Accident Man in Coma After Hospital Dismisses Venomous Snake Bite as ‘Non-Emergency’

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

A man is in a coma after allegedly being misdiagnosed and prematurely discharged from a hospital, following a venomous snake bite. Family members are accusing medical staff of negligence and questioning the hospital’s triage procedures.

 

The incident was brought to public attention via a Facebook post from an acquaintance of the victim, who recounted how the man was bitten by a snake at around 01:00. Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors conducted a blood test and concluded that there was no venom present, prescribing only paracetamol and antibiotics. The family was told the case was not serious and that the man could return home.

 

The doctor reportedly advised the man’s mother to bring him back to the hospital at 9:00. However, before that time, the victim’s condition deteriorated rapidly, he became non-verbal, experienced respiratory distress, and was unable to open his eyes or move his tongue.

 

He was rushed back to the hospital, where a second blood test revealed the presence of venom. Doctors then confirmed that he had been bitten by a bungarus candidus, known locally as a “tub samingkhla” snake or Malayan krait, one of the most venomous species in Thailand.

 

Family members criticised the hospital for failing to act urgently, despite clear signs of a venomous bite, and condemned the lack of appropriate antivenom treatment in the initial visit. “This kind of negligence is unacceptable. Every life has value, and no one should be treated as less important,” the Facebook post read.

 

Experts describe the bungarus candidus as a highly dangerous species, identifiable by its black-and-white banded body. Although the bite may be painless or barely noticeable, the neurotoxic venom can quickly lead to respiratory failure and death, especially if the victim is bitten while asleep and unaware of the injury.

 

Medical professionals warn that immediate medical attention and antivenom are crucial for survival following a bite from this snake. The delay in treatment can result in severe complications, including coma or death.

 

The hospital involved has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident. Calls are growing for an official investigation and a review of emergency care protocols to prevent similar cases in the future.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-05-09.

 

 

 

[JimHuaHin]

He should have been kept in the hospital's ER for a few hours of observation.

[steven100]

This happens fairly regularly here,  in that patients are often miss-diagnosed.   I wouldn't trust a chicken seller let alone a thai doctor. 

 

Seems they are either not fully trained or qualified & have poor judgement in assessing symptoms and correct treatment. 

It just seems that they cannot fathom logic.  There's a cog missing...

[Andytheburiramman]

I'm amazed he actually got to see a doctor, as most are working in their own clinics.  Near me,, the Thais only go to the hospital as a last option, usually because they cannot afford the doctor's clinic fees.

[KhunBENQ]

I read through twice and is it true?

Not the slightest hint where this happened??

Once again too much fear of "defamation" lawsuit.

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Hospital Yet to Respond After Man Bitten by Venomous Snake Sent Home, Now in Coma

 

Picture courtesy of Amarin.

A hospital in Rayong province is under scrutiny for allegedly sending home a young man bitten by a highly venomous snake, who later fell into a coma. The hospital has yet to issue any formal explanation regarding its handling of the case.

 

The incident came to light after a Facebook user shared a post recounting the ordeal of an 18-year-old employee, Mr. Sutat, who was bitten by a Malayan krait, a species recognised as one of Thailand’s seven medically significant venomous snakes.

 

According to Mr. Kik, the 42-year-old employer of the victim, the bite occurred around 01:00, on 7 May while the young man was at his residence in a rubber plantation hut in Phlong Ta Iam subdistrict, Wang Chan district. He was immediately taken to a local hospital in the area for treatment.

 

Mr. Kik reported that hospital staff conducted tests and concluded that no venom was found in the victim’s blood. The case was deemed “not serious,” and the young man was prescribed only paracetamol and antibiotics before being discharged.

 

However, just a few hours later, around 08:00, the victim’s condition deteriorated rapidly. He struggled to breathe, experienced convulsions, and showed signs of respiratory failure, prompting his employer to rush him to a provincial hospital. There, the patient was placed on a ventilator and given two doses of antivenom. His condition remains serious but stable.

 

Despite the widespread attention the case has received online, the original hospital has yet to issue a statement or contact the patient’s family. Mr. Kik stated that the priority now is to ensure the patient’s survival and recovery. A hospital explanation, he said, can wait.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Amarin 2025-05-09.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nickcage49]

What hospital is this? People deserve to know so they can avoid it.

[KhunBENQ]

22 minutes ago, Nickcage49 said:

What hospital is this? People deserve to know so they can avoid it.

Rayong. Adding information in homeopathic dose.

 

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Phlong Ta Iam subdistrict, Wang Chan district. He was immediately taken to a local hospital in the area for treatment.

