathing difficulties. 

 

A good Samaritan helped them when they stopped outside Prakhanong police station trying to get help.

 

This member of the public, also engaged in helping the police, contacted officers while the fraught couple stayed outside by the shrine.

 

While they were waiting for Ruam Katanyu rescue they were given test kits and both husband and wife tested positive for Covid-19.

 

Finally after many hours of trying an oxygen bottle was obtained and with further help from the Erawan ambulance service a bed was found for the woman in Kluay Nam Thai hospital nearby and the husband was ferried to Bang Na Hospital for treatment. 

 

Naew Na said in their picture caption that they were an exhausted couple just looking for a bed.

 

Prayuth's attempt to gag the media followed several stories of people dying in the streets of the Thai capital or being left where they fell, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

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-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-08-19

 

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[Geoffggi]

Absolutely disgusting story, shame on you PM

[smedly]

5 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Absolutely disgusting story, shame on you PM

since this is a health issue lets not forget the health minister is equally to blame, nothing more to add, says it perfectly 

[ikke1959]

The real Thailand.... it became this because the current Government only fill their pockets and doesn't care about people.. 

[Tropicalevo]

Difficult to do an emoji on this one.

Very sad for the poor unfortunate couple

But well done on Asean Now for reporting the truth. That does not happen a lot in the Thai press these days (as suggested by Naew Na).

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Naew Na said in their picture caption that they were an exhausted couple just looking for a bed.

 

[Scrotobike]

Soo bad out there in deep dark red that thousands each day are shipped to Issan. 

So here is the truth - and I say to the general - spin on that.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

The real Thailand.... it became this because the current Government only fill their pockets and doesn't care about people.. 

The real Thailand.... it became this because Thailand's governments only fill their pockets and don't care about people.. 

[Skallywag]

Many Covid sufferers have been reported as dying in their homes as I recall.  Problem is there are not enough hospital beds/oxygen tanks is what I read. 

Sad situation of course, but getting infected with this virus is preventable if you take measures.  I admit am not much of a humanitarian when it comes to people as we have ourselves infected the whole planet with our unregulated population growth, then we are supposed to feel bad because people are starving and governments do not have the resources to take care of everyone.

Yes, in my experience all governments are "greedy" and have privilege as their money is not earned, it is given by the taxpayers unwillingly at times for work that no one has to account for as well. 

No incentives to work hard and complete "projects" when your wages are paid by others and the money is there on payday whether you performed or not.  

[clivebaxter]

Mrs rang helpline for a 24 year old factory worker at the weekend in Samut Prakan on his own in room, covid+ very ill with breathing problems. Half the factory had it including room mate who left to go home up country. Helpline response was no beds get a 'special taxi' back to Roi Et for 4.5k baht and go home. Not heard from him since.

[clivebaxter]

12 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

Many Covid sufferers have been reported as dying in their homes as I recall.  Problem is there are not enough hospital beds/oxygen tanks is what I read. 

Sad situation of course, but getting infected with this virus is preventable if you take measures.  I admit am not much of a humanitarian when it comes to people as we have ourselves infected the whole planet with our unregulated population growth, then we are supposed to feel bad because people are starving and governments do not have the resources to take care of everyone.

Yes, in my experience all governments are "greedy" and have privilege as their money is not earned, it is given by the taxpayers unwillingly at times for work that no one has to account for as well. 

No incentives to work hard and complete "projects" when your wages are paid by others and the money is there on payday whether you performed or not.  

Begs the question why the need for insurance if there are no beds? Imagine returning and getting covid- here's my $100k covid policy, very sorry have no beds!

[Rampant Rabbit]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions

Oh yeah  milk  it  baby

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He issued a government gazette gagging order on the press coverage a couple of weeks ago for anything scary related to Covid-19 to be kept from you.

If that is true, he should resign immediately and be banned from any world nation meetings.

[AsiaCheese]

My gf's sister, working for a food packaging company in BKK, fell sick, even after a first Sinovac shot. With a lot of effort, she could find/buy a "quick Covid-19 test" that confirmed her being positive. No single hospital in the entire BKK area that she phoned would accept her for a PCR test (because they would have needed to accomodate her with a positive result, and they're all full to capacity!), which is the requirement of her home district (Roi Et) to "take her home" and treat her locally. Together with my gf, they self-organized a transport to take her to a hospital in her home district - at the cost of almost a month's salary. The hospital tested her, but she had to wait "outside" for 24 hours for the results before she could be admitted. "Outside" was an unused shack on her parent's farmland (which later got desinfectant-sprayed by men in astronaut suits). Long story short: you don't want to get infected and in need of a hospital in BKK...  As a PS, after a week, she was fine again and left the hospital for self-quarantine for another 14 days.

[crazykopite]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

since this is a health issue lets not forget the health minister is equally to blame, nothing more to add, says it perfectly 

and there was me thinking the PM announced he was the 100% in charge of all Covid responsibilities  

[crazykopite]

26 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Begs the question why the need for insurance if there are no beds? Imagine returning and getting covid- here's my $100k covid policy, very sorry have no beds!

i would be in the same situation which would only leave me with one choice sue the insurance company for the 100 k 

[kingstonkid]

GF works in the lab at a hospital near VM.  The staff are as frustrated as everyone else even more so.  People come in and get tested. The problem is that even when the staff get sick there is no room for them in the hospital either.

 

I would suggest that the hocpitals set up triage outside the building but even that will not help.

 

The only thing we can do is keep our distance from other people and not g out in public unless we have to.

 

I feel for the businesses that are closed however I would rather they be closed then full of people that could be carriers.

