Thailand Opens First Field Hospital For COVID-19 Patients

By Linda Khoo Hui Li BANGKOK, March 25 (Bernama) -- Thailand Wednesday opened its first field hospital for non-critical COVID-19 patients at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok. The 308-bed facility at the 14-storey Dluxx Thammasat dormitory, will house patients with mild or no COVID-19 symptoms. Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Thammasat University, Assoc Prof Dilok Piyayotai, said patients who had been treated for five to seven days and were still showing mild symptoms of COVID-19, would be transferred to the hospital. “We expect more positive cases in one or two weeks, and we may need more hospital beds. Therefore, setting up a field hospital for non-critical patients will reduce the shortage of beds in existing hospitals. “The first group of 10 patients will be transferred here today,” he told reporters after visiting the field hospital. He added that patients transferred to the field hospital would complete a 14-day quarantine, while those who tested negative would be allowed to return home. The field hospital is a collaborative effort of five university hospitals comprising Thammasat University Hospital, Siriraj Hospital, Ramathibodi Hospital, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and Vajira Hospital. Dilok said a doctor and a team of nurses would be stationed at the field hospital to monitor the patients. Each room has an air-conditioner and attached bathroom, while there are close-circuit cameras on each floor. Communications systems will enable medical teams to monitor and communicate with the patients, he said. To date, Thailand has recorded 934 cases with four deaths. A total of 70 patients have been discharged, while 860 remain hospitalised. --BERNAMA