Koh Hang Wild Dogs Attacking People

[cloghead]

Last week a Spanish friend got attacked from behind and bitten seriously for no reason. It was in the night, he was just walking on the road at Lonely Beach heading to a shop to buy some beer.

He had to be rushed to the Bangkok hospital. Cost of everything 40,000 baht!!!

So maybe it is a good enough business that the authorities don't want to stop?

Well sh*t...it appears Koh Chang's best-kept secret is out

The wild dog mafia has had a sweet deal going with Bangkok KC Hospital for a few years now and it was very lucrative for both groups

And your friend should count himself lucky that he got out for only 40,000 baht. Sounds like the hospital is (maybe) losing it's mojo...

[bentarm44]

Cloghead, you one clever dog. Silver Jazz, blacked out windows; bring it.

[daveyravey]

Hi Guys.

Breaking news.............

I just got back home from 3 days diving on Koh Chang and the only agressive dogs i saw were working at a bar in Whitesands.

They looked aggressive and i feared they might bite.

DaveyRavey didnt hang about, but some looked Rabied.

Over and out.

[grumpyoldman]

Squirt bottle with a vinegar and spicy red chili powder solution to the face of the dog will cease the problem.

If you want to be especially nasty, bleach.

[buck99]

As a bicycle rider in Pattaya, the Soi dogs take great interest in my ankles and often give chase. A few years ago when living in the Philippines, my housekeeper's brother was bitten by a dog and died a horrible death from rabies. I visited him in the hospital but by then it was to late to do anything. Once the symptoms appear rabies is fatal. Since then I have exercised care around street dogs.

I did some research on the internet and found the following sobering information:

97% of the transmission of rabies is from dog to man.

55,000 people die world wide from rabies and that number is probably under reported as most cases are in rural areas.

31,000 people in Asia die each year with #1 India #2 Vietnam #3 Thailand

About 10 million dogs in Thailand

About 1 million dogs in Bangkok

An estimated 3% to 10% if the dogs in Bangkok have the rabies virus (US National Library of Medicine and Canadian Medical Association Journal)

About 200 deaths occur in Thailand each year from rabies

About 400,000 people in Thailand are given post exposure rabies treatment. (Rabies 120 years After Pasteur)

12 of every 1,000 travelers to Thailand are bitten by dogs with only 37% getting post exposure treatment in Thailand.

Cost for pre exposure vaccine in Thailand is about 6,500 baht (3 shots)

I could not find the cost for post exposure treatment in Thailand but in the USA it's $1,500 USD (46,500 baht)

On Youtube there is a short 3 part series on rabies called "Rabies 120 years After Pasteur". Thailand's rabies problem is discussed.

[Tywais]

I could not find the cost for post exposure treatment in Thailand but in the USA it's $1,500 USD (46,500 baht)

From this topic, members have paid between 300 and 590 baht/injection. This site shows 353 Baht ++

[buck99]

"From this topic, members have paid between 300 and 590 baht/injection. This site shows 353 Baht ++"

I saw this schedule but think its pre-exposure injection but I don't know for sure. I do know if I do get bit, I really don't care what the price is - I will get the post exposure treatment.

[bentarm44]

Hi Guys.

Breaking news.............

I just got back home from 3 days diving on Koh Chang and the only agressive dogs i saw were working at a bar in Whitesands.

They looked aggressive and i feared they might bite.

DaveyRavey didnt hang about, but some looked Rabied.

Over and out.

Nice one daveyravey. Those dogs also get more aggressive during low season; as they are not fed as often.

Their bark may be worse than their bite, but why take the risk.

[BugJackBaron]

More ideas:

Protect ankles with a good pair of Merril workboots + tough rubber pants. . Problem, solved?

How about that

old ad on Pattaya People TV "Dogs away" - besically a high pitched whistle inaudible to us

Do they still sell these?

[cloghead]

Cloghead, you one clever dog. Silver Jazz, blacked out windows; bring it.

Oy vey! Now you've identified your vehicle. You're making it too easy for us. Howz about a license plate # ???