 

Close enough.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The incident was brought to public attention via a Facebook post from an acquaintance of the victim, who recounted how the man was bitten by a snake at around 01:00. Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors conducted a blood test and concluded that there was no venom present, prescribing only paracetamol and antibiotics. The family was told the case was not serious and that the man could return home.

Disgusting treatment

[Sydebolle]

All the medical staff involved in this case needs to be briefed/retrained, the doctor needs to get his license revoked as it was not just a mishap but a simple incompetence based on ignorance or arrogance. 
Such "medics" give the entire industry a bad reputation and almost cost the fellow's life. 

[G Rex]

Depending on the bite site, signs of envenomation can take several hours to appear - as has happened in this case.

It is not unusual to have normal blood results for the first hour or more after a bite. 

After this any neurological or haematological changes will become apparent - eg breathlessness, blood clotting disorders.

With the benefit of hindsight - the patient should have been admitted for observation, although I would have thought it would have been stressed that he needed to be observed at home.

As it was confirmed he had been bitten - it must have been assumed to be a 'dry bite' - ie no venom was injected.

Time showed this not to be the case. 

[steven100]

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

A hospital explanation, he said, can wait.

 

I bet these ar_e_oles are all ducking and weaving for cover now   !!     forkin bar stards ... that's all they are.

[worgeordie]

Surely the victim would have been able to describe the snake

that bit  him ,it's a distinctive black and white banded snake and

does not move fast ,like a cobra ,very unfortunate the man did

not get the treatment he deserved ....

 

regards worgeordie

[steven100]

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE
Hospital Yet to Respond After Man Bitten by Venomous Snake Sent Home, Now in Coma

 

Picture courtesy of Amarin.

A hospital in Rayong province is under scrutiny for allegedly sending home a young man bitten by a highly venomous snake, who later fell into a coma. The hospital has yet to issue any formal explanation regarding its handling of the case.

 

The incident came to light after a Facebook user shared a post recounting the ordeal of an 18-year-old employee, Mr. Sutat, who was bitten by a Malayan krait, a species recognised as one of Thailand’s seven medically significant venomous snakes.

 

According to Mr. Kik, the 42-year-old employer of the victim, the bite occurred around 01:00, on 7 May while the young man was at his residence in a rubber plantation hut in Phlong Ta Iam subdistrict, Wang Chan district. He was immediately taken to a local hospital in the area for treatment.

 

Mr. Kik reported that hospital staff conducted tests and concluded that no venom was found in the victim’s blood. The case was deemed “not serious,” and the young man was prescribed only paracetamol and antibiotics before being discharged.

 

However, just a few hours later, around 08:00, the victim’s condition deteriorated rapidly. He struggled to breathe, experienced convulsions, and showed signs of respiratory failure, prompting his employer to rush him to a provincial hospital. There, the patient was placed on a ventilator and given two doses of antivenom. His condition remains serious but stable.

 

Despite the widespread attention the case has received online, the original hospital has yet to issue a statement or contact the patient’s family. Mr. Kik stated that the priority now is to ensure the patient’s survival and recovery. A hospital explanation, he said, can wait.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Amarin 2025-05-09.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I certainly hope this poor boy recovers,  however being in a coma is not a good prognosis as it stands.  They can all thank the hospitals medical staff for this horrific incompetency.  

[steven100]

13 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Surely the victim would have been able to describe the snake

that bit  him ,it's a distinctive black and white banded snake and

does not move fast ,like a cobra ,very unfortunate the man did

not get the treatment he deserved ....

 

regards worgeordie

very unfortunate he went to that hospital

[steven100]

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

the original hospital has yet to issue a statement

 

anyone can issue that   =     gross incompetents' by your staff and doctor.  Failed to diagnose the symptoms & correct treatment.  

 

there ....   how's that  "       

[LeRoux]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

This happens fairly regularly here,  in that patients are often miss-diagnosed.   I wouldn't trust a chicken seller let alone a thai doctor. 

 

Seems they are either not fully trained or qualified & have poor judgement in assessing symptoms and correct treatment. 

It just seems that they cannot fathom logic.  There's a cog missing...

Russian Roulette has a feeling of Statistical Consistency, when compared to The Thai Medical System.

[chuang]

Quack Quack Quack..

[LeRoux]

2 minutes ago, chuang said:

Quack Quack Quack..

That sounds like the punch-line to a Riddle about Thai Doctors.

[harryviking]

10 hours ago, steven100 said:

This happens fairly regularly here,  in that patients are often miss-diagnosed.   I wouldn't trust a chicken seller let alone a thai doctor. 

 

Seems they are either not fully trained or qualified & have poor judgement in assessing symptoms and correct treatment. 

It just seems that they cannot fathom logic.  There's a cog missing...

If you are so lucky to meet a doctor with some brains you have won the lottery!! So many of them have probably received their licenses in some dubious ways....🙄

[G Rex]

Many of the posters here are very quick to attack the competency of the medical staff involved here. 

