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A publicat ion of t he Thai- Canadian Chamber of Commerce 10 / 2011
Corp orate Partnership
Premier Sponsors
Executive Sponsors
si nce 1951.
www.i sb.ac.t h
Calend ar
The Voyageur is the monthly magazine of
the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce,
covering all Thai-Canadian business, legal
and social news of interest to the members
and others who are active in expanding
Thai-Canadian bilateral trade.

Editor:
Randy Shockley, Executive Director,
Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Publisher:
Scand-Media Corp., Ltd.
4/ 41-2 Moo 3, Thanyakarn Village,
Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok 10230
Tel: +66(0) 2943-7166-8 Fax: +66(0) 2943-7169
Design: Disraporn Yatprom
Email: disraporn@scandmedia.com
Advertising Contact:
Mr. Finn Balslev, Marketing Director
Scand-Media Corp., Ltd.
Tel: +66(0) 2943-7166 ext.151 or 08-1866-2577
Email: finn@scandmedia.com
Calend ar of events: TCCC
CCBA Up c oming events in the region:
WHEN: Saturday, October 8, 2011; 6:30 pm Midnight
WHAT: Maple Leaf 50th Anniversary Friendship Ball & Silent Auction
WHERE: Four Seasons Hotel Ballroom
PRICE: Early Bird price - 3,000 baht until Sept. 16th, after Sept. 16th
the Standard price - 3,300 baht; table of 10 27,000 baht.
WHEN: Wednesday, October 19, 2011; 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
WHAT: Canuck Connections Joint Chambers Networking Night
WHERE: Q-Bar (Sukhumvit/ Soi 11)
PRICE: 200 baht - Members; 400 baht - Non Members
WHEN: Friday, November 18, 2011; 6:30 pm 9:00 pm
WHAT: Eastern Seaboard Networking Night & Pre-Registration for
Beaver Invitational Charity Golf Tournament
WHERE: Tavern by the Sea, Amari Orchid Hotel- Pattaya
PRICE: Free for tournament players; 200 baht Members; 400 baht Non Members
WHEN: Saturday, November 19, 2011
WHAT: 2nd Annual Beaver Invitational Charity Golf Tournament
WHERE: Phoenix Golf Course Near Pattaya
PRICE: Ticket price up to 31 Oct. - Baht 3,200 baht;
Ticket price Nov. 1 to Nov. 18. - Baht 3,500 baht
Philippines: www.cancham.com.ph
WHEN: Thursday, October 20, 2011; 6:00 pm
WHAT: Joint foreign Chambers Networking Night
Where: Marriott Hotel
PRICE: please register at www.cancham.com.ph
Japan: http:/ / www.cccj.or.jp
WHEN: Thursday, October 27, 2011; 5:00 - 8:00 pm
WHAT: Canada Festival in Tokyo
WHERE: Canadian Embassy
PRICE: please visit www.cccj.or.jp for more information
Hong Kong: www.cancham.org
WHEN: Thursday, October 27, 2011; 12:30 - 2:00 pm
WHAT: Attracting Talent In The New World of Work
WHERE: The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong,
1301 Kinwick Centre, 32 Hollywood Road, Central
PRICE: HK$150 for members and HK$250 for non members
I
t s t i me agai n f or anot her gr eat weekend
on t he beach and t he gol f cour se. Joi n
us f o r t he 2nd Annual Beaver I nvi t a-
t i onal Char i t y Gol f Tour nament on Sat urday,
November 19, 2011 at Phoeni x Gol f Cour se
near Pat t aya.
The Thai Canadi an Chamber of Com-
mer ce i s agai n j oi ni ng f or ces wi t h t he Fl yi ng
Farangs Hockey Club t o for suppor t t his great
char i t y gol f t our nament . Fi f t y per cent of
net pr oceeds wi l l be donat ed t o char i t i es
suppor t ed by t he TCCC ( Khun M echai ' s
Vi l l age Devel opment Par t ner shi p: ht t p: / /
w w w.vi l l agedevel opment par t ner shi p.or g/
vdp.asp) and t he Fl yi ng Farangs (Thai Fund
Foundat i ons communi t y pr oj ect s: ht t p:/ /
www.t f f.or.t h).
