FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Suvarnabhumi denies prohibiting ambulance from entering airport

Suvarnabhumi denies prohibiting ambulance from entering airport

Suvarnabhumi Airport announced on Tuesday that ambulances of both hospitals and foundations under the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) can enter the airport at any time to pick up emergency patients.

The airport was responding to a viral post on social media by Facebook user “Tuktik Kon Chiang Nua”, who claimed the airport did not allow an ambulance he had called in to pick up his father, a taxi driver who suffered a sudden shock while dropping off passengers at the airport.

The taxi driver reportedly died soon after due to lack of oxygen supply to his brain.

“I had called NIEM via their hotline 1669 to pick up my father, but Suvarnabhumi officials said the airport was not under NIEM jurisdiction and all emergency cases must be handled by a private hospital located at the airport,” wrote Tuktik in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“Waiting for an airport emergency unit to arrive resulted in delayed treatment for my father, and we lost him before he could reach the nearest Sirindhorn Hospital. Later, the emergency team charged me 13,000 baht for the ambulance and medical fees despite the fact that the ambulance service via 1669 is free.”

In its announcement, the airport said an investigation revealed that the incident took place on April 25 at around 7.40pm when airport security officials had been alerted that a taxi driver had suffered a seizure on the road outside Gate 6 of Passenger Terminal 4.

“Officials then contacted the emergency medical team at Samitivej Suvarnabhumi Clinic located inside the airport to help the patient. After providing preliminary aid the team decided to use its ambulance to transport him to Sirindhorn Hospital, which is the closest public hospital and has equipment for his treatment,” said the announcement.

“Suvarnabhumi Airport did not restrict any NIEM ambulance,” the airport insisted. “In the past there have been several incidents where ambulances from hospitals and foundations have entered the airport to pick up patients suffering from accidents or acute illness,” it added.

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