Thread: 20% of Emergency Patients Die In Traffic

I am in my car I come first... Something I have never been able to comprehend.
20% of emergency patients die in traffic

BKK POST
News > General

• 16 Jan 2017 at 16:02 28 viewed0 comments
• WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

About 20% of emergency patients die on the way to hospitals because the ambulances taking them are stuck in traffic or some vehicles ignore to give way to them, National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) secretary-general Anucha Sethasathian said.
Dr Anucha revealed the institute's statistics on Monday after a video clip -- which showed a pick-up truck refusing to give way to an ambulance which was rushing patients to a hospital in Chiang Mai -- went viral in social media.
He said the statistics indicated traffic problems caused about 20% of the deaths of emergency patients while on the way to hospitals.
They also showed some people did not understand that they should give the right of way to an ambulance rushing to a hospital.
Everyone should be aware that one second could mean life or death for patients in need of medical care, Dr Anucha said.
He said motorists should not raise any doubts on seeing an ambulance whether it is really taking a patient to a hospital. Instead, they should raise their own awareness and learn to give way to an ambulance without being required to do so by a law.
Dr Anucha said most of the patients in ambulances had a heart disease, high-blood pressure and critical diabetic symptoms, or sustained injuries from violent accidents.

That was the only traffic ticket I ever enjoyed writing as cop; not clearing the way for an ambulance, paramedic or fire vehicle. I could write those all day long.

The selfishness and stupidity here grinds one down; it hasn't and won't ever change.

Originally Posted by BobR

That was the only traffic ticket I ever enjoyed writing as cop; not clearing the way for an ambulance, paramedic or fire vehicle. I could write those all day long.

The selfishness and stupidity here grinds one down; it hasn't and won't ever change.

Was going along Silom one morning and an ambulance was trying to get to the Bangkok Christian Hospital there, the coppers were manning the traffic and the copper on the u-turn had the traffic (and ambulance stopped about 3 cars back) as he was letting the straight traffic through.

Thought he might stop the traffic to let the ambulance do the u-turn, but no such luck.


Thais simply don't give a sheet about others. Just the way it is.

If ambulances and emergency vehicles didn't use their lights etc. unless it was a REAL emergency then it might help but the "me first" ideology is hard to combat.

Stupidity+Selfishness=Thainess

What does Anger + Inferiority Complex + Sausages = ?

Some lives could be saved if the EMS took their patients to the nearest hospital instead of heading straight to their preferred one that pays out bounties.

Those affluent motorcades have no problems getting traffic cleared ahead of them.

How about a similar system where ambulances notify upcoming traffic cops in the same way?

Obviously, it'd never happen as there's no monetary gain by giving way to emergency vehicles so why should they?

But what about all this karma bollocks they seem to be obsessed with?

I wonder when they'd realize that they can use air ambulances to get to hospitals quicker.

and where will the land the air ambulance to pick up the injured party in a BKK traffic jam? The area to land a helicopter is huge. Which hospitals then have a heliport?

^Bumrungrad does, I would think some of the other big private hospitals would too. But as you point out AO, the pick-up part would be the problem.

Originally Posted by aging one

and where will the land the air ambulance to pick up the injured party in a BKK traffic jam? The area to land a helicopter is huge. Which hospitals then have a heliport?

They can prolly set-up landing sites in key areas. Should cut the travel time effectively.... Might save some lives.

How would they decide who gets saved by this air ambulance, or if it's worth their while launching it?

I very much doubt it'd be government funded

Just another traffic law that is not enforced by the BIB. Not giving way to emergency vehicles is a huge fine where I come from and nobody dare obstruct them.

I will move over for any emergency vehicle flashing its lights here in Thailand.

Definitely a problem!

I was sick in Bangkok with some nasty type of flue bug, so after the first night in the Hotel the receptionist is asked where's the nearest doctor. "No worry I send Doctor to your room."
Stay in my room and there's a knock on the door, with an ambulance crew with a streacher to collect me. " I'm sick, but not that sick"
So I go with the flow and walk down to the ambulance and get a non blue light ride to the hospital.
That was a block away.
Saw a doctor and got a bag of different pills and walked back to the hotel.
I've been in an ambulance in Bkk and lived to tell the tale.

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

How would they decide who gets saved by this air ambulance, or if it's worth their while launching it?

I very much doubt it'd be government funded

Restrictions/Guidelines should sort it out....

Helicopters don't get on very well with overhead electrical power cables.

Thailand doesn't have ambulances; it has meat wagons.

Air ambulances cost the government money, which is better used paying for aircraft carriers, blimps and foreign cars.

Would not be difficult to mount cameras on the front of ambulances and have the police mail tickets to the registered owners of vehicles that fail to yield. In severe or deliberate cases (like the one last week) they might even impound and forfeit the offending vehicle or jail the driver.

Some real hiso will have to die needlessly before anything will be done.

Bob, jail is too harsh and the ticket idea is much more realistic. Once the public were to start receiving monetary fines for not yielding as they should, they will get the idea as they would for driving at night without tail lights, driving up the wrong side of the road, driving through red lights, not using turn signals, tailgating and many other dangerous road maneuvers. Of course this would all take effort by the BIB which I don't see happening.

Nothing will change until road rules are enforced by someone. That someone has not shown up yet.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Bob, jail is too harsh and the ticket idea is much more realistic. Once the public were to start receiving monetary fines for not yielding as they should, they will get the idea as they would for driving at night without tail lights, driving up the wrong side of the road, driving through red lights, not using turn signals, tailgating and many other dangerous road maneuvers. Of course this would all take effort by the BIB which I don't see happening.

Nothing will change until road rules are enforced by someone. That someone has not shown up yet.

The "public" have been receiving monetary fines for not wearing helmets for years now, still hasn't got through!

AS you so rightly state nothing will change until the rules are "enforced"

It would help also if 'ambulances" were regulated (555!) as now you don't know if they are genuine or just "body snatchers" out to make a $

Here in Udon, the locals know when the police are enforcing the helmet law, which is usually only one day a week. That will never solve anything since it should be enforced every day. The police are everywhere in town, but rarely enforce the helmet law. I think if that law were enforced all the time, things would be different and many lives saved.

Again, it takes some effort by the authorities which just doesn't seem to be present.

^ I agree to some extent regarding the helmet laws, crash helmets are not magical items that save people, they help for sure IF they are decent quality and built to a "standard", not cheaply! The majority of helmets worn in Thailand afford no protection!
The downside to wearing a crash helmet is they increase the chances of neck injuries vastly!! maybe Thai folks know this?
I have been in Thailand nearly 30 years now, despite all the lip service given to Policing, there has been no improvement whatsoever, nor do I ever expect to see any with the present mindset.............