Injured Man Dies After Bangkok Cop Tells Ambulance To Move

[webfact]

Injured man dies after cop tells ambulance to move
THE NATION


A screen grab from a video clip that went viral on Facebook shows a traffic policeman apparently ordering medics to clear away as they try to revive an accident victim.

BANGKOK: -- A man seriously injured in a motorcycle accident yesterday died shortly after medics attending to him were ordered by a police officer to move their ambulance to ease a traffic jam, according to a Facebook complaint that linked to a widely viewed video.

After the complaint including photos and a video clip of the incident was posted on RKU News' Facebook page yesterday, Metropolitan Police deputy chief Police Maj-General Worasak Noppasittiporn, who is responsible for traffic, wrote on his own Facebook page that the incident occurred in an area under Min Buri Police Station's responsibility.

The complaint alleged that the man crashed his motorcycle into an electric post opposite the Big C supermarket's Romklao branch at 9.08am. An emergency-medical-services team from Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital attended the accident scene, and found that the man was unconscious.

An unidentified police officer told them via walkie-talkie that they should move the injured man and their ambulance away as it was blocking traffic. The medics continued to help the man.

After that, a policeman rode up on his motorcycle to tell them to move their ambulance 100 metres from the scene to ease the traffic jam. The man was confirmed dead at 9.35am.


-- The Nation 2013-06-06

[sjjmmi]

Amazing Thailand and the BIB

[Unkomoncents]

Good thing there's video evidence so that this can't be denied. To protect, and serve (their own interests). This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious. RIP to the injured and now deceased man.

[rkidlad]

There needs to be more awareness of how important it is to move out of the way of an ambulance when its sirens are on. The ambulance should always have priority when moving through traffic. If there was more awareness of this, I doubt the police officer in question would have been so stupid and heartless.

It's amazing how inconsiderate people can be for some, but how respectful they can be for others.

[Payboy]

a policeman rode up on his motorcycle

The surprising thing is that the BiB actually left his air conditioned box to do something about the traffic.

[CelticBhoy]

Fine job as usual by Plod. They really are beyond useless.

[krisb]

I don't believe this. As if.

[krisb]

According to a Facebook complaint? Ridiculous.

[jalansanitwong]

If it had been a hi-so person driving a Benz it would of been a different matter no doubt.

Life is cheap in Asia expecially if youre not rich.

[gemini81]

I don't believe this. As if.

It can be seen there's little respect for ambulances, and traffic doesn't give way here.

[jackr]

This is ultimately why I left Thailand. Beautiful country but you can't raise a family in a place where you can't expect the police to put the safety of others first, especially when the proper course of action is so obvious.

Think I'm headed that way... gets tiring after many years. One would like to read they ignored the jerk off and saved someone's life, but the reality is, if they had have proceeded, there is every chance it would have drawn its pistol!

[Curt1591]

There needs to be more awareness of how important it is to move out of the way of an ambulance when its sirens are on.

Is there a Thai word for "awareness"?

[CelticBhoy]

All Plods are self-serving, money-hungry half-wits. End of story.

[retell]

I don't believe this. As if.

It can be seen there's little respect for ambulances, and traffic doesn't give way here.

maybe the ambulances should be in a converted leopard tank not give way , we will see about that and offcourse the drivers of the car pay for their own damage or they could just take an ambulance and ride through rush hour across town followed by a group of police on motorbikes giving everybode a fat ticket that is using the wrong lane (over the stripe) or making a 3 lane from a 2 lane road or not giving way to the ambulance , this followed by some primetime coverage in between soaps will get the attention

[BeforeTigers]

... and once again I say, never move to Thailand, or you will die.

When I first moved here I saw this guy get his chest blown open by an exploding gas container. He was bleeding out right there in front of my office. I jumped into lifeguard mode and simultaneously tried to instruct his friend on first aid while also arranging for a ride in a neighbor's truck... I swear on my life, the friend looked me in the eye and waved me off while literally a dozen other people just stood there and did absolutely nothing. No ambulance was called. Nothing was done to stop the bleeding. I eventually organized the truck and a makeshift stretcher just to see the guy check out right there in front of me.