[DaveE13]

Where are the Junta fan boys when we need them!

[DaveE13]

48 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Mrs rang helpline for a 24 year old factory worker at the weekend in Samut Prakan on his own in room, covid+ very ill with breathing problems. Half the factory had it including room mate who left to go home up country. Helpline response was no beds get a 'special taxi' back to Roi Et for 4.5k baht and go home. Not heard from him since.

Hope the lad gets help 

[worgeordie]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayuth's attempt to gag the media

Where does he think he is, North Korea , China, not only does

he want to ban fake news, but real news that puts the Government

in a bad light. 

regards Worgeordie

[new2here]

To me, blatantly TRYING to hide/suppress the news - the unflattering news - only makes people want to find out even more.. to talk about it more. It’s your drawing attention to something you want to hide..

 

If the goal is to “hide” it, then to me maybe it might be better to let it get out onto the public.. given the speed at which news - legit or not - moves these days, I’d bet the public’s attention span would be so short that any backlash stemming from that unflattering news would only last a short time; until the next news item hits online and the old story fades from the front page.

 

the other thing that crosses my mind is this.. Is there really anyone who is “undecided”?  At this point in time, there’s a substantial group who are adversaries of the government… and another group who are proponents of them… and some middle “undecided” … so I do wonder if this kind of news is really going to shift any undecideds to one side or the other? much less sway all woke in the pro or anti camp to “switch” ..: in other words, i wonder if it so polarized already that bad news isn’t going to have a major impact on either “sides” feelings, attitudes or level of support they currently have.

Edited August 19, 2021 by new2here

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

unfortunately this is how a collapsed - or better say collapsing - health system looks like.

people just can't get the treatments they need, and not just for covid.

i can understand the will of the prime minister to prevent panick and fear.

on the other hand there is the people right to know so they can adjust.

let's hope things will get better from here.

[sapson]

The original article and the various other accounts just confirm my utter disgust and loathing of the Junta jerks.

 

It fully justifies vitriolic outbursts towards these disgraceful megalomaniac lunatics who are much more concerned about sandboxes and the further enrichment of a few than the lives of the common people.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

He issued a government gazette gagging order on the press coverage a couple of weeks ago for anything scary related to Covid-19 to be kept from you.

 

But the courts told him to get lost and overturned the ruling saying it was unconstitutional. Prayuth was forced to make an embarrassing about face and allow the press freedom to tell the truth.

The real PM.

[klauskunkel]

Hey PM, did you bring happiness to that couple?

[Dont confuse me]

This poor unfortunate couple are probably the tip of the iceberg, you got to wonder how may other citizens are in or have been in the same predicament?

Shame on you PM and his assistant ???? 

[steven100]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

people dying in the streets of the Thai capital or being left where they fell, notes ASEAN NOW

Very bias and dramatized story by Naew Na.   

One guy was 80 yrs old ...... medicine for hypertension and diabetes was found on his body.  

Police suspect the others were homeless as no records of residence was found.

" being left where they fell "  Police denied these allegations

 ...   of course they were laying where they fell,  until medical assistance and rescue arrived.

Of the homeless,  I believe 2 tested positive to Covid.   

 

[PremiumLane]

4 hours ago, Skallywag said:

Many Covid sufferers have been reported as dying in their homes as I recall.  Problem is there are not enough hospital beds/oxygen tanks is what I read. 

Sad situation of course, but getting infected with this virus is preventable if you take measures.  I admit am not much of a humanitarian when it comes to people as we have ourselves infected the whole planet with our unregulated population growth, then we are supposed to feel bad because people are starving and governments do not have the resources to take care of everyone.

Yes, in my experience all governments are "greedy" and have privilege as their money is not earned, it is given by the taxpayers unwillingly at times for work that no one has to account for as well. 

No incentives to work hard and complete "projects" when your wages are paid by others and the money is there on payday whether you performed or not.  

You are not going to mention the private healthcare system? People who have to work on the frontlines so upping their risks of exposure, cos they are basically poor and have no other choices. But yeah, let's go on some 'personal responsibility' rant

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, crazykopite said:

and there was me thinking the PM announced he was the 100% in charge of all Covid responsibilities  

He is. That's the problem.

[Bangkok Barry]

42 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Very bias and dramatized story by Naew Na.......

" being left where they fell "  Police denied these allegations

 ...   of course they were laying where they fell,  until medical assistance and rescue arrived.

Very biased post by steven100. This person lay where he fell for something like 12 hours. You can't get more Third World than that. Even those laying dead in a war zone would be dealt with more quickly.

[Deli]

5 hours ago, AsiaCheese said:

My gf's sister, working for a food packaging company in BKK, fell sick, even after a first Sinovac shot. With a lot of effort, she could find/buy a "quick Covid-19 test" that confirmed her being positive. No single hospital in the entire BKK area that she phoned would accept her for a PCR test (because they would have needed to accomodate her with a positive result, and they're all full to capacity!), which is the requirement of her home district (Roi Et) to "take her home" and treat her locally. Together with my gf, they self-organized a transport to take her to a hospital in her home district - at the cost of almost a month's salary. The hospital tested her, but she had to wait "outside" for 24 hours for the results before she could be admitted. "Outside" was an unused shack on her parent's farmland (which later got desinfectant-sprayed by men in astronaut suits). Long story short: you don't want to get infected and in need of a hospital in BKK...  As a PS, after a week, she was fine again and left the hospital for self-quarantine for another 14 days.

It clearly shows that we are living in a 3rd world country with 3rd world people in charge