Lack Of Medical Facilities On Thailand's Smaller Islands

[Junglejumbo]

I would like to highlight the dangers of visiting some of Thailand's small islands given the lack of appropriate medical facilities being offered at these destinations.

The problem has recently been highlighted by the mysterious deaths of tourists staying at Phi Phi, with stories of them being pushed in shopping carts to a local and inadequate clinic. Phi Phi has no proper roads for motor vehicles.

I remember a friend of mine that had a motor cycle accident in Koh Tao some years ago. It wasn't too serious but he broke a leg I think and fractured some other bones, and had to stay over night in a police cell until the morning when he could charter a boat. The medical clinic was out of beds or facilities at that time apparently. He received little medication and the boat trip to Koh Samui the next day was bumpy and painful as hel_l ( I think about 2hrs). He also had to settle a large bill for the motorcycle which was probably another reason why the police wanted him to stay in the jail. The police are also on family terms with most of the residents and don't expect them to help you. Many of the local residents on these small islands actually resent foreign tourists, and if you've been here for a while you'll be able to spot how different their behavior is, and how rude they actually are compared to bigger towns.

The mortality rate on islands like the Simililan which is sometimes cut off for 1-2 weeks in the rainy season must be significantly lower than for the rest of the country. This is apart from the dangerous associated with the boat trips to and fro there. Anyone that visits these places should be fit as a fiddle, and clearly understand the dangers on the island.

In Denmark which is also a country split into several islands, hospitals operate helicopter ambulances and communication systems are top notch. Don't expect anything like this here. I actually pay for emergency evacuation in my insurance but apparently this doesn't include being evacuated from somewhere like the Similians as that would be too far from the hospitals used by the insurance company.

[H2oDunc]

I'm sorry but what out and out utter Bll&^ks.

" the boat trip to Koh Samui the next day was bumpy and painful as hel_l ( I think about 2hrs). He also had to settle a large bill for the motorcycle " So you want to have the authorities make the sea calm after an accident and the Thai motorcycle owner to carry the expense of your friends accident ????????????? I can only think he was in the police station as he was incapable of or unwilling to pay for the damage to the motorcycle.

" The medical clinic was out of beds or facilities at that time apparently."

You don't even seem to have the facts ? Just conjecture. Having spent a lot of time on Tao I know there are some well equipped clinics and evacuation is done easily and frequently. Though it is not done by a charity which I presume your friend was looking to get ?

Maybe if your friend had taken the sensible precaution of making sure he was insured to travel to a small island his problems would not have been compounded.

As for trying to compare Danish health care to a small island here is unbelievable.

Any small island anywhere in the world, especially tropical has exactly the same problems.

[uhuh]

I completely agree with OP.

Having spent a lot of time on Tao I know there are some well equipped clinics and evacuation is done easily and frequently.

There are no well equipped clinics on Koh Tao or Koh Phangan if "well equipped" means usual Thai standards (not even Western standards).

Evacuations are done frequently, yes, but not during the night and not by helicopter. If you have an emergency in the evening you still have to wait until the morning - for many patients with head injuries from motorcycle accidents this is too late.

Maybe if your friend had taken the sensible precaution of making sure he was insured to travel to a small island his problems would not have been compounded.

Wrong. The insurance may be willing to pay for an evacuation but they will not be able to organize it. In most cases, there just is no helicopter available, thats it, no matter how much you pay.

As for trying to compare Danish health care to a small island here is unbelievable.

I agree.

But Thailand is marketed (especially to the Scandinavians) as a destination as safe and developed as the Mediterranean.

Another region without medical infrastructure was Khao Lak in 2004. Developers just built 10000 hotel rooms in the middle of the jungle of a remote and underdeveloped part of a third world country and sold them to Scandinavian families. No primary rescue system, no adequate hospital nearby. Of course, there was no way to foresee what would happen. But some rudimentary infrastructure would have helped.

Any small island anywhere in the world, especially tropical has exactly the same problems.

No. Look at Greece: many small islands with very poor medical facilities in a small SE European country, but they manage to organize a helicopter rescue system from the islands to Athens which is by far not perfect but mostly working.

[Junglejumbo]

So you want to have the authorities make the sea calm after an accident and the Thai motorcycle owner to carry the expense of your friends accident ????????????? I can only think he was in the police station as he was incapable of or unwilling to pay for the damage to the motorcycle

.

The person was willing to pay for the motorcycle. However, if you think that there's always beds available at the clinic in Kao Tao then I can only assume that the police were lying, and thinking that paying for the motor cycle promptly was more important than his life....What kind of place is that? Why couldn't the police come around to the clinic to get the money.....simply because the police didn't care anything, that's why and that's why these small islands are dangerous places. The people know that have the "law" in their hands. And probably as little as 10,000 baht is worth more than any tourist's life.

Of course they wouldn't have let him leave the next day if he'd not paid for the motorcycle I am sure. Luckily he was residing in Bangkok and had enough money but had to ask someone else to go to the ATM although the daily limit was 30,000 baht so it had to be done again after midnight. What if the person had been a back packer or student without enough cash readily available? Often younger people have to call home and wait for a cash line in an emergency. WHAT IF a person's family back home didn't have that kind of money. Not every parent can pull US$1,000 out of hat. The authorities should make sure that these rental shops are insured.....(of course they probably are but they are SO CORRUPTTTT)

The bike shop wanted 38,000 for the motorcycle that actually cost about 28,000 baht new when my friend looked at prices later. Anyhow, the bike wasn't too damaged as it was more of a skid and fall off than a crash, and I am sure that the shop wouldn't have scrapped the old one. So basically a rip off. I don't know how you can defend this kind of thing. You should know better if you've really lived on Kao Tao.

