A Big Thank-you!

[simon43]

For months I have been collecting small donations from guests at my airport hotel in Phuket. The collection was to purchase a heart defibrillator which would be available for use at the airport and nearby hotels, as well as in Patong where I work as a Tourist Police Volunteer; (I'm a First Responder on-call 24/7).

The total amount collected was increasing very slowly. 4 days ago, a young Swedish tourist walked into the hotel and stayed overnight. He offered to make a donation to my defib collection and asked how much money was still needed to purchase the unit.

I have just checked my bank account and this guy has made a donation that covers the remaining amount required - about $800!!

Before I spend the money on loose women etc, I have just purchased a suitable unit via Ebay and it should be delivered within a week.

I have no contact details at all for this walk-in customer. I just wanted to send out a 'global' BIG thank-you to this person.

:D :D

THANK-YOU!!!!!

Simon

Edited February 4, 2009 by simon43

[bkkjames]

Nice story simon, don't get too excited or you may end up using it on yourself mate.

[quiksilva]

Wow, what a wonderful gesture that guy made. Its always nice to hear stories like this

[neverdie]

That is great news Simon, I hope someone there has been prefessionally trained to use the defib unit??

[simon43]

Hi Neverdie - I have CPR training. But I'm doing a visa run to Singapore in a couple of weeks and am attending an AED course with the Red Cross whilst I'm over there - just to make sure my certificates are all uptodate

Simon

[neverdie]

Good mate! I have heard they can cause damage in the wrong hands....

[bkkjames]

Hi Neverdie - I have CPR training. But I'm doing a visa run to Singapore in a couple of weeks and am attending an AED course with the Red Cross whilst I'm over there - just to make sure my certificates are all uptodate

Simon

Hi Simon: really, when the time comes, nobody cares about the certificates - just whether or not you know how to use it mate.

Regarding the big donation, unlikely that fine gentleman reads tv much so why not pop off a short letter to a paper in sweden?

[RakJungTorlae]

Ebay????? I smell disaster.

[simon43]

I've put a thank-you note up on the hotel website I thought he was going to send maybe $20.

If I knew who he was then I could send him another shopping list

Simon

[JoeThePoster]

I've put a thank-you note up on the hotel website I thought he was going to send maybe $20.

If I knew who he was then I could send him another shopping list

Simon

He probably wants to remain anonymous anyway - must be a nice person.

[JoeThePoster]

Ebay????? I smell disaster.

Hopefully, its not 2 irons joined by a cord.

[simon43]

Hi, I have never had any problems buying off Ebay. Company has 99.3% good feedback with 1,222 feedback comments, based in the USA, returns accepted, payment protection with Paypal etc blah blah blah.

Simon

Edited February 4, 2009 by simon43

[aussiejosh]

Thats awesome to hear

[Sabum]

Ebay? aww thats too bad, this story wont be so sweet once you realise you have to make a second fund raising just to get your unit from Thai customs who will charge you another 50% of the cost of the unit in ransom. You'll see......

[simon43]

Saburn, indeed last time that I imported medical equipment from overseas, I had to pay both the customs duty (about 10%) AND an under-the-table payment to the miserable b*astard at Phuket customs house who wasn't interested that the equipment was for charitable purposes.

I will let you know how much I get stiffed for this time

Simon

[neverdie]

Ebay? aww thats too bad, this story wont be so sweet once you realise you have to make a second fund raising just to get your unit from Thai customs who will charge you another 50% of the cost of the unit in ransom. You'll see......

I like te 200 baht per day they charge you for storage of the item after the first 10 days has elapsed.

[TAWP]

For months I have been collecting small donations from guests at my airport hotel in Phuket. The collection was to purchase a heart defibrillator which would be available for use at the airport and nearby hotels, as well as in Patong where I work as a Tourist Police Volunteer; (I'm a First Responder on-call 24/7).

The total amount collected was increasing very slowly. 4 days ago, a young Swedish tourist walked into the hotel and stayed overnight. He offered to make a donation to my defib collection and asked how much money was still needed to purchase the unit.

I have just checked my bank account and this guy has made a donation that covers the remaining amount required - about $800!!

Before I spend the money on loose women etc, I have just purchased a suitable unit via Ebay and it should be delivered within a week.

I have no contact details at all for this walk-in customer. I just wanted to send out a 'global' BIG thank-you to this person.

:D :D

THANK-YOU!!!!!

Simon

PROBABLY not related, but today in the news (tabloid, Swedish) there is a story about a young man (25) receiving 500K SEK (2,5 M Baht) by mistake into his bank-account, withdrew it all right away and then flew to Thailand a couple of weeks ago.

Just funny co-incident...

[neverdie]

I can just see the headlines now. Farang Volunteer Police Officer jained for 248 years for using stolen funds to purchase defib equipment. Tough break simon

[Kan Win]

The total amount collected was increasing very slowly. 4 days ago, a young Swedish tourist walked into the hotel and stayed overnight. He offered to make a donation to my defib collection and asked how much money was still needed to purchase the unit.

I have just checked my bank account and this guy has made a donation that covers the remaining amount required - about $800!!

THANK-YOU!!!!!

Simon

Must have been quite a shock

Hi, I have never had any problems buying off Ebay. Company has 99.3% good feedback with 1,222 feedback comments, based in the USA, returns accepted, payment protection with Paypal etc blah blah blah.

Simon

USA and Thailand have different power supply USA 110 and over here 220 V. Just make sure you purchase the correct model.

Nice one Simon

"Watt Volt we do without you Simon" said the local head chief of the AMPhur.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[simon43]

Kan, that would only apply for recharging the battery (and I'll check before plugging it in) - But portable use should not require a very long power-cord

Simon

[bruceboy]

Great to hear!

[Kan Win]

Kan, that would only apply for recharging the battery (and I'll check before plugging it in) - But portable use should not require a very long power-cord

Simon

Hi Simon,

Also check the age of the battery as they do have a shelf life.

Good Luck

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[simon43]

Thanks Kan, the unit is apparently supplied with a new guarantee and 3-year guarantee.

Simon

[jtp]

That's great news,Simon.I do however get the image in my head of Jason statham in "Crank" using the defibrillator to send himself flying through the air into the elevator..lol It certainly seems to me you take your voluntary work seriously,so thats good to see mate!I wish we had one on hand at the time i was last at the Suvarnabhumi airport,had to do it all by hand for ages,but the chap survived,so it was all good.The Chinese man(About 50 years old) fell down a flight of stairs after a heart attack,his wife was shaking him violently trying to get him to wake up,every body else just stood there..I couldn't just keep walking,and i ended up saving his life.It was a good day.

[MJo]

I've put a thank-you note up on the hotel website I thought he was going to send maybe $20.

If I knew who he was then I could send him another shopping list

Simon

He was staying in your hotel and you do not know his name ? I thought all hotels must take copy of guests passport ?

Anyways good news and hope the customs will let it thru without too much hassle.

[lannarebirth]

The Swedish mans name wasn't Petr by any chance, was it?

[farangene]

Simon,

Boy you are the kind of neighbor I wish I had.

Last week in CA, a 50 year old friend collapsed while refereeing a high school basketball game. Fortunately, the school had a defibrillator unit and a cardiologist watching his son's game along with some other medical people who knew what to do. My friend's heart stopped and they were able to revive him and he is doing well now.

Good show on you for organizing the collection and for all the people who donated to the expense.