A 42-year-old former factory worker died after being bitten by a centipede in Si Racha, Chon Buri, with her partner claiming they could not afford treatment after discovering her social security coverage had expired.

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On 4 June 2026, rescue volunteers from the Pure Yiang Tai Foundation in Si Racha were alerted to a death at a rented room in Soi Alliance-Mab Hin Soi 6, Moo 6, Bo Win subdistrict, Si Racha district. Police from Bo Win Police Station attended the scene and found the body of Mrs Uthai, 42, a traditional Thai massage therapist who had previously worked in a factory.

She was found lying on her back with rigid legs and darkened lips. Investigators reported no signs of assault or theft.

Her boyfriend, Mr Wutthinan, 27, a security guard, said he was working a night shift when he learned that she had been bitten by a centipede at the massage shop where she worked. He collected her and took her to a private hospital because she believed she still had social security coverage from her former factory job.

According to Mr Wutthinan, hospital staff checked her details and found that her social security entitlement had expired. He said staff asked how they wished to proceed, explaining that treatment at the private hospital would incur significant costs. He said he could not afford the fees and intended to use Thailand’s 30-baht healthcare scheme at a state hospital.

As it was late at night, the couple instead bought antihistamine and pain relief medication from a convenience store before returning home. Mr Wutthinan later returned to work and last spoke with her by telephone shortly before 5am. When she failed to answer further calls later that morning, he asked her sister to check on her and was subsequently informed that she had died.

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

He said Mrs Uthai had a history of high blood pressure and allergic reactions to venomous animals, having previously required hospital treatment after a similar incident. He questioned whether the private hospital had provided sufficient advice and said the family would discuss possible next steps.

The hospital stated that the patient arrived between 1am and 2am complaining of foot pain and swelling after a centipede bite. Staff said she was alert and able to communicate normally. After checking her social security status, they found that her entitlement had ended and informed the couple of two nearby state hospitals when asked for recommendations. The hospital said the patient and her partner then chose to leave.

Amarin reported that authorities have sent the body for further examination to determine the exact cause of death. Family members later confirmed they did not wish to pursue legal action and said the initial death reported listed the cause of death as “unknown”. They planned to return her body to her home village of Ban Wang Ta Thao in Na Yang Klak subdistrict, Thep Sathit district, Chaiyaphum province, for funeral rites.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Amarin 7 June 2026

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The oath of Hippocrates states that doctors must safe lives, nothing about insurance.. But in Thailand everything is money. This patient could have lived if the hospital just did their job.

Maybe this is a case of why 300 THB for unpaid hospital bills must be paid by tourists ...

In fact just a lack of outdated healthcare.

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

hospital staff checked her details and found that her social security entitlement had expired. He said staff asked how they wished to proceed, explaining that treatment at the private hospital would incur significant costs.

3rd world country

8 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

This patient could have lived if the hospital just did their job.

This patient could have lived if they went to a public hospital.

6 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

This patient could have lived if the hospital just did their job.

Could've lived if they went to a government hospital. Being that she had a history of anaphylaxes there's a high likelihood she died of anaphylactic shock. A jab at the local hospital (even a clinic) would have saved her life. Difficult to understand why they didn't do this.

14 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

This patient could have lived if they went to a public hospital.

'informed the couple of two nearby state hospitals when asked for recommendations. The hospital said the patient and her partner then chose to leave.'

Reading clearly not one of your strong points then.....

14 minutes ago, Pasak110 said:

'informed the couple of two nearby state hospitals when asked for recommendations. The hospital said the patient and her partner then chose to leave.'

Reading clearly not one of your strong points then.....

Yeah they left and went home instead of going to either of the two state (public) hospitals located nearby.

Methinks my reading is perfectly fine.

I was bitten by one of those once, unbelievable pain. I wouldn't be surprised if she had overdosed on painkillers.

The private hospital could probably saved her life with a quick inexpensive injection, but no - there's your money first. It's not that she was after major elective surgery, it was simple a life saving request.

14 minutes ago, Artisi said:

The private hospital could probably saved her life with a quick inexpensive injection, but no - there's your money first. It's not that she was after major elective surgery, it was simple a life saving request.

Clearly she wasnt that sick at the time, else she would have went to the govt hospitals.

RIP regardless, I truly hate those creatures. Another reason I never wear flip flops or sandals

38 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Clearly she wasnt that sick at the time, else she would have went to the govt hospitals.

RIP regardless, I truly hate those creatures. Another reason I never wear flip flops or sandals

Centipede bites are very, very painful I've been told. She would've definitely been suffering. As for "wasn't that sick at the time" onset of anaphylaxis symptoms isn't always a short time after exposure. It can be delayed onset.

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

This patient could have lived if they went to a public hospital.

That is not the issue. The hospital / doctors had to give sufficient medical care as they are bound to the oath of Hippocrates. But maybe in Thailand doctors don't take this oath... After proper help, they could have arranged the public hospital. Common, the people probably were in panic and at night it is not too busy, but leyt people go without anything is just laziness and lack of common sense.

And i know more doctors are incompetent for their jobs

1 minute ago, ikke1959 said:

That is not the issue. The hospital / doctors had to give sufficient medical care as they are bound to the oath of Hippocrates. But maybe in Thailand doctors don't take this oath... After proper help, they could have arranged the public hospital. Common, the people probably were in panic and at night it is not too busy, but leyt people go without anything is just laziness and lack of common sense.

