Condemnation as uncle blocks ambulance transporting patient in Chiang Rai

The Thai internet is outraged after footage was shared to Facebook (see video below) showing an uncle blocking an ambulance in Chiang Rai last night, Nov. 13.

The incident occurred on Phahonyothin Road (Highway 1) in Ban Si Wang Moon, Moo 7 Bua Sali, Mae Lao District.

The shared video shows a black pickup truck passing the ambulance then pulling in front of it, blocking its path then stopping.

It’s not entirely clear what prompted the uncle to take the action with some reports suggesting that there may have been an previous incident but none the less, the uncle gets out of the pickup truck and starts yelling at the ambulance. Despite the ambulance driver explaining that he was taking a patient to hospital, the uncle continues to argue.

The Siam Raum Jai Foundation, Mae Lao District, the operators of the ambulance, didn’t hold back, saying on Facebook that the action was inappropriate, before adding:

• If the person in the car is your relative, what will you do?
• If the patient in the car is injured or may die, what to do?
• think about how one day you will be in an ambulance, how will you feel?

While the name of the driver is not currently known, a man claiming to be the son of the uncle in the video took to Facebook to say that “this is my car, the driver is my father. I must apologize on behalf of my father for the incident. I am currently in Bangkok but I will quickly follow up with my father to apologize for the incident as well.”

Screenshot: Siam Raum Jai Foundation