I dont know if it's Buddhism, or a general lack of faith in infrastructure or what. But from that day I knew for sure, gawd forbid I ever find myself bleeding on the street with nothing but Thais around me.

Footnote: I didn't get a single acknowledgement for at least trying to do something .. but at least I now know for certain how I react in an emergency.

[frankold]

I don't believe this. As if.

It can be seen there's little respect for ambulances, and traffic doesn't give way here.

Half of the people moaning about this on facebook wouldn't give way once the guy was in the ambulance anyway.

Whenever I see/hear the lights and sirens of an ambulance approaching from behind and pull over to give way, cars behind me without fail will see it as an opportunity to overtake and not even think about giving way.

[frankold]

... and once again I say, never move to Thailand, or you will die.

When I first moved here I saw this guy get his chest blown open by an exploding gas container. He was bleeding out right there in front of my office. I jumped into lifeguard mode and simultaneously tried to instruct his friend on first aid while also arranging for a ride in a neighbor's truck... I swear on my life, the friend looked me in the eye and waved me off while literally a dozen other people just stood there and did absolutely nothing. No ambulance was called. Nothing was done to stop the bleeding. I eventually organized the truck and a makeshift stretcher just to see the guy check out right there in front of me.

I dont know if it's Buddhism, or a general lack of faith in infrastructure or what. But from that day I knew for sure, gawd forbid I ever find myself bleeding on the street with nothing but Thais around me.

Footnote: I didn't get a single acknowledgement for at least trying to do something .. but at least I now know for certain how I react in an emergency.

The police do the same. Countless times I've seen people laid in the road dying, arms and legs bent backwards with blood spewing and the police stood there directing traffic around them.

[waza]

Looks like he will get the inactive post for a while.

[tominbkk]

Not in your circle of family or acquaintances? You let them die. And don't hold the door open for them either.

[NomadJoe]

There needs to be more awareness of how important it is to move out of the way of an ambulance when its sirens are on. The ambulance should always have priority when moving through traffic. If there was more awareness of this, I doubt the police officer in question would have been so stupid and heartless.

It's amazing how inconsiderate people can be for some, but how respectful they can be for others.

There also needs to be better protocols for ambulance operations. Here ambulances, will run their lights when just driving normally, not "code 3" as we would call it back home. Therefore Thai's are desensitized to them. I have seen an ambulance sit in Bangkok traffic for 30 minutes with lights and sirens on. I had to tell my own taxi driver to get out of his way.

[apalink_thailand]

I don't believe this. As if.

It can be seen there's little respect for ambulances, and traffic doesn't give way here.

This is partly the fault of ambulance drivers who often use their sirens as a ploy to get through traffic even though they may not be going to/from the scene of an emergency or carrying a critically ill patient.

[chooka]

<deleted> since when did the police have authority over ambos in a life and death situation? I have attended numerous serious incidents and accidents and we definitely can not give orders to ambo's. An ambulance attending a life threatening situation can park anywhere it bloody well likes as human life takes priority over everything. Who cares if traffic is held up if it saves a life. What the BIB should have been was diverting traffic down another route ( if possible) even if it is 1km back down the road.

I would hate to be in this coppers shoes if it was in Australia as he would be in a pile of poop and facing internal disciplinary action and lets not forget a coronial inquiry where he could be found to have contributed to the death and the civil action that may come after. If it was an Aussie ambo the copper would have been told to pull his head in and to F off.

[thaicbr]

<deleted> since when did the police have authority over ambos in a life and death situation?  I have attended numerous serious incidents and accidents and we definitely can not give orders to ambo's.  An ambulance attending a life threatening situation can park anywhere it bloody well likes as human life takes priority over everything.  Who cares if traffic is held up if it saves a life.  What the BIB should have been was diverting traffic down another route ( if possible) even if it is 1km back down the road. 

 

I would hate to be in this coppers shoes if it was in Australia as he would be in a pile of poop and facing internal disciplinary action and lets not forget a coronial inquiry where he could be found to have contributed to the death and the civil action that may come after.  If it was an Aussie ambo the copper would have been told to pull his head in and to F off. 

But here the ambulance service is private. Belonging to the hospitals or charity organizations. I'm not sure but I do not believe there is a state sponsored ambulance service like the UK or Australia.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[DocN]

Wow!