Thi s event of f er s an except i onal oppor-
t uni t y t o promot e your busi ness t o over 150
pl us hi gh-pr of i l e Thai and expat r i at e gol f er s
and t heir guest s. We great ly appreciat e your
suppor t of t hi s annual char i t y f und rai si ng
event and l ook f or war d t o your par t i ci pa-
t ion. Also, a net wor king and pre-regist rat ion
event wi l l be hel d on Fr i day, November 18,
2011 at t he Amar i s Taver n by t he Sea f rom
6:30 pm t o 9:00 pm.
Tour nament enr ol l ment f or ms can be
obt ai ned f r om t he Thai -Canadi an Chamber
of Commerce Of f ice at t ccc@loxinfo.co.t h or
you may visit t he Beaver Invit at ional websit e
at www.beaver i nvi t at i onal .com
THE 2
ND
ANNUAL
BEAVER INVITATIONAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT
Sat urday, November 19, 2011 - Phoeni x Gol f Cl ub, Pat t aya
2011/ 2012 TCCC Executives
Patron:
His Excellency Ambassador Ron Hoffmann
President John Casella
Vice President Ali Fancy
Vice President John Stevens
Secretary Dr. Tim Cornwall
Treasurer Michael Howard
Executive Board:
John Casella
Sranyoo Chanate
Neil Chiu
Dr. Tim Cornwall
Ali Fancy
Michael Howard
Ron Livingston
Geoff McIntyre
Alan Ng
Sukanya Rattanavadee
John Stevens
Derek van Pelt
Embassy Representative:
Ping Kitnikone
Advisors:
Raymond Bodemer
Sam Cohen
Surachit Chanovan
Zoltan Kosa
Don Lavoie
Niccolo Sozzi
Picharn Sukparangsee
Michael White
Peter Van Haren
Executive Director:
Randy Shockley
Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce
139 Pan Road, Sethiwan Tower
9th floor, Bangkok 10500
Tel: +66(0) 2266-6085-6
Fax: +66(0) 2266-6087
Email: tccc@loxinfo.co.th
Website: www.tccc.or.th
Tiltle Sponsore:
Voyageur
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On Saturday September 3, three
vans, full of TCCC members and
friends, left Mechai Viravaidyas
PDA complex on Sukhumvit Soi
12 t o plant t rees in t he village
of Baan Nong Phai locat ed in
Burirams Baan Nong Phai district.
Being a Canad ian road t r ip ,
t he first st op was obviously a
donut shop, so the vans pulled
int o a Daddy Dough out let on
Viphavadee Rangsit Road before
making the 4-hour trip to Buriram.
TCCC Tree Planting Trip to
I
n Buriram, t he group was joined by
Les Walsh and Ray Bodemer with his
family. Both had driven up independently
as did five members of Derrick van
Pelts Siam Wheels custom motorcycle
cruising troupe. Upon arriving at the village,
participants were treated to lunch prepared
by the villagers after which the project and its
financing were explained to us. Details of the
project, including the organization of village
commit t ees and init ial st age operat ions,
were displayed on charts hanging on the
office walls. It was immediately evident to all
that the village was taking this project very
seriously. (For an explanation of the Village
Development Partnership (VDP) concept,
go t o (ht t p: / / www. t c c c . or. t h/ c ont ent s/
GENERAL/ VDP-TOP-EN).) Theres nothing
more frustrating than spending hours and
hours organizing donation money only to
see it pilfered or wasted away. To see how
dedicated the villagers were to making the
project work was heartwarming for us all.
The TCCC over t he p ast year has
worked hard to raise donations for the Village
Development Partnership project in Baan
Nong Phai Village. One of t he principles
inherent in t he VDP program is t hat t he
villagers have to earn the support of their
financial partners (in this case, the TCCC).
They do this by planting young saplings in
their village early in the projects life. For each
sapling, a specified amount is released from
the accumulated donations and put into the
villages micro-credit bank, as capital for the
bank. The more that saplings are planted,
the higher the deposit into the bank. And
this is where the participants of the TCCC
road trip came in to play, because by going
to the village during this selected weekend,
and working alongside them to add to the
trees they had already planted, we helped
them to measurably increase the capital of
the micro-credit bank.
