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Pattaya's shame: Foreigner leaves blood on the sidewalk


rooster59

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My first time in Bangkok my wife and I were returning (sober) to an international hotel with four in the name and apparently I was too close to the retaining wall because I broke my pinky toe in flip flops on an iron weep scupper sticking out about 4” at sidewalk level.
We were checked out with our bags being held in the lobby and a flight to catch so I knew going to a hospital or discussing liability with the hotel wasn’t very practical if I wanted to keep our itinerary.
The funny part in hindsight was learning about Thai mentality as my wife said things like, “it’s not their fault you have to be careful and watch where you’re going” and “we can go to the hospital if you want but we don’t do that in Thai,,we wait a week and see if it’s still a problem”.
Knowing our schedule and there’s not much the hospital can do I just tried to snap it back straight and deal with it. About a week later we were home to her village and it was still swollen and painful so I asked if I could see the doctor and get an X-ray.
We walked with her mother to the village clinic and waited outside until the doctor on duty came over from smoking a cigarette to take a look. He sent a nurse inside who came back with a little jar of Thai balm and said put this on and come back in a week if it’s still a problem!
Early on after that experience she answered many of my questions as a stranger in a foreign land with the simple line “you take care of you honey “.
I quickly learned she was serious and was giving good advice to live by here. So far I’ve only had a broken pinky toe.

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1 hour ago, zoza said:

according to the latest on the soi Buchow grapevine a heart attack victim

who was rushed to one of our more expensive hospitals due to his collapse

a few weeks back was put on ICU , and I was told when he was visited he

was stone cold and no sign of life, but they kept him wired up and only after a phone call from family in UK, they unplugged him....total bill for 36

hours...700,000 baht ,so at least this old chap was conscious, and would be able to sign himself out..... before he was bankrupted.

I hope the old chap has a speedy recovery.

I will get an update on this story tomorrow. 

That is exactly the same that happened to a member of my staff nearly twenty years ago.

She was in hospital and her condition worsened dramatically. She was brain-dead but being kept alive by machine.

Family up-country was informed and knew their daughter was beyond all hope. They rushed to the hospital, who only then would switch the machine off and presented them with a bill for it. They wouldn't release the body until the bill was paid either.

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5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

What image would that be ?, if that happened in the West

you could sue the local authority,here you have to get yourself

to the hospital and pay the bill ,unless you are Chinese of course.

regards Worgeordie

And face possible legal actions against you for causing those at fault to loose face?! I have found Thais very responsive with 1669 emergency service though....

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My first time in Bangkok my wife and I were returning (sober) to an international hotel with four in the name and apparently I was too close to the retaining wall because I broke my pinky toe in flip flops on an iron weep scupper sticking out about 4” at sidewalk level.
We were checked out with our bags being held in the lobby and a flight to catch so I knew going to a hospital or discussing liability with the hotel wasn’t very practical if I wanted to keep our itinerary.
The funny part in hindsight was learning about Thai mentality as my wife said things like, “it’s not their fault you have to be careful and watch where you’re going” and “we can go to the hospital if you want but we don’t do that in Thai,,we wait a week and see if it’s still a problem”.
Knowing our schedule and there’s not much the hospital can do I just tried to snap it back straight and deal with it. About a week later we were home to her village and it was still swollen and painful so I asked if I could see the doctor and get an X-ray.
We walked with her mother to the village clinic and waited outside until the doctor on duty came over from smoking a cigarette to take a look. He sent a nurse inside who came back with a little jar of Thai balm and said put this on and come back in a week if it’s still a problem!
Early on after that experience she answered many of my questions as a stranger in a foreign land with the simple line “you take care of you honey “.
I quickly learned she was serious and was giving good advice to live by here. So far I’ve only had a broken pinky toe.
Thats why I always wear my DR Martins steel toe cap shoes.
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So the restaurant staff must have been aware of this obstacle. A simple cone over the obstacle would have been a good idea. There are very few sidewalks in Pattaya that can be used. Check out the 'sidewalk'on the left at the end of Soi Diana and 2nd road . The restaurant has built a wall along the kerb to make more floor area for tables. TIT.

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6 hours ago, worgeordie said:

What image would that be ?, if that happened in the West

you could sue the local authority,here you have to get yourself

to the hospital and pay the bill ,unless you are Chinese of course.

regards Worgeordie

The land of no accountability 

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A minefield of pitfalls, encroachments on public walkways, hanging wires, head height poles, vendors cart awnings to poke your eyes out, ropes, trash, you name it. The city should be renamed Hazardland-by-the Sea, Pat-trashaya, Chuckalot, Rubbishtown, Graftville, Pothole Heaven, Stinktown and so on. Talk about self-created damage to the image.

 

This city has so much potential to be cleaned up block-by-block. But, one can only dream.

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1 hour ago, Benmart said:

Fortunately, this blog is about Pattaya and Thailand if you didn't notice.

I notice every time a story begins with, in France-in the USA and back in the UK.

But thank you for your sweet reminder. The name 'Thai Visa' was a giveaway prior to your keen insight though, genius.

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Many roads/sois have no sidewalk and the sidewalks that do exist are full of obstacles, holes, uneven surfaces and are narrow, rarely can 2 fat farangs walk side-by-side. Pattaya doesn't seem to be designed or engineered for pedestrians.

 

Pattaya has a wonderful opportunity to become pedestrian and family friendly, by repairing all of the existing sidewalks and adding nice sidewalks to all heavy pedestrian traffic streets.

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, Humpy said:

So the restaurant staff must have been aware of this obstacle. A simple cone over the obstacle would have been a good idea.

Where does he get the cone from? Buy it himself or remove it from another obstacle. 

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15 hours ago, bluesofa said:

That is exactly the same that happened to a member of my staff nearly twenty years ago.

She was in hospital and her condition worsened dramatically. She was brain-dead but being kept alive by machine.

Family up-country was informed and knew their daughter was beyond all hope. They rushed to the hospital, who only then would switch the machine off and presented them with a bill for it. They wouldn't release the body until the bill was paid either.

The latest is the victim who I know was insured by Bupa, but when the

hospital gave the bill for keeping the body for 36 hours, Bupa said ''no chance'' and refused to pay that amount, and to be honest I do not blame them, I also had a friend who suffered from extensive burns and when I

got the views of a few professionals re % of burns, and likely outcome

I was told no chance....but they kept him plugged in for about a week

and when the revenue stream started to dwindle he was moved and died

in transit this was about 17 years ago, so they have all this to a fine art now

it would not surprise me if this ''pavement repair'' is sponsored by the

hospitals, as you can not walk on any ''pavement'' in Pattaya and feel safe. 

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1 minute ago, mickymouse1 said:

Why BJ IS NOT  FEATURED IN THIS PICTURE? or he doesn't love Taya?

He doesn't want to arrest his buddy the mayor for negligence, for only starting building but not completing the bus stops/bush shelters.

Maybe the mayor might have to explain where the rest of the budget allocation has gone, while showing BJ around in a new car.

 

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Them damned foreigners coming here and tripping over our lovely (Assault courses) i mean pavements and leaving their blood all over the place....... Obviously a case for Hakpal !  Solution, remove the foreigners !  As Thai logic says, "The accident wouldn't of happened if you wern't here".......

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