Okay...it is pretty early and I try to get my thoughts in order on this...

A cop tells an emergency crew to move an obviously immobile crash victim and the ambulance car for 100 meters , in order to ease a traffic situation that occurs on almost every road in Bangkok every single day of the year.

Did I get that right?!

And because of that delay, the crash victim died?

This policeman should not only be taken off the job immediately, he should be punished.

This is almost as if he is actively being involved in killing that guy.

I am not a native english- speaker...but that is almost man- slaughter!

What an @$$hole!

Unbelievable!

[Scott]

It's not just the policeman telling them to move the ambulance, it's the fact that the paramedics actually did it that concerns me.

[krisb]

<deleted> since when did the police have authority over ambos in a life and death situation?  I have attended numerous serious incidents and accidents and we definitely can not give orders to ambo's.  An ambulance attending a life threatening situation can park anywhere it bloody well likes as human life takes priority over everything.  Who cares if traffic is held up if it saves a life.  What the BIB should have been was diverting traffic down another route ( if possible) even if it is 1km back down the road. 

 

I would hate to be in this coppers shoes if it was in Australia as he would be in a pile of poop and facing internal disciplinary action and lets not forget a coronial inquiry where he could be found to have contributed to the death and the civil action that may come after.  If it was an Aussie ambo the copper would have been told to pull his head in and to F off. 

When you say we have attended numerous accidents, what is it you do in Thailand ?

[CrisRMenumate]

no-one should be amazed or surprised. The flow of the traffic especially if there could be a "Nai" or "Pooyai" nearby or coming through on their way to a shopping mall, is more important to Plod than the life of someone, especially if they are not a "Nai" or "Pooyai"... and average Thai perpetuate this by bowing and scraping in front of these "Nai" and "Pooyai"... the constitution says you are all equal, but like "Napoleon" said, "All Animals are created equal, but some Animals are more equal than others"... Four legs good, two legs better...!!!

[chooka]

<deleted> since when did the police have authority over ambos in a life and death situation? I have attended numerous serious incidents and accidents and we definitely can not give orders to ambo's. An ambulance attending a life threatening situation can park anywhere it bloody well likes as human life takes priority over everything. Who cares if traffic is held up if it saves a life. What the BIB should have been was diverting traffic down another route ( if possible) even if it is 1km back down the road.

I would hate to be in this coppers shoes if it was in Australia as he would be in a pile of poop and facing internal disciplinary action and lets not forget a coronial inquiry where he could be found to have contributed to the death and the civil action that may come after. If it was an Aussie ambo the copper would have been told to pull his head in and to F off.

When you say we have attended numerous accidents, what is it you do in Thailand ?

I mean we as an Aussie copper. I did actually say I have attended.

Edited June 6, 2013 by chooka

[moe666]

... and once again I say, never move to Thailand, or you will die.

When I first moved here I saw this guy get his chest blown open by an exploding gas container. He was bleeding out right there in front of my office. I jumped into lifeguard mode and simultaneously tried to instruct his friend on first aid while also arranging for a ride in a neighbor's truck... I swear on my life, the friend looked me in the eye and waved me off while literally a dozen other people just stood there and did absolutely nothing. No ambulance was called. Nothing was done to stop the bleeding. I eventually organized the truck and a makeshift stretcher just to see the guy check out right there in front of me.

I dont know if it's Buddhism, or a general lack of faith in infrastructure or what. But from that day I knew for sure, gawd forbid I ever find myself bleeding on the street with nothing but Thais around me.

Footnote: I didn't get a single acknowledgement for at least trying to do something .. but at least I now know for certain how I react in an emergency.

Sorry to dispute you but last week I was in a motorcycle wreck a truck driver and his wife came to my assistance as well as a Dr. from a local hospital. I wasn't bleeding out or unable to walk but these people were concerned about my well being and did help me. I guess it all depends on the Thais who are present as opposed to painting the entire country with a big brush

[petedk]

Not in your circle of family or acquaintances?  You let them die.  And don't hold the door open for them either.

You hit the nail on the head. Thais just don't care as long as it's not their family or friends.

I have heard this and seen examples of it many times.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app