For the trip, most of the TCCC members
dressed down as they would be getting their
hands dirty; interestingly, the village members
dressed up and the tree-planting site took
on a festive-like atmosphere. People came
from miles around to help plant trees, dig
holes or just observe the goings on. One
considerate villager even had an ice box full of
cold water that he handed out to participants.
The planting was done by a side road in an
area full of rice and cassava fields. The sun
shone, the villagers chipped in and the time
just whizzed by. Sean Brady even went
one further doing an inspection after all the
planting was done to make sure the saplings
had been properly secured into the ground.
Quite a collection of characters converged
on the tree-planting site: the village headman
wearing his t rademark cowboy hat was
there, looking like he just walked off the set
of a remake of The Magnificent Seven; then
there was the villager, who with his dark
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Chamber News
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Baan Nong Phai
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1. Raymond Bodemer and family enjoying the event. 2. Tree planting crew group photo 3. Isaans Iron Buffalo 4. Sam Cohen,
Professional Hole Digger 5. Derek van Pelt inspecting Sean Bradys work 6. Khun Sumon Cohen providing a tree with a little TLC. 7.
Khun Premsiri Brady providing a helping hand 8. The guys who worked the hoes were our stars of the day! 9. Every helping hand was
appreciated on this day! 10. Baan Nong Phai villagers offered a saisin or holy tread to each guest 11. The All New 2011 ETAN Truck!
Who said the British Car Industry was dead? 12. Michael Howard leading the way 13. Les Walsh was hardest working man in Isaan
on this day 14. Village Chief welcoming the participants 15. Village orientation & review of accomplishments to date 16. Water deliver
team 17. The Village Chiefs support was greatly appreciated by the team
Chamber News
Voyageur
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Chamber News
sunglasses and multi- coloured checkered
shawl looked like an Andaman sea pirate. We
had heard that this particular part of Buriram
was very poor, but we saw just a number of
hard-working people trying to make a better
lot for themselves. The villagers got a huge
kick out of getting their photos taken with the
TCCC participants it seemed that everyone
except the family pig made it into those group
photos.
The majority of the TCCC group stayed
at the nearby Nang Rong Resort on Saturday
night, which is operated by the same team
that runs Cabbages and Condoms. They put
on a great feast for dinner and participants
enjoyed touring the factories on site, which
Khun Mechai set up to allow nearby villagers
to work closer to home without being forced
to migrate to Bangkok to find work. The
following morning t here was more t ree
planting followed by a tour of the nearby
forward- t hinking Mechai Pat t ana School
(many of t he st ruct ures are made out of
bamboo) before the group headed back to
Bangkok.
In describing the trip, TCCC Executive
Director Randy Shockley said, I want to
thank Mr. Michael Howard for his leadership
and focus in helping to bring the Chambers
VDP init iat ive t o life. It was clear from
interacting with the village chief and village
that they truly appreciated Michaels efforts
and the Chambers commitment to their small
community of 400 people.
Cont ribut ing t o t he weekends out ing
were: Sean and Brady, Sam Cohen, Sylvie
Roy & her son Simon, Erika Teo, Dusanee
Promt an, Sc ot t Murray, as well as t he
Solut ion People group c omprised of
Ananya Surangpimol, Warangrat Martnok,
Du a n g c h a n , Su w a n n a c h i t , Pi y a r a t
Muakthaisong, Patchaya Panraksa, Peerapol
Panraksa, Phudis and Seekong.
If you weren t able to make this trip, there
will be future opportunities to visit the village.
Its a great weekend and the villagers do
everything in their power to ensure a positive
experience for all who participate. As Randy
recapped, When we arrived they had already
prepared 700 tree planting holes and we
were able to plant 800 trees in just under two
hours during the first afternoon. The following
morning we planted an additional 200 for a
total of 1,000 trees on the trip.
