Update on the speed boat collision between Koh Phangan and Koh Samui

Update on the speed boat collision between Koh Phangan and Koh Samui

An update from the Bangkok Post today by Supapong Chaolan, interesting is that one of the boats was exactly the same boat that flipped over in January 2005 when they tempered with the steering cords;

SURAT THANI : At least 40 people have been injured in a head-on collision between two speedboats carrying tourists taking part in a full-moon party on Koh Phangan.
The collision happened about 12.30am yesterday in waters between Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.

The force of the impact severely damaged the two speedboats and threw passengers into the water.

They were left stranded in the sea before being rescued by marine police and passing speedboats. There was heavy rain and strong winds when the accident happened.

Twenty-nine injured passengers were sent to Bangkok Samui Hospital, six were admitted to Ban Don International Hospital on Koh Samui and five to Thai International Hospital Koh Samui.

Ten foreigners _ three Britons, five Australians, one Ukrainian and one Singaporean _ were among the injured.

One speedboat, Phummipat 59, was carrying 23 tourists who were returning from a full-moon party on Koh Phangan to Koh Samui.

It collided with another speedboat, Sawasdi Chalermchoke Nawa5, which was taking 39 passengers from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan. The Sawasdi Chalerm choke Nawa5 is owned by Sea Beach Tour and Transport Co.

Preecha Chorsuwannachart, a passenger on board the Sawasdi Chalermchoke Nawa 5, said the boat travelled at high speed and did not have its signal lights switched on.

Mr Preecha, who is a member of the Nonthaburi provincial administration organisation, said the boat collided with the other boat, throwing passengers into the sea.

Weeraphan Phetchara, who was driving the Phummipat 59, said he did not see the signal lights of the other boat before the collision.

Thuenjai Phetcharat, who runs Phetcharat Marina Co which owns the Phummipat 59, said the company has accident insurance to cover passengers. They will each receive 100,000 baht.

She said she is willing to bring the driver of the Phummipat 59 to police for questioning.

Police said the licence for the Sawasdi Chalermchoke Nawa 5 has expired and not been renewed and it also has no insurance documents.

The Sawasdi Chalermchoke Nawa 5 capsized on Jan 25, 2005, while taking tourists from a full-moon party on Koh Pha-ngan. Fifteen passengers drowned in the accident. Police said the boat sank because it was overloaded.

Bandon International Hospital, Bophud

Bandon International Hospital, Bophud

My last hospital review, for the time being, of hospitals on Samui is about Bandon International Hospital .

I'm not going to talk a lot about this place since I consider it a dump and the things I personally know about this place and witnessed and adding stories of what I heard from others I can only advice to stay away from this place.

Word is that this hospital is on a black list of many European or Western insurance companies. If true, that tells it all.

It's located next to Big C on the ring road.

Camille

Bangkok Samui Hospital, Chaweng

Bangkok Samui Hospital, Chaweng

In my series about Samui Hospitals, it's time to talk about Bangkok Samui Hospital in Chaweng.

It's the newest hospital on the island and by far the hospital with the most updated and modern equipment and they also have one of the two hyperbaric chambers on Samui, currently located on Samui, under their roof.

This hospital is part of the Bangkok Hospital group with hospitals all over Thailand.

Since their opening I have visited this hospital a few times, for check ups and to see friends who were staying here and we found out here that my wife was pregnant of our second child.

However, over time, I started to dislike the hospital more and more for their greedy approach. If you want to visit the hospital, they charge 3.000,-THB as a registration fee, refundable by your insurance. For residents this registration is waived though. It's not until very recently that their room rates went down, since my regular insurance would only cover room rates for the other hospitals on Samui. There are also numerous stories floating around were they ask for outrageous prices to treat you. Unfortunate and not necessary in my opinion.

In contrast, I have very good experiences with the Bangkok Phuket hospital of the same group. Very professional, very friendly and helpful staff, good service and very cheap!

