Blood sample tubes sold as sweets by Thai school kids, sparking outcry

[webfact]

 

A startling revelation has come to light regarding mysterious tubes filled with pink liquid being sold to primary school children as sweets at a shop near their school. The tubes are in fact used for collecting blood samples in hospitals. This alarming situation was brought to attention by parents on the Facebook group ‘Don Chedi.’

 

Following this, a renowned medical technician, Parkphum Dethusdin, took to his Facebook page ‘Doctor Lab Panda’ to explain the gravity of the situation.

 

In the original post by the concerned parents, they sought clarification about the nature of these tubes, which their children claimed were sweets. One of the parents mentioned that after inquiring about the origin of these tubes, they were carefully packed up and disposed of by a teacher. A photograph of the blood sample tubes was also shared.

 

Upon seeing this post, Parkphum felt compelled to clarify what these tubes were. “This is a blood sample tube,” he elaborated, “When we go to the hospital for blood tests, they use tubes of various colours.

 

by Samantha Rose

Illustration: Blood sample tubes, anna/pixabay

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-school-kids-sold-hospital-blood-sample-tubes-as-sweets-parental-outcry-sparks-investigation-2

 

-- The Thaiger 2023-08-30

 

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[Artisi]

 new or re-cycled? 

Thailand, the country of every conceivable stupid idea. 

[djayz]

If the vendor didn't know what these are, he/she is ignorant. If he/she knew what they are and sold them anyway, he/she is a piece of scum! 

[impulse]

What's the big deal?  They're glass tubes with caps. 

 

I used to go down to a packaging store in Chinatown and buy similar (but not exact) vials to make into novelty oil samples for when our home office people would come to visit.  They'd come by my office and take back with them a nicely labeled sample of the oil we produced offshore.  So popular, I had to make several batches.

 

I suspect the novelty and "bad boy" appeal of these vials is one reason they'd be real popular to hold sweets.  But they didn't serve my purpose because I needed something to stand upright on a shelf.  If they do investigate, I hope it's just to make sure they're not filched from the medical waste bin of a hospital. (Or, God forbid, and STD clinic)

Edited August 30, 2023 by impulse

[impulse]

Probably more than anyone wanted to know about color codes, though I'm sure the photo in the OP is a stock photo:

 

https://geekymedics.com/blood-bottles-guide/

[bbko]

I hope they at least washed out the glass vials, some of them contain anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting. 

As far as marketing the sweets, I've seen worse as a kid, anyone here remember those candy cigarettes that blew "smoke" (powered sugar)?

 

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Artisi said:

 new or re-cycled? 

Thailand, the country of every conceivable stupid idea. 

Land of entrepreneurs.

[PETERTHEEATER]

It's a vampire school.

[Enoon]

8 hours ago, bbko said:

I hope they at least washed out the glass vials, some of them contain anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting. 

As far as marketing the sweets, I've seen worse as a kid, anyone here remember those candy cigarettes that blew "smoke" (powered sugar)?

 

 

Yes, As a child I used to enjoy a couple of them while watching "The Black and White Minstrel Show".

 

“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there,”

                              "The Go-Between",  E M Forster

 

 

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

It's a vampire school.

Yep their bats in the belfry. ????

[StayinThailand2much]

10 hours ago, Artisi said:

 new or re-cycled? 

Thailand, the country of every conceivable stupid idea. 

Everything is used in order to make a quick buck in this "Buddhist" country...

[Freddy42OZ]

I buy pre-rolled joints and they come in those tubes. 

They are not old blood sample tubes at all, unless the ones being sold actually had hospital labels on but I bet they didn't.

Loads of sellers on Lazada 

https://www.lazada.co.th/tag/plastic-test-tube/?q=plastic+test+tube

 

[impulse]

11 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

I buy pre-rolled joints and they come in those tubes. 

Perhaps "sweets" is the new code word for doobies?

 

[kimamey]

On 8/30/2023 at 8:31 AM, impulse said:

What's the big deal?  They're glass tubes with caps. 

 

I used to go down to a packaging store in Chinatown and buy similar (but not exact) vials to make into novelty oil samples for when our home office people would come to visit.  They'd come by my office and take back with them a nicely labeled sample of the oil we produced offshore.  So popular, I had to make several batches.

 

I suspect the novelty and "bad boy" appeal of these vials is one reason they'd be real popular to hold sweets.  But they didn't serve my purpose because I needed something to stand upright on a shelf.  If they do investigate, I hope it's just to make sure they're not filched from the medical waste bin of a hospital. (Or, God forbid, and STD clinic)

I think it's a bit different when they're sold to children.

[impulse]

17 minutes ago, kimamey said:

I think it's a bit different when they're sold to children.

Go to Amazon and search "candy vials"

[kimamey]

20 minutes ago, impulse said:

Go to Amazon and search "candy vials"

Ok, I've done that. I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me. You seemed to be giving what you had to adults, plus yours were obviously new, clean, not for blood samples and not given to children to eat.

Edited August 31, 2023 by kimamey