And you know what ; we could have
planted a lot more

For additional information on the Mechai
Pattana School, please go to: http:/ / www.
mechaifoundation.org/ school.asp
Story by Scott Murray
18 19
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Chamber News
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18. Taking a time-out for a group photo on the way to the tree planting site 19. The team enjoyed a comfortable stay at Cabbages
& Condoms 20. The Solutions People Company team of 7 were big contributors 21. The water boys did a great job in looking after
their guests 22. Simon delivering on his community service commitment 23. TCCC members & friends were treated to a great lunch
24. Siam Wheels road trip gang 25. The villages children were certainly happy to see our arrival 26. Mechai Bamboo School
sign 27. Foot bridge leading to the main campus 28. Main Entrance to the Mechai Bamboo School 29. One of many class-
room structures 30. Typical Bamboo School classroom. 31. The schools auditoriumthe worlds largest bamboo geo- dome
32. Music classroom 33. One of several plants sharing the Cabbages & Condoms site 34. A variety of products are turned out at the
local plant including ice skates !
Oc tob er 2 0 1 1
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Voyageur
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Member Profile
the Canadian Womens Group over the years.
The store does zero advertising, all its busi-
ness comes from word of mouth, or articles
like t his one. Their profile has also been
heightened by the work they do with numer-
ous local charities and the sponsorship of golf
tournaments. The hours are from 10:30-8pm
Monday to Saturday, but if you are walking
by late one evening you will often see Jesse,
Victor, and their staff working hard into the
night. Sundays, they take off, but much of
that day is spent doing good work at the
Gurdwara, the Sikh temple at the corner of
Phaurat and Chakrapat Roads in Little India.
Their only annual holiday is the two weeks
they take off at Songkran.
Rajawongse can make 30 suits and 150
shirts a day. Ninety percent of their clientele
are foreigners and 80 percent of that group
are from law enforcement with acronyms like
FBI, CIA, and MI6.
Rajawongse has a staff of 75 and three
factories, which never mix or cross over, one
make suits, one makes shirts and the other
pants. Four staff work in the shop alongside
Victor and Jesse.
But Jesse and Victor aren t only tailors,
they are also hoteliers. In 1990, after renovat-
ing their shop, they opened the Parkway Inn,
a 26-room boutique hotel next to their tailors
shop and this year they took a large minority
share of the new Radisson Suites Bangkok
on Sukhumvit Soi 11 (see review following
this article).
Btw, Rajawongse will sell you a bespoke
suit for Bt12,000, fine quality, lightweight wool
or cashmere, Italian blend. Trousers will cost
you Bt2,500 and an Egyptian cotton shirt
goes for Bt1,200.
Tailoring at its finest
(L-R) Victor & Jesse Gulati will dress you for success!
Choosing a good tailor in Thailand
can be an agonizing decision.
There are many tailors who will
offer you fabulous deals, but their
fabrics aren t so fabulous and
you won t be doing any return
business with them. However, if
you visit Rajawongse, the father &
son clothiers run by Jesse & Victor
Gulati, chances are good you will
keep coming back because of
the quality of the material and the
outstanding service.
J
esses father Iqbal, who hails from
Sheikhupura, in India, near t he
Pakistani border, opened a textile
shop in Ubon Ratchathani in 1961,
turning it into a tailors shop as the
Vietnam War heated up. The shop was close
to the US air force base, so at the height of
the war business boomed, but then as the
war wound down, the US Defense attach
requested that Iqbal relocate to Bangkok
and in 1974 thats what he did, ending up
near Sukhumvit Soi 2, not far from the US
embassy on Wireless Road (today it sits next
to the Landmark Hotel).
Jesses brother, Darshan Singh, moved to
Bangkok with him, but after the family reno-
vated the shop in 1990, he decided to strike
out on his own, moving around the corner,
opening up Rajas Fashions at the entrance
to Nana Plaza. Just like Rajawongse, his
walls are lined with photos and name cards of
famous customers. The two brothers simply
have the best tailor shops in Thailand.
Rajawongse has been visited by visiting
statesmen, generals, spies and Secret Ser-
vice agents. Both President Bushs have had
suits designed by the Gulatis as has Senator
John Kerry, former Homeland Security czar
Tom Ridge, and Nancy Reagan even had a
dress designed by them to match a curtain
backdrop for a television interview she was
giving.