And the Bangkok Koh Chang Hospital's motto is "let no Farang exit our doors unless he/she has been stuck for a minimum of 75,000 Baht"...

[mrtoad]

Cloghead, you one clever dog. Silver Jazz, blacked out windows; bring it.

Oy vey! Now you've identified your vehicle. You're making it too easy for us. Howz about a license plate # ???

And the Bangkok Koh Chang Hospital's motto is "let no Farang exit our doors unless he/she has been stuck for a minimum of 75,000 Baht"...

Koh Chang International Clinic is expensive, if you are a tourist. If you are here with a work visa, or retirement visa etc, then you'll pay Thai Price. Still actually cheaper to go to their main hospital in Trat though. Think Doc consulation for a tourist is 4,000 baht straight up; so ti can be an expensive trip in that clinic.

Not sure what the cost of the rabies jabs are, but I think 45,000 seems a bit excessive.

[wilcopops]

If this is all regarding the dogs chasing the motorbikes you guys all misunderstand the dogs and mistake them for aggressive. They don't want anything from you, they want your motorbike. For them it's like a game.

If you speed up in this situation you only encourage them. As faster you go as more fun it is for the dogs as it is like a challenge for them and they want to go to their limit. This can look aggressive but you don't need to be scared. They might bite your motorbike but not you.

Now the simple trick is to not speed up. In most cases it already helps to simply slow down so it becomes boring. If not enough, stop your motorbike, spread your arms to look bigger and shout at them. They'll go away. Then you can safely go on. If they come again, just repeat the whole thing. Try it next time and you'll see it works.

What an astoundingly stupid post! - If you are riding a bike and a dog suddenly runs out at you - it good be a life endangering situation and you certainly aren't going to think "Well I wonder if this is really my fault" "No worries it's my bike they're after not me" - if the OP hadn't noticed there is someone sitting on the bike who really doesn't want to get off!

Dogs that behave this way have to be dealt with - they are a danger to human life and as such if they can't be restrained should be put down.

[Peeete]

There's nothing stupid about it, it is just as simple as I wrote. If you speed up, the dog will speed up too as you encourage his hunting instinct.

The dogs accelerate faster than your motorbike, especially when 2 people are on it. The speeding up and trying to get away part is actually where the danger is as people might panic and eventually crash the bike on high speed. During the chase the dog might try to bite your motorbike, which you're a part of so it might as well be your leg instead of the wheel or frame (I think this part was a bit unclear in my first post).

As soon as you slow down or stop, the dog will lose his interest and look for something else to chase. It is not its' intend to bite you, it's its' is intend to chase the bike.

I do agree that the dogs hunting motorbikes can cause dangerous situations but that's because people react wrongly.

Crying around that all dogs should be taken down doesn't help at all as it won't happen here in Thailand. I'd rather call this stupid than spreading information that really can help to avoid a dangerous situation.

I'm living in Thailand since almost 10 years. I've been to many islands, I was living in pattaya for a long time, now I'm on koh chang since more than a year. I always drove a motorbike and I've been chased by dogs countless of times.

At the beginning I always made the same mistake of speeding up which has caused some dangerous situations but luckily no crash. Since someone told me to stop instead it works every single time where ever I am. I'm doing it since many years now and I've yet to get bitten by a dog.

[impulse]

Cost for rabies shots in Bumrungrad was extremely reasonable. I would imagine it's even cheaper at local hospitals. And they're painless. If you get tagged by any animal, get the shots.

I got tagged by a neighbor's $20,000 (they claimed) Siberian Mastiff in China. My fault as I had not seen the dog in a few months and it had grown from a friendly pup to a nasty, viscous yard dog. I reached over the fence to pet it like I had many times before, and it's lucky I had on winter clothes because it could have taken my arm off.

Went to a clinic for expats and they quoted me over $2000 for rabies and gamma globulin (I think) shots. They wouldn't give me just the rabies shots without the rest of the treatment. I politely declined and set off the for local clinic that treats dog bites. They charged me about $15 for the first of 3 shots. Went back to Bangkok and got the 2nd and 3rd shots in Bumrungrad. I don't remember the exact cost, but it was less than 3000 baht each, and probably less than 1500 baht. And no muss, no fuss.

