Me too.. Mother informed me via email I was O RH so I went to Patong hospital.. After 15 mins of no one nowing what to do or where to go one doctor started to sort it out.. He was shocked to find out there is no blood collection organised in Patong at all.. Despite thier needd for blood !!!

So went to wachira where I was also told they did not need anything except AB (neg I think).. Tested me and said I was O+.. Left my name in the book with number to contact should it be wanted..

General feeling is one of not knowing how best to help, simply mucking out a bar cause I know them feels a bit trivial.. Sure seems to me that there needs to be some organisation skills deployed.. Everything is a bit directionless..

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Me too!! I went to Patong Hospital yesterday to give blood, hearing they were in need of the rarer B Rh negative I have, only to be told by a farang guy on the reception desk that they were not collecting blood there and I needed to go to Wachira. I did this and was told my blood was not required but thanks anyway.

I'm really glad that their blood banks are full but apart from helping pull a couple of vehicles from the sea on Karon beach yesterday I'm almost sat on my ass in Karon watching international aid teams flying in to help out. I soooo want to put my back or brains, or both, into SOMETHING to help out...

Today 29/12/04 - There will be a blood donation at World Trade Centre,(World Centre Plaza).

I would also like to help, but need help on how to.  I am O neg (I can give to all neg types) and will be back in Suratthani on Thursday and Samui on Friday (I'm currently in the UK, but live on Samui).  Anybody know if it is possible to donate there, and further more for future reference whether there is some kind of register I can put my name on in case of emergencies.

There is an organization called the Central Blood Register, run by various foreign women's groups with the assistance of the British, Australian and NZ embassies. Details at http://www.bambi-bangkok.org/living/health/blood.htm .

According to their web site, only 0.3% of Thais have RH- blood, compared to 20% of the population in the UK. They keep a register of people with RH- blood who can be contacted by phone in an emergency. Typically, the emergencies are foreigners in motor accidents or mothers haemorrhaging in childbirth.

...General feeling is one of not knowing how best to help, simply mucking out a bar cause I know them feels a bit trivial.. ..

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Exactly how I feel. Was quite disappointed that what I thought I could do to help - donate blood - was not needed. I don't want to get in the way - Patong is full of people working to clear up - but don't want to sit here doing nothing Maybe keeping out of the way is best