Prominent Canadians who have had suits
made by the Gulatis include every ambassa-
dor of recent memory, former Foreign Minister
Lloyd Axworthy, former RCMP Commissioner
Guiliano Zaccaradelli, former RCMP Commis-
sioner and Head of Interpol Norman Inkster
and former Albertan politician Dr Lyle Oberg
(who recent ly opened C2DNA, Canadas
first private DNA testing clinic) as well as a
number of RCMP officers, and municipal and
provincial Canadian policemen. Jesse and
Victor have also contributed generously to
Shirt fabric samples
Visit: www.dress-for-success.com
Oc tob er 2 0 1 1
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Member Profile
For visit ors t o Bangkok who seek a cent rally
locat ed hot el wit h spacious and cont emporary
accommodations, consider staying at Rajawongses
part ner hot el, t he Radisson Suit es Bangkok
Sukhumvit.
T
his new property is conveniently located near Rajawongse
on Sukhumvit Soi 13, offering easy access to BTS Skytrain
and MRT Subway stations. Guests at this hotel enjoy tra-
ditional Thai hospitality, a range of modern amenities and
exceptional on-site dining.
The twin tower Radisson is home to 150 spacious rooms and
suites designed with contemporary styling and Thai flair. Each room
at the hotel is equipped with a 42 LCD TV with interactive features,
wireless keyboard Internet access and satellite channels. The hotel
features a variety of amenities for the business or leisure traveller,
including complimentary Wi-Fi, a Business Centre, a Fitness Centre
and a rooftop pool with Jacuzzi.
Ideal for business meetings, cocktail receptions and gala dinners,
the Radisson features elegant, pillarless function space. The event
room is equipped with audiovisual technology and has a dedicated
staff. A pre-function area is also available.
The hotel serves wood-fired pizzas as well as Thai, Indian and
Western fare at the stylish Mauve restaurant, and tapas and cocktails
at the Asqu bar. Aromas cafe serves popular Piazza d' Oro coffee
and Dilmah tea, as well as freshly baked cakes and pastries. Internet
access is available in all public areas as well. The hotel has a com-
plimentary tuk-tuk service to whisk you to nearby BTS and MRT
stations.
The Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit is one of the finest
hotels for discerning corporate and leisure travellers. Radisson Hotels
& Resorts itself is one of the worlds leading, full-service hotel brands,
offering vibrant contemporary and engaging hospitality defined by
its Yes, I Can! service philosophy. It manages 415 properties in72
countries and is part of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, a leading global
hotel company with more than 1,600 properties in 77 countries under
the brands Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts,
Country Inns & Suites by Carlson and Park Inn.
Radisson Suites
Bangkok Sukhumvit
The Radisson
Suites interior
decoration offers
a total luxury
experience at
a cost usually
associated with
six star hotel
accommodation.
Voyageur
12
T
his year, Thailand and Canada will
celebrate the auspicious 50th an-
niversary of diplomatic relations.
Despite the 7,200- mile distance
that separates us, both nations
enjoy longstanding and cordial relationship.
The milestone of this relationship began
when His Majesty the King and Her Majesty
the Queen of Thailands visit to Canada in
1967. Following Their Majesties memorable
visit, there were several royal visits, includ-
ing His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha
Vajiralongkorn in 1986, Her Royal Highness
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 1997,
and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulab-
horn Mahidol, several times since 1989. As
for the Prime Minister level, General Prem
Tinsulanonda, paid an official visit in 1984,
and Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai in 1994.
Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau and Jean
Chrtien visited Thailand in 1983 and 1997
respectively. These state and official visits
have helped nurture the close relationship
between the two countries over the years.
During the past years, Thai- Canadian
relations have expanded both in breadth
and depth, covering areas of mutual interest
ranging from energy, foreign affairs, trade and
investment, good governance, culture, edu-
cation, to people-to-people contact. Some
of these areas are elaborated below.
Trade and Investment
Canada is Thailands 29th largest trading
part ner. In 2010, t ot al volume of t rade
bet ween t he t wo count ries amount ed t o
approximately US$ 2.3 billion, the highest
level in 10 years. This trend continues to rise
significantly into 2011. Within the ASEAN
region, Thailand is ranked first in trade and
invest ment wit h Canada. Leading Thai
exports to Canada include computer parts,
electronics, and food products, particularly
frozen seafood, and canned fruits.