I don't like your implying that he was drunk. It was at 6pm in evening and no alcohol involved at all. You're as bad as the kind of people accusing the tourists at Phi Phi of drinking. You're not helping the tourist trade in your accusations.

What will it take for you to WISE UP to what really goes on?

This is the real world not a make believe land of underwater fish.

[H2oDunc]

People seem to think this is Europe where medi vac by helicopter is the norm. GET REAL PEOPLE This is Thailand. SE Asia NOT EUROPE. As for there not being any clinics on TAO The well equipped one I was in must have been my imagination. I also had a bike accident and had no problem. I could have been evacuated by speedboat at any time.

I would also like to know where I can purchase a bike, new for 28,000 baht please as I'd like to buy several. I also would not rent a bike without first ensuring it was covered by insurance! Or do you expect it to be the same as renting a car / bike in sweden ??

And you want me to wise up !!!

I also didn't imply that your friend was drunk but your leap to his defence on the matter makes me now think it did indeed play a part, especially with him spending the night in the police station. It certainly plays a part in 90% of accidents there with tourists.

I suggest you either get decent medial insurance or stay in the cosy, safe confines of Europe where a helicopter is only a phone call away.

[PoorSucker]

When was this?

Bangkok hospital, Koh Samui has recently got a helicopter.

I'm also interested in new motorbikes for 28.000 baht.

Here's prices for motorbikes.

http://www.motorcycle.in.th/staticpages/in...ces-in-Thailand

[phetaroi]

I would like to highlight the dangers of visiting some of Thailand's small islands given the lack of appropriate medical facilities being offered at these destinations.

I think you're probably correct. And I think that for you to expect it to be any different is incredibly naive. Right now I am vacationing in Zion National Park in Utah. It occurred to me before I traveled to this national park and others in the area that I would not have access to the medical facilities I did living in the Washington, D.C. region...and yes, it was a concern since I have a minor heart condition...and I'm nearly 60 years old...and I am doing a fair amount of hiking on this trip. If I had a heart attack on a trail, by the time they got me out to the trail-head and in a place where a helicopter could pick me up, well, let's face it, I'd almost certainly be a goner.

I've thought of the same issues as I've traveled in rural Thailand.

Jeepers...it's the travelers responsibility to be aware of the risks involved in traveling anywhere.

[geriatrickid]

Jeepers...it's the travelers responsibility to be aware of the risks involved in traveling anywhere.

Unfortunately, people do not think about that. Excellent point.

To the OP, if the Scandanavians purchasing homes in Thailand do not undertake proper due diligence, then who's fault is that? Anyone with common sense would check out the services in an area where before purchasing. Hence the often repeated advice in TV, rent before purchasing.

For the record, there are private air ambulance services available in Thailand and I can think of two hospitals in Bangkok that will make arrangements for a patient. However, you have to pay for the service, just as a foreigner getting injured in the USA or Canada has to pay.

Thailand cannot afford a public medievac system. Note that Denmark is 43million sq. km Thailand is 513 million km sq. This has an impact on the number of air ambulances required to allow for proper coverage. As a result, one would need more facilities and more aircraft to cover Thailand. It just isn't cost effective if you weigh the cost of the service vs the lives it would save. The money is better spent on other programs and facilities. This is the same reason why many US states and Canadian provinces have limited air ambulance service. People can wait for a day or more in critical cases to get an air ambulance in Canada's outlying regions, so this is not an issue specific to Thailand. Your patient wasn't in a life or death situation. Unfortunate circumstances, but it is to be expected when you go to the boonies.

[sbk]

I would like to highlight the dangers of visiting some of Thailand's small islands given the lack of appropriate medical facilities being offered at these destinations.

I think you're probably correct. And I think that for you to expect it to be any different is incredibly naive. Right now I am vacationing in Zion National Park in Utah. It occurred to me before I traveled to this national park and others in the area that I would not have access to the medical facilities I did living in the Washington, D.C. region...and yes, it was a concern since I have a minor heart condition...and I'm nearly 60 years old...and I am doing a fair amount of hiking on this trip. If I had a heart attack on a trail, by the time they got me out to the trail-head and in a place where a helicopter could pick me up, well, let's face it, I'd almost certainly be a goner.

I've thought of the same issues as I've traveled in rural Thailand.

Jeepers...it's the travelers responsibility to be aware of the risks involved in traveling anywhere.

Indeed, bad things can befall people in extremely rural areas anywhere. Consider the Colorado man who had to chop his own arm off in a climbing accident and then walked out. Nobody even knew he was there, much less that he needed help.

It seems to me that too many people seem to think that because their own country takes care of every possible need and every possible eventuality that this is true everywhere. And then blame the place for not being exactly like their home country. That is, IMO, beyond naive.

[andyIslandMan]

We are thinking of going to Koh Tao and just wondering if anyone has any further information on the new Samui helicopter and how wasy speedboat evacuation is?

[bina]

safe and developed as the Mediterranean.

scandinavians have visited gaza have they????????

sorry, couldnt resist......

the same as the scandinavian travellers going out in to the desert herewith one bottle of water, missing the trail, and the rest is just an other blurb in the newspaper about dumb travelers in the summer ....sigh sigh.....

bina

israel

[sid1967]

i was in the Koh Phi Phi island for a minor treatment. I think its a excellent new and modern hopital. The female Doctor was very kind.

I can not say much about how she would handle open heart surgery? But then we all have to die some sooner others later...but we all have to die. Why not on a beautiful beach rather then lieing on a ice cold table waiting for an xray alone in a expensive Bangkok Hospital. Like it happend to my 60 year old friend diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer long time before that last breath occured. I guess the doctor thought why not make some money on the farang since we have this great xray machine. Or was it a good bye picture?