Bangkok Samui hospital is located at the ring road in Chaweng, next to the Bangkok Airways main office;

Bangkok Hospital Samui 57 Moo 3, Thaweerat Phakdee Road, Bophut, Koh Samui , Suratthani 84320

Tel: 0-7742-9500 Fax: 0-7742-9540

Camille

Government Hospital in Nathon

Government Hospital in Nathon

In my series about hospitals on Samui, it's time to visit the Government hospital in Nathon.
For most tourists, this will remain a closed book, but a lot expats may be familiar with this hospital.

It's located at the 'outskirt' of Nathon, at the traffic lights where the Immigration office is located, it's on the same road as the Immigration office but at the very end of this road, about one kilometre down this road, around the corner to the right.

It's an interesting place, there are wards with up to 40 patients in it and their relatives/families who stay next to their bedside. People who are about to die lie next to slightly injured or ill people.

However, there also private rooms.

There's also a wing with private rooms for Monks, which are used for everybody, until a Monk needs to be hospitalised.

All in all, for a Westerner not very common sights.

The staff is very very good and friendly though and 'unfortunately' the surgeons are some of the best in Thailand when it comes down to mending motorbike accident victims, since Samui supposedly has one of the highest accident rates in Thailand.

Both of our children have been born here and we were very happy with the way the births were handled by the doctor and the staff. There's an interesting discussion going on about giving birth on Samui at the Samui forum of Thai Visa. All hospitals on Samui are being discussed as well, interesting if it peaks your interest! You need to sign up first for the Forum though.

The contact info for the Government hospital is like this;

Nathon

61 Moo 1, Tambon Angthong Koh Samui, Suratthani, 84140 Thailand

Tel: 0 7742 1230-2, 0 7742 1232

Fax: 0 7742 0150

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Camille

Thai International Hospital, Chaweng

Thai International Hospital, Chaweng

In my 'series' about the Samui hospitals, after my report on Samui International Hospital, it's time for the second entry, being Thai International Hospital in Chaweng. It's one of the newer hospitals on the island and they host amongst others two dive medically trained physicians who work narrowly together with the SSS hyperbaric chamber in Bang Rak on Samui.



They also boast to have its own in-house certified plastic surgeon, and are equally proud of their comprehensive Hemodialysis Centre.

Since their opening I have visited a few friends and relatives of my wife here and their service is good. The hospital seems to be very popular with the local Thais, who live in this neighbourhood, over the Government hospital in Nathon and the other hospitals in Chaweng.

It's located near the ring road and opposite Tesco Lotus Koh Samui. Fairly easy to find!

Here are their contact details;

Tel: +66 (0) 7741 4400-9

Tel: +66 (0) 7724 5720-26

Camille

Samui International Hospital, Chaweng

Samui International Hospital, Chaweng

Although nobody wants to end up in a hospital during a holiday, I still though it a good idea to compile a list of hospitals available on Koh Samui.

When I arrived 9 years ago, there were only three hospitals on Samui; Samui International Hospital about which I'm posting right now, the Government Hospital in Nathon and Bandon Hospital in Bophud.

Since than, two more hospitals have been added, Thai International Hospital and Bangkok Samui Hospital, both in Chaweng.

It's also worthwhile to mention in this thread the two hyperbaric chambers that are currently located on Koh Samui.




Samui International Hospital (SIH) has been my hospital of choice for most of my out patient visits. I find the staff friendly and the doctors seem to know what they're doing.

SIH used to be a resort, way back when and there's a swimming pool behind the reception area, which is used for dive training by some dive centres on the island!


The location of SIH is excellent, almost smack downtown Chaweng, towards the Northern part, near the Amari resort.



Here's their full contact info;



SAMUI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL (SIH)
Northern Chaweng Beach Road, 90/2 Moo 2, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand, 84320. Tel: +66-077-230781-2 Tel: +66-077-422272 Tel: +66-077-411349