In November 2010, PTT Exploration and
Production Public Co. Ltd. (PTTEP), a lead-
ing Thai-operated petroleum exploration and
production public company made a US$ 2.3
billion investment in the oil sands of Alberta.
PTTEP has acquired 40% shares of Statoil
which currently holds 60% stake and oper-
ates in the Kai Kos Dehseh (KKD) project of
the Alberta oil sands. In September this year,
PTTEP opened an office in Calgary to oversee
its operations.
Education
Cooperation in education is gaining promi-
nence for Thai- Canadian relations. Many
Thai universities have signed memorandums
of understanding in various fields of studies
with Canadian universities. This year in June,
Thai universit ies part icipat ed in t he 63rd
NAFSA Annual Conference (Association of
International Educators), an annual confer-
ence attended by over 9,000 educators from
all over the world, in Vancouver.
A "Thai Night" event was hosted by four
universities from Thailand: Mahidol University,
Kaset sart Universit y, Bangkok Universit y
and King Mongkut' s University of Technol-
ogy Thonburi at a local Thai restaurant in
Vancouver. Approximately 180 partners and
guests of the Thai universities participated in
the event.
Cultural Activities to Mark the 50th
Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations
The Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa and the
Royal Consulate General in Vancouver have
been act ively involved wit h local cult ural
events all over Canada. This year, many of
these gatherings were aimed to celebrate the
50th anniversary of Thai-Canada diplomatic
relations. The hot summer days of July did
not deter scores of Canadians who visited the
8th Taste of Thailand Festival at the Toronto
City Hall. Thai dance, Thai boxing and Thai
music were performed to a captivated crowd
in this multicultural metropolis.
In Edmonton, the Thai pavilion received
1st place for the Thai cultural performances
at the Edmonton Heritage Cultural Festival.
This event was supported by the Thai Consul
General in Vancouver which also provided
samples of Thai products to be displayed
in its pavilion, such as OTOP* items and
handicrafts. Thai food and entertainment
during the festival attracted a large number
of Canadians.

People-to-People Contact
Canada has been a prime destination for
Thai tourists seeking to savour the natural
wonders and local history, particularly the
famous Niagara Falls, national parks, and
historic cities. Canadians friendliness and
kind hospitality are also another attraction
for Thai visitors. Similarly, Thailand is a top
dest inat ion for Canadians, receiving ap-
proximately 170,000 visitors in 2010 alone.
During the first six months of 2011, Thailand
has already received 110,000 visitors from
Canada, which is a 25 percent increase in
number from the same period last year. As the
50th anniversary of Thai-Canadian diplomatic
relations is celebrated, more people-to-peo-
ple contact through tourism, education and
cultural exchange would bring about closer
ties and increase in trade and investment.
Forging a New Chapter
There are clear indications from the new gov-
ernments in both countries to further promote
the good relationship to a new height. Some
of the initiatives include the promotion of
more high-ranking official visits for this year
and the near future and the establishment of
the Canada-Thai Inter-parliamentary Group
in the Canadian Parliament and the Canada-
Thai Friendship Association. In light of the
foregoing, it suffices to conclude that we are
about to embark upon a new chapter of an
even stronger relationship between Thailand
and Canada.
*OTOPOne Tambon One Produc t a
government program supporting village-level
entrepreneurship.
Marking 50 Years of Thai-Canadian
Diplomatic Relations
By H.E. Mr. Udomphol Ninnad, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Canada
Their Majest ies t he King and Queen of
Thailand during Their State Visit to Canada
between 20-24 June 1967.
Thai educators and their counterparts at
Thai Night in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Thai dancers at t he Edmont on Herit age
Cultural Festival, Alberta.
Embassy News
Oc tob er 2 0 1 1
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Voyageur
14
It s o n e o f t h o s e d ays . Dad
slump s ac ross the d inner tab le
c lutc hing his c hest, mother is
s t art ing t o mis c arry, d aug ht er
is having a seizure and b ab y is
d rinking from the d rain- c leaner
b o ttle. Keep c alm everyb o d y,
let us c onsid er our op tions and
selec t the b est p lan of ac tion!!!
