Medevac to the Junta?

[GWR]

I fairly frequently see helicopters taking off from the helipad atop a local private hospital, but they probably hire the chopper on an as-needed basis. I suppose this is the first dedicated service:

Helicopter medical service
Published on November 15, 2007

Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre has formed a joint venture with Bangkok Dusit Medical Services to provide a helicopter service expected to generate Bt72 million in the first year.

Bangkok Helicopter Services will provide the first helicopter emergency service in Thailand and the region.

Managing director Puttipong Prasartthong-osoth said the company had invested Bt250 million in helicopter and medical equipment. The helicopter alone cost Bt240 million.

He said the company aimed to serve mostly local patients and expats under insurance coverage. It is also targeting VIP persons, medical assistance, and tourist and emergency evacuation.

Average service rate is Bt120,000 an hour, which is higher then other operators due to its special medical services.

"We expect to operate 700 hours in the first year and hope for revenue of Bt72 million," said Puttipong.

He said a new EC145 helicopter by Eurocopter was ordered from Europe and the engine was made by Turbo-mecca in Ger-many. This helicopter is highly efficient, with a maximum speed of 268 kilometres per hour and maximum range of 680 kilometres without the need to refuel.

The large cabin and high ceiling are appropriate for medical equipment including patient stabilisation, treatment and advanced life-support.

Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre CEO Chatree Duangnet said two helicopter landing points, at Bangkok Hospital and Bangkok International Hospital, would provide point-to-point patient transfer and all the suitable medical equipment needed in order to stabilise and give medical treatment to patients in time.

The faster patients are transferred to a hospital, the better chance they have to recover, Chatree said.

The medical team is comprised of certified and experienced aviation physicians and registered nurses with experience of critical care and emergency nursing. All crew members are trained in trauma, cardiac, neonatal, obstetrics, paediatrics, burns care and laboratory skills.

The service includes on-site patient stabilisation and treatment, air ambulance providing point-to-point patient transfer and all suitable medical equipment. The helicopter will be able to cover all provinces in Thailand and neighbouring countries in Indochina along with maritime areas.

The Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre comprises four hospitals: Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok Heart Hospital, Wattanosoth Hospital and Bangkok International Hospital.

Suchat Sritama
The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/11/15/business/business_30056126.php

[GWR]

I suppose there could be political reasons why this company decided that it wasn't worth specifically telling its own fellow citizens that it was also planning to offer its service to Myanmar.

Interesting photo, as it appears to indicate that the helicopter has been specially fitted out for its task:


Bangkok hospital targets Myanmar for int’l emergency helicopter service
By Ni Ni Myint

http://www.mmtimes.com/no394/pic/005.gif
[Photo: Myanmar Times - Medical specialists demonstrate the loading of a patient onto the emergency helicopter.

OFFICIALS from the Bangkok Helicopter Services Company are currently negotiating to get a landing permit in Myanmar for its new international helicopter emergency medical service, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, said Captain Puttipong Prasartthong-osoth, the managing director of the company.

He said the company hoped the helicopter service, which was launched on November 14 at a ceremony at Bangkok Hospital, would be used to facilitate the quick evacuation of emergency patients to Thailand from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The service will be provided using a 250 million baht twin-engine Eurocopter helicopter, which can fly at 268 kilometres an hour and has a range of 680 kilometres.

The helicopter is equipped with emergency supplies including extra oxygen, ventilators and heart defibrillators and will be crewed by two pilots, a nurse and a doctor during emergency flights.

Patients who wish to use the service must submit medical documents to Bangkok Hospital’s Myanmar branch, which will then contact Bangkok Hospital in Thailand.

Officials there will notify aviation personnel in Myanmar. Once landing permission is granted, the helicopter will fly to Yangon International Airport to pick up the patient.

Capt Puttipong said the helicopter will leave Bangkok to retrieve the patient within 30 minutes of receiving the phone call. Flying charges for the service will be B120,000 an hour.

Mr Ralf Krewer, the international marketing manager of Bangkok International Hospital, which is part of the Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre group, said he expects Myanmar to be the main customer of the service if landing permits are gained for all three countries.

He said more than 4000 patients from Myanmar have visited Bangkok Hospital since the start of 2007.

The Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre includes four hospitals: Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok Heart Hospital, Wattanosoth Hospital and Bangkok International Hospital.

http://www.mmtimes.com/no394/n010.htm

[GWR]

Last updated on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

New Light of Myanmar

Chaophya Hospital of Thailand introduced

YANGON, 21 Jan - A ceremony to introduce the Chaophya Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, was held at International Health and Beauty Centre (IBHC) on Bo Aung Kyaw Road in Kyauktada Township here this morning.

Chairman of the centre Dr Tin Tun Oo and Management In-Charge of the Chaophya Hospital U Myint Thein made opening speeches.

Managing Director Dr Chumrum Sorapipatana of the hospital presented salient points of the hospital. Prof Suphachai of Heart Centre of the hospital gave information on treatments at the hospital while Dr Moe Aung Kyaw explained facts related to medical care.

Chaophya Hospital is a hospital in Thailand that plays a leading role in providing medical care to people. It was founded in 1988 as �Health Care Department' by Specialists from all Medical Care Centres and has been now over 15 years.

The hospital is located on 5.5 acres of land on the bank of Chaophya River, which means �King of Rivers'. There is easy access to the hospital by land and water as the river flows through Bangkok.

The hospital has met its success as it could provide cardiac patients with stem cell treatment system.

Better and advanced medical treatment and health care services are mainly offered. All kinds of medical treatments can be accessed at one place as there are all specialist centres at the hospital.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html