At least two die amid cold weather

[webfact]

At least two die amid cold weather

By THE NATION

 

 

Low temperatures across the country have been a gift for people in hot areas such as Bangkok, but for some in northern and northeastern provinces, the cold weather is a nightmare, with at people dying.

 

On Wednesday morning, Muang Nong Khai police were informed that a 65-year-old man died in his hut. Medical officers suspected the man died from a heart attack brought on by the low temperature at night.

 

Meanwhile, another man aged 59 in Udon Thani died from perforated peptic ulcer due to drinking alcohol, amid the cold weather on Tuesday.

 

A report said that his wife, 57, found him unconscious in his truck after he had a drink and she called police. He was later reported to have died.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30401175

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-13

 

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[Crossy]

Don't the government usually start handing out blankets about this time?

 

Even as far south as BKK (and probably further) we have people dying of hypothermia in what some of us would consider as somewhat "balmy" conditions.

 

Invariably alcohol and minimal clothing is involved, have a skinful, doze off outside, never wake up ????

 

[sammieuk1]

Having been shut out in an inherited house with no heating an no access to my FCD account from the UK I feel their pain 2 hot water bottles have saved my sorry ass ????Rip

[billd766]

It was 12.4C at 05:45 this morning out here in rural Kamphaeng Phet. 

 

When I go to my neighbours place tonight I will have thick woolly socks (I hate having cold feet) and a Benny hat on. I won't care if they laugh as I will be warmer.

[TooBigToFit]

I wonder how cold the northern hemisphere is this year. It seems a lot colder than it has been in years. I suspect we will hear of a lot more about deaths from the cold this season and it won't just be from Thailand.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

It was 12.4C at 05:45 this morning out here in rural Kamphaeng Phet. 

 

When I go to my neighbours place tonight I will have thick woolly socks (I hate having cold feet) and a Benny hat on. I won't care if they laugh as I will be warmer.

They did laugh but my head and feet are still warm.

 

One thing I do miss from the UK is a hot water bottle.

 

They are non existent here in rural Kamphaeng Phet but they are a good thing for warding off the cold.

 

I will finish my soda and have a hot Ovaltine before I go to bed. 

[Chassa]

15 hours ago, Crossy said:

Don't the government usually start handing out blankets about this time?

Yingluck government got kicked out. Blankets and free 'flu jabs gone too.

[HAPPYNUFF]

billd766,  12.4 degrees,      ?    your living in paradise..   9 degrees at  7am here in   outer Korat last 2  morns.  Id like a heater in my pickup for Christmas next year.

[spidermike007]

I do feel bad for the people who cannot afford even a blanket. Surely a good blanket, or a 250 baht quilt would have saved their lives. Hard to get frostbite from a temp of 9C. 

 

Having said that, I have found this cold snap to be utterly delightful. Went for a long bike ride this morning, and the weather was sublime, though the air quality was horrendous. Just avoid breathing. 

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I do feel bad for the people who cannot afford even a blanket. Surely a good blanket, or a 250 baht quilt would have saved their lives. Hard to get frostbite from a temp of 9C. 

 

Having said that, I have found this cold snap to be utterly delightful. Went for a long bike ride this morning, and the weather was sublime, though the air quality was horrendous. Just avoid breathing. 

 

I've often seen thick padded winter jackets on sale in the local market for 100 baht or so. I have no idea how they are sold so cheap, but they aren't hard to find. No reason for anyone to freeze to death if they simply organise themselves.

[billd766]

10 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I've often seen thick padded winter jackets on sale in the local market for 100 baht or so. I have no idea how they are sold so cheap, but they aren't hard to find. No reason for anyone to freeze to death if they simply organise themselves.

A great plan if you have the odd 100 or so baht to spare but there are a great many places in Thailand at this time where people simply have no job and no money. Men, women and children have gone back to their home villages to live with their families because the jobs they had have simply disappeared. The reason that they left home  was to get a job elsewhere to send money back home to make life easier for their families back home and for themselves.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I've often seen thick padded winter jackets on sale in the local market for 100 baht or so. I have no idea how they are sold so cheap, but they aren't hard to find. No reason for anyone to freeze to death if they simply organise themselves.

A great plan if you have the odd 100 or so baht to spare but there are a great many places in Thailand at this time where people simply have no job and no money. Men, women and children have gone back to their home villages to live with their families because the jobs they had have simply disappeared. The reason that they left home  was to get a job elsewhere to send money back home to make life easier for their families back home and for themselves.

 

Surely there is someone they know, family, friends, villagers, who can somehow collectively scrape together 100 baht to keep someone in need warm. If not, what kind of society is Thailand?

[The Theory]

10 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Surely a good blanket, or a 250 baht quilt would have saved their lives. Hard to get frostbite from a temp of 9C. 

They prefer to get warm by alcohol rather than blankets. ???????? 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Surely there is someone they know, family, friends, villagers, who can somehow collectively scrape together 100 baht to keep someone in need warm. If not, what kind of society is Thailand?

There are villages in remote Thailand with no electricity and they are dirt poor with little in the way of survival. They are living from day to day and even if one person were to lose a job at 300 baht a day, it might mean the difference between eating and keeping warm.

 

 A poster asked earlier what about the free blankets that used to be given out in the winter months.

 

That was under a freely elected civilian government under Yingluck Shinawatra, but since the military took over to bring happiness and reconciliation to the Thai people, popular things like this have been scrapped in favour of new toys for the military. The Thai people, unless they are billionaires, don't matter to the government anymore.

