Your experience with medical emergency number in thialand

[villageidiotY2K]

Hello peeps, as the subject has anyone actually called their emrgency number? I think for medical 1669.

Suppose if i got a sudden hernia and couldnt move, im quite concerned what would happen if i call them.

 

Can they speak english? 

Is it stressful & trouble some to explain ur current address? (can i just name the condo and they can figure it out by themselves?)

Will they arrive within 10 min?

They will send the patient to the nearest hospital or can I choose?

Will there be charge for transport cost etc?

 

I just dont feel much condifent with their service. I might be wrong. But pls share ur experiences if any. 

Thanks

 

 

 

oh if i call them just to check their reponse, will i be in trouble??

Edited Friday at 03:45 AM by villageidiotY2K

[Nemises]

57 minutes ago, villageidiotY2K said:

But pls share ur experiences if any

Staying friendly with a nurse helps. 

[poppysdad]

Many years ago my English wife collapsed at our home, I used the emergency number but they spoke little English. I rushed next door to where a Thai lady lived and she directed them to our house with ease.  
Earlier this year I collapsed at home but my Thai wife was there to help me and they were at our house in minutes. The moral being have a friendly Thai person either on your phone or living close by. 

[soi3eddie]

A good question. What should I do if I or a guest felt unwell or collapsed in my condo? Call 1669 or the local hospital?

 

[mamypoko]

I downloaded the 'i lert you' app, but have yet to try

[JimHuaHin]

Many good questions.   I shall attempt to answer most of them from my experience.

 

Call hospital or ambulance?  Is the medical emergency life-threatening or not?  How close is your preferred hospital?  Unless your preferred hospital is less than, say, 5-10 kms away, I would call 1669.

 

I live about 13 kms from downtown Hua Hin.  I have registered at the 4 closest hospitals - 2 government, 2 private.

 

About 12 months ago I had a non life-threatening medical emergency, I called 1669.  A Thai(?) women answered the phone after about 10 seconds.  She spoke some English, but she put on another Thai(?) woman who spoke good English.  She understood my condition, and took some basic personal details.  I had to describe EXACTLY where I was, and clear precise details on how to get to my location.  (Probably knowing my exact LA and LONG coordinates from Google Maps would have helped). (If you live in a condo or gated community, I would suggest that you have the phone number of the front desk or security, and inform them that an ambulance is coming; or get them to call the ambulance for you.)

 

I got out of my wallet the hospital card of the hospital I wanted to go to.

 

About 10 minutes later the ambulance arrived.  The driver asked in English if I spoke Thai, I replied "no", he seemed upset.  The paramedic then came and asked me the same question, I answered the same.  I asked if she spoke English; she replied "very little" - but actually her English was good.

 

After describing my medical condition, my vitals were taken.   I gave the paramedic my hospital card and I was placed in the ambulance, arriving at the hospital about 20 minutes later.

 

I am still alive, I think.

 

Good luck, I hope this helps.

[simon43]

So.... one of the most important life-savers for foreigners is to learn to speak Thai! 🙂

[villageidiotY2K]

1 hour ago, JimHuaHin said:

Many good questions.   I shall attempt to answer most of them from my experience.

 

Call hospital or ambulance?  Is the medical emergency life-threatening or not?  How close is your preferred hospital?  Unless your preferred hospital is less than, say, 5-10 kms away, I would call 1669.

 

I live about 13 kms from downtown Hua Hin.  I have registered at the 4 closest hospitals - 2 government, 2 private.

 

About 12 months ago I had a non life-threatening medical emergency, I called 1669.  A Thai(?) women answered the phone after about 10 seconds.  She spoke some English, but she put on another Thai(?) woman who spoke good English.  She understood my condition, and took some basic personal details.  I had to describe EXACTLY where I was, and clear precise details on how to get to my location.  (Probably knowing my exact LA and LONG coordinates from Google Maps would have helped). (If you live in a condo or gated community, I would suggest that you have the phone number of the front desk or security, and inform them that an ambulance is coming; or get them to call the ambulance for you.)

 

I got out of my wallet the hospital card of the hospital I wanted to go to.

 

About 10 minutes later the ambulance arrived.  The driver asked in English if I spoke Thai, I replied "no", he seemed upset.  The paramedic then came and asked me the same question, I answered the same.  I asked if she spoke English; she replied "very little" - but actually her English was good.

 

After describing my medical condition, my vitals were taken.   I gave the paramedic my hospital card and I was placed in the ambulance, arriving at the hospital about 20 minutes later.

 

I am still alive, I think.

 

Good luck, I hope this helps.

thanks for ur input, are these emergency vehicles those that are from the nearest foundation group?

also were u charged any costs? 

[john donson]

21 hours ago, poppysdad said:

Many years ago my English wife collapsed at our home, I used the emergency number but they spoke little English. I rushed next door to where a Thai lady lived and she directed them to our house with ease.  
Earlier this year I collapsed at home but my Thai wife was there to help me and they were at our house in minutes. The moral being have a friendly Thai person either on your phone or living close by. 

 

wow, if both of you collapse, time to head home for NHS ?

 

seriously... I am thinking to move back if I get chronically ill but my lovely country gives free medicare to illegals, but home returners have to wait 6 months.... what a wonderful world it is

[JimHuaHin]

21 hours ago, villageidiotY2K said:

thanks for ur input, are these emergency vehicles those that are from the nearest foundation group?

also were u charged any costs? 

You are welcome.

 

With respect to your first question - I do not know, maybe it was the closest available ambulance.

 

With respect to the second question - an itemised receipt was received after the hospital bill was paid; it did not include any reference to ambulance service, just ER services, medical tests and medications.

[simon43]

Many years ago when I was a TPV in Phuket I had to call 1669 on a couple of occasions when a member of the public had a motorbike accident etc. 

 

On both occasions, the person who answered the phone did not speak English.  Luckily I can speak Thai, so no problems.

 

Moral of the story - Learn to speak Thai!!

[TroubleandGrumpy]

Get registered at the local Hospital you want to be taken to if you have an emergency/accident. Ask them how to call an ambulance that will bring you here if ever needed.  If you live in Bangkok then you will have a problem in traffic - know exactly where the closest Hospital is - and register there.   If the 'ambulance' is not from the hospital and is a 'private contractor', do not let them take you to a private hospital - the charges will be horrendous, and they take you there because the private hospital will pay them a lot more than the local Thai ones. 

Good to see some Expats thinking ahead about medical problems, that will happen as they get older - it happens to us all. Living in a remote village or on a nice island has it ups, but the downside is a medical emergency. I reckon Shane Warne would still be alive if he had that heart attack in a city location and they were able to get him there quickly. 

[Tropicalevo]

Wifey died in her sleep, in bed next to me a few years back.

I called emergency numbers but no one was really awake (04:00) and spoke little English.

Then I realised that no one would find us anyway so I woke up friends next door.

Drove her to the hospital ourselves.

To be fair, I was a tad shell-shocked and probably not really with it all.

She was only 55 and her dying first was never in my 'end of life' plans.