Due to the critical shortage of hospital beds in and around Bangkok, several provinces have announced their readiness to accept their infected natives, who have been waiting for empty beds in Bangkok and its vicinities, for medical treatment.
Notices were separately posted on the webpages of Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Phetchabun, Lampang, Phitsanulok, Sakhon Nakhon and Sisaket provinces, announcing that any COVID-19 infected patients, who are natives of those provinces and are waiting to be admitted into hospitals, can contact their respective provinces if they want to return home for medical treatment.
“Welcome Home,” reads the notice from Khao Kho district of Phetchabun, for any native people, who come from Bangkok or other Red Zone provinces and who have developed a fever, sore throat, muscle pain or who have anosmia. They should report to their community leaders, public health volunteers or health officials so they will get treatment.
A notice by Khon Kaen province says that anyone who has domicile in the province and is confirmed to be infected in other provinces, but wants to receive treatment in their home province of Khon Kaen, should contact the provincial health office.
In Bangkok, a 60-year old woman, who had isolated herself from other family members by living in a tent, pitched in front of Nang Lerng police station while waiting for a hospital bed, was today sent to a hospital with the help of a charitable group.
Phuvakorn Srinian, a founding member of the Zendai group, said that the elderly woman learned about her infection on Sunday and was worried that she would infect other family members, had she remained at home while waiting to be admitted, and decided to live in a tent in front of Nang Lerng police station.
He said that many patients have asked the group to arrange for hospital beds and had isolated themselves from family members, for fear of infecting them.
To cope with the shortage of beds, in both general and field hospitals in Bangkok, the Metropolitan Administration has set up ten additional “hospitels”, with a combined capacity of more than 4,000 beds, to accommodate asymptomatic cases, in cooperation with Kasemrad and Thonburi hospitals.