 

For example, how many people could be given warm clothing and blankets for the cost of just one useless submarine? Now that would be a popular give away and is just as likely as me winning the Euro lotto whilst living in Thailand.

Edited January 14, 2021 by billd766
Added extra text

[colinneil]

11 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I've often seen thick padded winter jackets on sale in the local market for 100 baht or so. I have no idea how they are sold so cheap, but they aren't hard to find. No reason for anyone to freeze to death if they simply organise themselves.

Clearly you have never been in the far north of Thailand.

There are people living in the mountains, no electric, no money, no work, rely on hand outs.

I lived in 1 such village 9 years ago.... Nong Kao  Klang, only electric was at the school ( solar ).

The extreme poverty was there for all to see.

These people never had 100 baht to buy warm clothing.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Clearly you have never been in the far north of Thailand.

There are people living in the mountains, no electric, no money, no work, rely on hand outs.

I lived in 1 such village 9 years ago.... Nong Kao  Klang, only electric was at the school ( solar ).

The extreme poverty was there for all to see.

These people never had 100 baht to buy warm clothing.

 

I've lived in Thailand for around 26 years and am fully aware of the extreme poverty that exists in some areas. But as I wrote after the post you are responding to, I find it hard to believe that a collection of villagers, friends, family can't scrape between them 100 baht. At the same time, if some are living in such extreme conditions where they can die of cold, have no work, no electric, they could move to where it is warmer in winter, where there might be work rather than have no chance of it, where electric light is available. It's called motivation and ambition. It might sound harsh, but what is their alternative? If they don't try then they remain in poverty and misery.

[ChipButty]

The weather has definitely changed here in Phuket at night is cold normally our bedroom is like a greenhouse having had the sun on it from about 11 am, Just recently I've been turning the aircon off, the midget is freezing and we have a quilt on the bed.

 

I think I'll put in a claim to the social for heating allowance

[colinneil]

30 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I've lived in Thailand for around 26 years and am fully aware of the extreme poverty that exists in some areas. But as I wrote after the post you are responding to, I find it hard to believe that a collection of villagers, friends, family can't scrape between them 100 baht. At the same time, if some are living in such extreme conditions where they can die of cold, have no work, no electric, they could move to where it is warmer in winter, where there might be work rather than have no chance of it, where electric light is available. It's called motivation and ambition. It might sound harsh, but what is their alternative? If they don't try then they remain in poverty and misery.

You have absolutely no understanding of the poverty that exists in some places here.

Did you not read my post?

Hilltribe people, no money no jobs, no chance of moving  to get jobs, no Thai ID. cards.

Even if they could get work, nearest place Mae Hong Son, 39 ks away on dirt track roads.

How can they move somewhere warmer? The government does not allow them free movement.

So please stop with your comments about motivation and ambition, because they are not allowed any.

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Clearly you have never been in the far north of Thailand.

There are people living in the mountains, no electric, no money, no work, rely on hand outs.

I lived in 1 such village 9 years ago.... Nong Kao  Klang, only electric was at the school ( solar ).

The extreme poverty was there for all to see.

These people never had 100 baht to buy warm clothing.

When I first moved to Thailand I lived in Bangkok I wanted to do a few trips, I dont know why but I always ended up going north, one friend I had made told me she was going home for a week somewhere north of Buriram I cant even remember the name of the village.

I suggested I rent a car and we'll drive and she can show me around plus I can see the country side stop off here and there.

A few times she mentioned her parents home is not like my apartment, no problem we booked a hotel in Buriram then travel to her village, Similar to what you described no electric, people living in tin shacks one road ran through the village everything else was dirt tracks.

Obviously no government help around there and quiet a few other places I have visited in the north

 

[ChipButty]

13 minutes ago, colinneil said:

You have absolutely no understanding of the poverty that exists in some places here.

Did you not read my post?

Hilltribe people, no money no jobs, no chance of moving  to get jobs, no Thai ID. cards.

Even if they could get work, nearest place Mae Hong Son, 39 ks away on dirt track roads.

How can they move somewhere warmer? The government does not allow them free movement.

So please stop with your comments about motivation and ambition, because they are not allowed any.

The government even have a name for them "Stateless"

[spidermike007]

16 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I've often seen thick padded winter jackets on sale in the local market for 100 baht or so. I have no idea how they are sold so cheap, but they aren't hard to find. No reason for anyone to freeze to death if they simply organise themselves.

 

I don't want to seem cold, or unsympathetic, but it is likely these guys who "froze to death" had enough money to buy cigarettes, or booze. So, why not 100 baht for a jacket, or 250 for a quilt?

[Orton Rd]

Surely hill tribe people can light fires, attributing heart attacks and deaths from ulcers caused by the 'cold' is the usual daft reporting we see every time the temp goes under 20 degrees.

Edited January 15, 2021 by Orton Rd

[MJCM]

On 1/13/2021 at 9:30 PM, billd766 said:

<snip>.

 

One thing I do miss from the UK is a hot water bottle.

 

They are non existent here in rural Kamphaeng Phet but they are a good thing for warding off the cold.

 

 

 

Have a look here: https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hot-water-bottle-700-1-i1844896767-s5602162908.html

 

92 THb + 22 THB delivery fee

[Jimbo53]

On 1/13/2021 at 1:07 PM, TooBigToFit said:

I wonder how cold the northern hemisphere is this year. It seems a lot colder than it has been in years. I suspect we will hear of a lot more about deaths from the cold this season and it won't just be from Thailand.

Why wonder..have you not heard of Google?

[TooBigToFit]

2 hours ago, Jimbo53 said:

Why wonder..have you not heard of Google?

Post me a link. Maybe you have a good site for this information.