And i know more doctors are incompetent for their jobs

Hospitals are not bound to the oath of Hippocrates, nor are emergency departments.

15 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Centipede bites are very, very painful I've been told. She would've definitely been suffering. As for "wasn't that sick at the time" onset of anaphylaxis symptoms isn't always a short time after exposure. It can be delayed onset.

She made the choice tho

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

A 42-year-old former factory worker died after being bitten by a centipede in Si Racha, Chon Buri, with her partner claiming they could not afford treatment after discovering her social security coverage had expired.

Thai people don't do Go Fund Me?

Sad story

44 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

The hospital / doctors had to give sufficient medical care as they are bound to the oath of Hippocrates

Did she ever come to see a doctor at the private hospital? Donno if a reception staff at private hospitals (in Thailand and abroad) are bonded by the oat. Regardless a very sad outcome for the poor couple

If you're allergic to insect bites, you should always carry an epinephrine pen. Thailand has many things that sting or pinch, and it's yet another reason we're going to leave. Too many snakes that are venomous, along with centipedes, scorpions, ants, and wasps.

My school owner friend has a lot of centipedes at his city home as he has a lot of trees and shrubbery around. he was pinched about two years ago by one, and went to another town for a school meeting and his hand blew up twice the size, so he had to go to the nearest hospital for an overstay for treatment.

I was pinched by a small one but it wasn't a problem. A cousin was on her leg in the village and her leg swelled up large also.

Off topic posts removed.

47 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Thai people don't do Go Fund Me?

Sad story

Not surprising really as they don't generally give to beggars, charity really does begin at home here. I doubt "go fund me " have the required response times required for them to act as an emergency service

I am surprised we don't here of more incidents like this, there is no shortage of creepy crawlies here that can kill or badly hurt one. Not quite as bad as Australia though

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

Not surprising really as they don't generally give to beggars, charity really does begin at home here. I doubt "go fund me " have the required response times required for them to act as an emergency service

I am surprised we don't here of more incidents like this, there is no shortage of creepy crawlies here that can kill or badly hurt one. Not quite as bad as Australia though

Bit of trivia. Interestingly in Australia the horse is no. 1 for animal related deaths. Also interesting is that Australia is home to the most venomous snake in the world, the inland taipan, from which there have been zero reported deaths.

5 hours ago, Celsius said:

3rd world country

Total b'llox. How's about the same sort of thing happening in the world's so-called richest nation? Hazard to think there are more unnecessary deaths in the US through being turned away than anywhere. If you live here and think Thailand is 3rd world, might want to open your eyes and move around.

Racist troll post removed @Ralf001

EpiPens cost B3500-B6000 here, beyond everybody's reach!

Thai prefilled syringes cost B300-B800 but are far less common.

Epinephrine expires--mind those dates. Centipede stings are every bit as dangerous as snakebite!

10 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

EpiPens cost B3500-B6000 here, beyond everybody's reach!

Very few people in Thailand wouldnt be able to muster up 6000 Baht in an emergency.

Its not beyond everyone's reach

3 hours ago, Kandinski said:

Donno if a reception staff at private hospitals (in Thailand and abroad) are bonded by the oat.

They are not.

41 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Bit of trivia. Interestingly in Australia the horse is no. 1 for animal related deaths. Also interesting is that Australia is home to the most venomous snake in the world, the inland taipan, from which there have been zero reported deaths.

so the most venomous is not the most deadly ? i wouldn't disagree , statistics eh?

anyhow the horse redeems itself as a lot if not all antivenom is produced with a bit of help from the horse

6 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The oath of Hippocrates states that doctors must safe lives, nothing about insurance.. But in Thailand everything is money. This patient could have lived if the hospital just did their job

Yet another inaccurate, thinly disguised Thai-bash.

This patient could have lived if she had gone to one of the two public hospitals that were recommended well she could get treatment for B30 after she indicated her preference over the private hospital and chose to leave.

The hospital did its job, at the time she presented herself at the private hospital, this was not an emergency situation in which all hospitals are obliged to provide initial life-saving treatment, she was lucid and communicative. The private hospital in question recommended two state hospitals but the couple decided not to take that advice and instead to buy medication from a 7-Eleven and do nothing the following day either about having her examined even though they were a were of her blood pressure issues and susceptibility to allergic reactions from venomous bites.

6 hours ago, Celsius said:

staff checked her details and found that her social security entitlement had expired. He said staff asked how they wished to proceed, explaining that treatment at the private hospital would incur significant costs.

3rd world country

... a country a which the woman in question was entitled to treatment under the B30 scheme but chose not to.

6 hours ago, Artisi said:

The private hospital could probably saved her life with a quick inexpensive injection, but no - there's your money first. It's not that she was after major elective surgery, it was simple a life saving request.

Nonsense. At the time she attended the hospital it was not a life-threatening situation, she was perfectly communicative and lucid and declined treatment in favour of almost free treatment at one of two nearby public hospitals.

5 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

That is not the issue. The hospital / doctors had to give sufficient medical care as they are bound to the oath of Hippocrates

They offered the medical care but the couple declined it in favour of the same, almost free, medical care from a state hospital that they could have gone to right from the start but chose to kick off in a private hospital!

Have you ever read the Oath that you incorrectly claim that they are bound to? Graduating physicians in Thailand take the "Physician's Pledge" (based on the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Geneva) or the Mahidol Oath, depending on their medical school.