I watched the family of a 7-8 year old kid in a Chinese hospital hold a vigil for him because they got him treated too late. It was tragic watching him linger and then die, and his family grieve. I wouldn't wish that on any family.

[bentarm44]

Cloghead, you one clever dog. Silver Jazz, blacked out windows; bring it.

Oy vey! Now you've identified your vehicle. You're making it too easy for us. Howz about a license plate # ???

And the Bangkok Koh Chang Hospital's motto is "let no Farang exit our doors unless he/she has been stuck for a minimum of 75,000 Baht"...

Koh Chang International Clinic is expensive, if you are a tourist. If you are here with a work visa, or retirement visa etc, then you'll pay Thai Price. Still actually cheaper to go to their main hospital in Trat though. Think Doc consulation for a tourist is 4,000 baht straight up; so ti can be an expensive trip in that clinic.

Not sure what the cost of the rabies jabs are, but I think 45,000 seems a bit excessive.

I fear we are straying off topic here, and I really don't want to turn yet another thread into a pissing contest..................

BUT

In June this year I attended the Bangkok Hospital International Clinic on Koh Chang for a routine follow-up chest x-ray and physical examination. I left after 1.5 hours with copy of x-ray and satisfactory advice from the very good English speaking female Thai doctor who saw me. I am a regular customer of this hospital group, and I handed the koh chang clinic my full 5 year Thai driving licence for them to gain my name and address from. No work permit, or visa extension for reason of retirement in the picture.

My main treatment has been carried out at the Bangkok Hospital in Korat Town, where I have (very sadly) now spent over 200,000 TB.

The charge for the services at the Koh Chang clinic was 1,100 TB; which was an absolute bargain. The fact that the doctor could speak proper English, and actually had the time to satisfy all my concerns; was a definite step up from what I have had to endure in the full Hospital in Korat.

Just saying, is all.

If a dog bites me it's goin to be a toss up who gets the worse disease; boom boom!

[Asiantravel]

More ideas:

Protect ankles with a good pair of Merril workboots + tough rubber pants. . Problem, solved?

How about that

old ad on Pattaya People TV "Dogs away" - besically a high pitched whistle inaudible to us

Do they still sell these?

I am a dog lover also so I don't like to harm dogs unless it becomes a case of him or me. I was reading about this product. Has anybody ever heard of it? I would like to buy one if I know it actually works.

http://www.dazer.com/dog-deterrent.jsp

[zyphodb]

I could not find the cost for post exposure treatment in Thailand but in the USA it's $1,500 USD (46,500 baht)

From this topic, members have paid between 300 and 590 baht/injection. This site shows 353 Baht ++

I had post exposure rabies jabs about 3 months ago after being bitten, cost was 450bht for each of 5 jabs from a government hospital, cheaper than the first world but still a tidy sum... Thai children get then free BTW dunno about thai adults...

[zyphodb]

Cloghead, you one clever dog. Silver Jazz, blacked out windows; bring it.

Oy vey! Now you've identified your vehicle. You're making it too easy for us. Howz about a license plate # ??? alt=tongue.png>

And the Bangkok Koh Chang Hospital's motto is "let no Farang exit our doors unless he/she has been stuck for a minimum of 75,000 Baht"...

Koh Chang International Clinic is expensive, if you are a tourist. If you are here with a work visa, or retirement visa etc, then you'll pay Thai Price. Still actually cheaper to go to their main hospital in Trat though. Think Doc consulation for a tourist is 4,000 baht straight up; so ti can be an expensive trip in that clinic.

Not sure what the cost of the rabies jabs are, but I think 45,000 seems a bit excessive.

Is there no Government hospital in Trat??? 4000 bht to see a doctor is outrageous.... I'd like to know as a Thailand resident, when I come South for some sea/beach. if there isn't I won't be going to the islands off of Trat again, which would be a shame as they are some of the closest to me as well as some of the nicest...