If a patient is presented with a possible snake envenomation, it must be observed for clinical signs, and blood tests must be performed.

Antivenom is not ever administered to patients that do not exhibit symptoms.

This is because there is a high likelihood of anaphylaxis or reaction to the antivenom.

Where the first hospital erred here is by not admitting the patient for observation - but maybe the patient wanted to go home?

 

I have treated many hundreds of snake bite cases ( most were successful) - although my patients were animals.  This added to the diagnostic dilemma because my patients could not tell me when or where or if they had been bitten! 

[oslooskar]

13 hours ago, steven100 said:

This happens fairly regularly here,  in that patients are often miss-diagnosed.   I wouldn't trust a chicken seller let alone a thai doctor. 

 

Seems they are either not fully trained or qualified & have poor judgement in assessing symptoms and correct treatment. 

It just seems that they cannot fathom logic.  There's a cog missing...

I don't know what doctors you've been seeing here, but I have found Thai doctors, private hospitals, and Thai medical professionals to be among the best in the world.

[oslooskar]

3 hours ago, harryviking said:

If you are so lucky to meet a doctor with some brains you have won the lottery!! So many of them have probably received their licenses in some dubious ways....🙄

AI Responds: "It’s a common misconception—often based on ignorance rather than fact—that Thai doctors are poorly trained. In truth, Thailand is internationally recognized for its high medical standards. Hospitals such as Bumrungrad International in Bangkok consistently rank among the top in the world, with Newsweek listing it as the number one hospital in Thailand for 2025. Thai doctors in such facilities are often trained abroad or have international certifications, and the hospitals themselves are equipped with cutting-edge technology.

Thailand’s healthcare system is so well-regarded that even the Saudi royal family has sought treatment here. In fact, in 2023, Thailand and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in medical tourism and healthcare services—hardly something you do with a country whose doctors are “poorly trained.”

When you combine world-class facilities, internationally trained medical staff, and a strong reputation in medical tourism, it becomes clear: Thai hospitals are not just good—they’re among the best in the world."

[soi3eddie]

3 hours ago, G Rex said:

I have treated many hundreds of snake bite cases ( most were successful) - although my patients were animals.  This added to the diagnostic dilemma because my patients could not tell me when or where or if they had been bitten! 

 

What is the saying? Doctors are failed veterinary surgeons or something like it. Curious as to what animals and where? Cows, horses, dogs, cats or dinosaurs?

 

[Mark Nothing]

My natural healing urine therapy books discuss how urine is used as an antivenom to counteract the poison of a snake bite. 

 

Even going so far as to allude that blood and urine samples are taken from the victim, then injected into the bite area unknown to the patient.  At exhorbitant antivenom markup prices, of course.

 

I have tested this  by applying urine topically to mosquito and spider bites and the results are excellent.  The welt goes down immediately and the pain and itch dissappear.

 

If the experts fail to perform their duty, arming yourself with knowledge seems better then remaining illiterate and going into a coma.

[soi3eddie]

I embarked on a solo bicycle ride from Phuket to Mawlamyine in Mayanmar (Burma) in 2016. Aware that I would have to "rough camp" in either jungle or plantations for at least two nights in Myanmar (due to distance between towns), I sought advice on snakes. This was a remote area where there was no phone signal and only 1 vehicle passing every 15 minutes in daytime and virtually none at night. Let alone much in the way of medical facilities. Last thing I wanted was a snake bite. I reached out to Vern Lovic of https://thailandsnakes.com/ He gave me lots of useful advice, especially avoiding encounters with snakes (and what to do if bitten). His website has a lot of useful information and many reports. Thankfully I had no issues and only saw a few snakes.

 

As for the OP, I suspect the bitten young man did not insist on staying for monitoring at the hospital due to costs. Just a thought if he was told all clear.

 

 

[Felton Jarvis]

Defamation laws cover all sins. This will never change.

[NorthernRyland]

I very surprised by this as Thai's usually take snakes very seriously. 

[Magictoad]

15 hours ago, steven100 said:

This happens fairly regularly here,  in that patients are often miss-diagnosed.   I wouldn't trust a chicken seller let alone a thai doctor. 

 

Seems they are either not fully trained or qualified & have poor judgement in assessing symptoms and correct treatment. 

It just seems that they cannot fathom logic.  There's a cog missing...

Nonsense. This kind of incident is incredibly rare. Your prejudice against Thai doctors is extraordinary and sounds like racism to me.

[Magictoad]

1 hour ago, oslooskar said:

I don't know what doctors you've been seeing here, but I have found Thai doctors, private hospitals, and Thai medical professionals to be among the best in the world.

I agree