Hospital in Bangkok under gun attack

[Thai at Heart]

Why does a hospital even appear to take sides?

[Bangmod]

There's only one explanation why they missed.

Chalerm told them to, being afraid the stash of ear drops might got hit.

A cowards deed to attack a hospital, and it's not the first time the medical institutions are the victim of redshirt aggressors.

[Lite Beer]

Shot fired into Chaeng Wattana Hospital
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Violence has continued in protest areas in Bangkok, with a privately run hospital the latest target in a shooting attack.

The attack on Mongkut Wattana General Hospital on Friday night drew condemnation from the hospital's director, the ruling Pheu Thai Party and medical personnel from the Public Health Ministry.

Unknown assailants shot at the hospital at about 8pm but no one was injured.

The hospital is located on Chaeng Wattana Road, just opposite an anti-government protest site led by Buddhist monk Phra Buddha Issara, who is a leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

Mongkut Wattana director Dr Rienthong Nanna, who is known to sympathise with the protesters, said hospitals had never been targets of attack - even during the world wars and other battles.

"The hospital has treated not only anti-government protesters but also their opponents without any discrimination," he said on his Facebook page.

"The hospital has employees who both support and oppose the protests yet are able to work harmoniously together."

Rienthong said, however, that he would not file a complaint with police because he did not have confidence and trust in the caretaker government.

He wants Army units deployed in the Chaeng Wattana area to guard the hospital.

The doctor, who holds the rank of an Army major-general, posted a photo of a hole in the hospital that he said was caused by a bullet.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai Party spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard said the ruling party condemned the attack. But he also criticised the hospital's director for saying that he had no confidence in the government.

Dr Prachumporn Booncharoen, representing a group of public health personnel called the Thai Health Network, said the attack was unacceptable.

She added that the Thai Health Network would hold a press conference to formally condemn the culprits.

There were also more attacks on the Chaeng Wattana protest site early yesterday, with shots fired into the area at about 2am.

Buddha Issara said two assailants travelling in a car fired shots into the site, injuring a man.

He said security guards managed to catch one of the assailants, who was assaulted by the guards.

The guards seized the vehicle the men were travelling in and claimed to have found a home-made bomb inside it.

Police are questioning the man caught by the guards.

The injured man was taken to Siriraj Hospital, the Erawan Medical Service Centre said.

Since the anti-government protest began in November, over 20 people have been killed and 729 injured in Bangkok, and 16 are still in hospital, it said.

-- The Nation 2014-03-09

[pisico]

This story certainly puts the BBC report today in perspective;

Some of Thailand's biggest companies have staked large amounts of money on the PDRC succeeding in its bid to oust the Shinawatra clan. They, and every other party that has backed a protest movement that turned into an insurrection, fear retribution from the pro-Thaksin camp if they fail.

Most of your posts make sense. But this one. What the above quoted post has got to do with the attack on hospital in Bangkok?

Anyway it was another cowardly and despicable attack. It doesn't surprise in the slightest. I still remember with disgust how red shirts/UDD defenders of 'democracy' treated patients and staff at Chula Hospital in 2010.

Recently, we read a story on how a UDD supporter was refused treatment at a hospital. At the time, I pointed out that hospitals don't have the security to control groups fighting each other and that sometimes it is for the safety of all patients that some non critical cases be turned away. I also mentioned that the private sector hospitals, the for profit hospitals, do not want expanded public hospital services and are acting to protect their own business operations. The private hospital sector for the most part does not support the PTP because the PTP has long wanted to expand the role of public health care.

This story illustrates the support that some private health care businesses have given to the anti government protestors. If the PTP is replaced by a political group more private health care friendly, then the private health care profits are protected. I do not support violence. However, the alleged attack on a private business that has been vocal in its support of the ouster of the government and has actively supported the protest movement, is an attack on the business and not on the hospital per se.

I do wonder if this was a faked incident, but a violent incident by a hothead would not surprise me. There are a lot of idiots walking around with firearms. A hospital should not be actively supporting violent protestors. It certainly has every right to advocate on behalf of its own vested business interest. Unfortunately, the hospital has become a center for political activity and not a hospital. It is similar to people complaining when a sniper takes up a position in a church spire or a mosque minaret and the target of the sniper returns fire damaging the building. The hospital has served as a convenient "shelter" for anti government protestors, some of whom are not in need of medical care. The hospital opened itself up to counter protests when it went beyond simply advocating a position, to becoming an active participant in the protests.

Kudos to you!

Objectivity and sound logic permeates your comment/explanation of facts. BUT...Careful!!!

The TV netizens cannot digest much impartial thinking. They need to hear you agreeing with them, specially the yellow and anti-Thaksinistas who interestingly enough were never financially affected by the shenanigans of his tenure. They identify the Thai misnomer Democrats (who refused to participate in a democratic election as spoiled brats) with the political allegiances they left behind whence they came from.

Well... TIT and TITV

[craigt3365]

A number of off topic and bickering posts have been removed from view. Please stay on topic.

[JRSoul]

Kudos to you!

Objectivity and sound logic permeates your comment/explanation of facts. BUT...Careful!!!

The TV netizens cannot digest much impartial thinking. They need to hear you agreeing with them, specially the yellow and anti-Thaksinistas who interestingly enough were never financially affected by the shenanigans of his tenure. They identify the Thai misnomer Democrats (who refused to participate in a democratic election as spoiled brats) with the political allegiances they left behind whence they came from.

Well... TIT and TITV

".....were never financially affected by the shenanigans of his tenure."

How did/does Thaksin's avoiding taxes and stealing government revenue NOT financially affect those living and raising families here?

Edited March 9, 2014 by JRSoul

[Mackie]

I just don't get it.

I know the hospital near the visa center. Always full. Aging kit but good doctors.

My wife prefers to go there rather than Bumrungrad as she was treated like an inferior being there.

It's all about class really and treating with contempt the poor, the northerners.

I pity the poor fools who married into thai "class."

And you don't pity the poor fools who married into Isaan/Northeast bar girl and massage parlour culture? And the rest of you stop that nonsense about treating poor with the contempt. I've already told you numerous times. Stop taking advantage of gullible Thais (their money in particular) go back to the USA and the UK and continue your fight for injustice and poverty there.

The gap between poor and rich in the USA/UK is considerably higher than in Thailand, the poor are treated with even bigger contempt in the USA/UK than in Thailand, the US/UK medical/pharmaceutical industry is all about money and profit - they don't give monkeys about poor so once again, go home and preach the gospel there. Of course, it's easier to sit in Thailand and fool Thais with demagogy and empty words devoid of any substance instead of growing some balls and fixing the problems back home.