By Dr. Michael Moreton
I
n each of the above scenarios it is im-
portant to get to a hospital Emergency
Department ASAP and in Bangkok and
other cities in Thailand the logistics in
doing so are no easy feat. Traffic jams
may make getting to the hospital difficult and
if you summon an ambulance, it may double
the time as it may have trouble getting to you.
I used to love to ride the ambulances in
Ottawa. We would get onto the Queensway,
ease into the left lane, put on the lights and
siren, and then slice through traffic like a hot
knife through butter. Its not quite like that in
Bangkok.
So the first decision you should make is
whether you call an ambulance or get there
using your own vehicle or a taxi. There are
some situations where it is essential to call for
help. If there was a fall or accident and there
is a fear of bone injury, then the patient needs
to be moved professionally. This is particularly
important if there is any fear of spinal or neck
injury.
We think of pain in a negative way, but
pain makes a lot of sense as it tells us how
to behave. If you are experiencing significant
pain when you try to move, then it is probably
best to wait for help. However, in most cases
time is a premium and the four cases that I
mentioned above would need to get to the
hospital as soon as possible.
In most western cities the ambulance
service is a city service and they will make
the determination of which hospital to take
you to, based partly on your preference but
also on proximity and ER availability. Here in
Bangkok, the police have ambulances, but
if you use this service you may not have a
accident. In this manner our medical profes-
sionals are able to navigate traffic much faster
than conventional ambulance services and
deliver critical medical care when and where
it is most needed.
Air Ambulance Service - We combine highly
trained medical personnel and state-of-the-
art equipment with seasoned flight crews and
expertly maintained aircraft to provide the
best air ambulance service in Southeast Asia.
Dr. Michael Moreton trained as an obstetri-
cian and gynecologist in Canada. After prac-
ticing in the US and Canada for many years
he went to China, where he established the
first western-style maternity units in Beijing
and Shanghai. He is currently International
Medical Coordinator at the Bangkok Hospi-
tals in Bangkok and Hua Hin. A prolific writer,
Dr Moreton contributes a monthly column
to the Bangkok Hospital eNews. He can be
reached at Moreton@bgh.co.th
choice on where to go, and the default option
is almost never an internationally accredited
hospital. This is why it is important that you
call the hospital of your choiceIn the case
of Bangkok Hospital, simply dial 1719.
An expat mother showed me something
years ago that I have recommended to all
families. She kept in her laptop a medical
history of each member of the family and
details of any medication they were taking.
She added the findings at any health check-
up or other health care visits to her data base.
Then, if any member of the family was taken
to hospital she could access this information
and show it to the treating doctor. A nice trick
for the modern age is to email this document
to yourself so that you can get it quickly on
your smartphone.
Proper management in the first hours
of trauma really can save lives.
Bangkok Hospitals medical escort services
are among the most advanced in Southeast
Asia, and our teams of doctors and nurses
are available 24 hours a day to provide expert
emergency care, medical evacuation and
repatriation.
At Bangkok Hospital, we offer our pa-
tients emergency medical assistance both
at the scene of the accident and in transit
through a variety of state-of-the-art ambula-
tory services.
Ambulance Service - Our ambulance ser-
vice is dedicated to providing the highest
levels of pre-hospital emergency care and
patient transport for all general injuries.
Mobile CCU - Dedicated to treating patients
suffering from heart attacks and coronary
disease, our Mobile CCU enables us to assist
patients more effectively during their transfer
to Bangkok Heart Hospital. A cardiologist
and cardiac nurse travel with the patient to
administer critical aid and ensure that the
proper medical equipment and specialists are
standing by for the patients arrival.
Motorlance Service - To better facilitate
emergency on-site assistance in Bangkok,
we have enlisted a dedicated Motorlance
service utilizing specially equipped motor-
cycles to transfer doctors to the scene of an
Quick! Whats the number for 911?!
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Genuine Thai Products Limited
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Suvitcha Nativivat
Wally Romanchuk
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