Govt hospitals to shut down during APEC week

[george]

Govt hospitals to shut down during APEC week

[steffi]

So if there is a terrorist attack someone is going to have to be accountable for this decision.

Clearly they don't want foreign leaders to see how the state hospitals are run here otherwise they wouldn't be closed.

OR

The government CEO's have ownership in the privately run hospitals.

[Membrane]

OR

it's just a really, really bad decision!  

[Kapow Guy]

Or

They forgot that state run hospitals are government agencies and didn't make exceptions.

Or

someone took the order at face value and just shrugged.

[hkt83100]

Whatever, it is an outrageous banana republic decision!

[taxexile]

amazing thailand.

i think they may have to do a u-turn on this one.

[Scamp]

Like any of this is really going to help traffic anyways.

Right now it  just makes me laugh, laugh, laugh...

But people might be crying when it really happens.

[Kapow Guy]

Seems like this doesn't carry much benefit. And the ones who'll suffer most are the poor people who have to use Siriraj or Chula hospitals. Can they afford private hospitals? Or wait a day or two?

Those of us who use BNH or Bumrungrad of course won't be affected at all.

[Kan Win]

Whatever, it is an outrageous banana republic decision!

Excuse me, Thailand is NOT a BANANA Republic ………………………

SORRY YOU ARE WRONG.................

This is the “Kingdom of Thailand”

NOT A REPUBLIC

[Dexlowe]

Wisen up, folks, this is one of the smartest decisions this govt has made. If Apec delegates should pass a hospital and see the lines of motor accident victims, blood streaming from their bodies, being carted on stretchers into the emergency ward, they might think there's been a terrorist attack. And that could only blight Thailand's impeccable image as the most safest, terrorist-free, sin-free country in the world. Think about it. Such scenes would drive any Apec delegate to drink -- past tramp-free, dog-free streets to the nearest go-go bar, to drown their sorrows in Mekhong and naked dancers willing to sit on their laps for the price of a BG drink. Which, of course, would ruin Thailand's image even more. And we could not have that, could we?  

[francois]

The problem stems from the government's recent announcement of special holidays for civil servants in Bangkok and its suburbs from October 17 to 22 - to relieve the capital's chronic traffic problems and create a good impression for foreign leaders.

But with October 23 a normal public holiday, all government hospitals in Bangkok will halt medical service for outpatients for a record break of one full week, as they want their personnel to benefit fully from extra days off during the summit.

A huge number of patients are expected to be hit by long hospital break since major government hospitals like Siriraj, Chulalongkorn and Ramathibodi already see thousands of people daily. Many are poor villagers who have to travel long distances to seek treatment at outpatient departments.

they want to show a clean country to possible investors ...

no matter if lots of people are dying these days ...

amazing? not really

rather sad to read this  

as I have been working in hospital for a good 15 years, I really imagine the distress of all these people left without help

it looks like a shame to me to do such a thing  

sad sad real sad for Thai people  ???

[george]

amazing thailand.

i think they may have to do a u-turn on this one.

They have done an u-turn now:

Hospitals ordered to stay open during APEC summit - sort of...

[MekhongKurt]

It's good a decision has been made to reverse the holiday decision as far as hospitals are concerned, since illness and injury never take holidays.

One can only hope that some bright spark thought also to call up the police department, fire brigade, sanitation department, emergency electrical, sewage, and water departments, etc. to let *them* know that no, they aren't taking holidays en masse during APEC, either.

[wolf5370]

Quote (hkt83100 @ Sep. 24 2003,15:41)

Whatever, it is an outrageous banana republic decision!  

Excuse me, Thailand is NOT a BANANA Republic ………………………

SORRY YOU ARE WRONG.................

This is the “Kingdom of Thailand”

NOT A REPUBLIC

Kan,

I think he was implying that the decision was "worthy" of a banana republic, NOT that LoS is one.

[LPCustom69]

Closed hospitals and porous borders don't add up to investment fever. But at leas someone finally made the right decision.

:cool:

[buasaard]

In countries ruled by strong men, often ministry and other politicians tend to overdo.

Maybe Taksin said he wants everything spic and span during the APEC, and some "brilliant mind" thought to close hospitals.

It's like Thomas Becket's murder, when King Henry VIII said "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest" and four knights

went immediately to "obey to his will".

[Bud Zumwalt]

???

I told GW, my friend the Bush, that while over for the APEC, we will be using Bangkok Hospital, they are private and have a great International Division, should GW feel sick. Since he is new in Bangkok, he said tell em to close all the government hopsitals, I don't want to die I must stay alive, the American people need me to keep them all unemployed, at war, and cut their medical benefits.

Bud

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Bud's back                            

[Edward B]

yeah, I noticed.