[cloghead]

There are government hospitals in Trat Muang and on Koh Chang--on the NE coast at Dan Mai...

[mrtoad]

Cloghead, you one clever dog. Silver Jazz, blacked out windows; bring it.

Oy vey! Now you've identified your vehicle. You're making it too easy for us. Howz about a license plate # ??? alt=tongue.png>

And the Bangkok Koh Chang Hospital's motto is "let no Farang exit our doors unless he/she has been stuck for a minimum of 75,000 Baht"...

Koh Chang International Clinic is expensive, if you are a tourist. If you are here with a work visa, or retirement visa etc, then you'll pay Thai Price. Still actually cheaper to go to their main hospital in Trat though. Think Doc consulation for a tourist is 4,000 baht straight up; so ti can be an expensive trip in that clinic.

Not sure what the cost of the rabies jabs are, but I think 45,000 seems a bit excessive.

Is there no Government hospital in Trat??? 4000 bht to see a doctor is outrageous.... I'd like to know as a Thailand resident, when I come South for some sea/beach. if there isn't I won't be going to the islands off of Trat again, which would be a shame as they are some of the closest to me as well as some of the nicest...

If you are a resident with a non immigrant Visa or a WP then you'll pay the standard 200 baht.

There is as mentioned a Governemnt hospital on the island of Koh Chang, and larger hospital in Trat. There are also several government clinics on Koh Chnag at Bang Bao and Klong Phrao, and it looks like there may be a new private clininc opening between Klong Phrao and Chai Chet.

[robkey69]

Nothing a few well placed buckets of anti-freeze wouldn't fix...I have seen packs of dogs running the streets early morning in my development by Payoon Beach.....Since Thai's have no animal control I would have no problem fixing a dangerous situation like packs of dogs.

[bentarm44]

With another "high season" just around the corner, the "stray" dogs are still on the increase. I recently had one try and jump up on the table I was eating from. Fortunately for all involved, one of the so called "workers" at the outdoor restaurant seemed to own the mutt; and removed it.

No attempt at apology, and there seemed to be some amusement at the event too.

Hard to say which animal is to blame, or is of higher quality, here.

[davetrout]

run them down like dogs

[bentarm44]

run them down like dogs

you and me both dave,

and the "them"

refers to..........................?

[davetrout]

night time really bad

[marko kok prong]

its a problem all over Thailand,many times i have been menaced by soi dogs walking back from the bar in our small village here,in central thailand,daytime no problem ,but after dark they seem to change,also agressive, early in the morning,i never walk without a big stick now,they can sense your fear,so you have to me more aggresive,but worse than this was when i was nearly attacked by a large dog in the local town,the owner and other thai's seemed to enjoy it and laughed,of course probably my fault for being in Thailand!

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.

[ToddinChonburi]

Yes stopping and facing the dog does work, Getting large and loud and standing your ground. make eye contact, the leader of the pack is the one that will confront you. Do not back down !!! you are bigger than them and they know this. They will eventually back off.

I have had a few run in with the wonder puppies here in Bang Saen. I think they know me now

You are invading there territory so they want you out. When they realize you are not a threat they will leave you alone.

Good luck I do like the meshetti idea. Lol

[Gumballl]

If this is all regarding the dogs chasing the motorbikes you guys all misunderstand the dogs and mistake them for aggressive. They don't want anything from you, they want your motorbike. For them it's like a game.

If you speed up in this situation you only encourage them. As faster you go as more fun it is for the dogs as it is like a challenge for them and they want to go to their limit. This can look aggressive but you don't need to be scared. They might bite your motorbike but not you.

Now the simple trick is to not speed up. In most cases it already helps to simply slow down so it becomes boring. If not enough, stop your motorbike, spread your arms to look bigger and shout at them. They'll go away. Then you can safely go on. If they come again, just repeat the whole thing. Try it next time and you'll see it works.

Or you could just whack the damn dogs with a big stick.

Or, perhaps someone could wheel you into the neighborhood, drop you off, and then come back in 10 minutes to see if you are alright/alive.

[mrtoad]

Still far too many stray dogs around. A cull would be a good start.