Hospital beds concern amid virus surge

Bangkok's new wave of Covid-19 infections is starting to show signs of causing a bed shortage in hospitals just as the military plans to set up 10 field hospitals in the capital with 3,000 beds.

Ramkhamhaeng Hospital announced on Facebook on Thursday that it was immediately suspending its Covid-19 test service due to a shortage of beds to accommodate virus victims and asking those with appointments to reschedule them for a later date.

Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital announced that its facility had run out of testing supplies, so it was also forced to temporarily stop administering Covid-19 tests.

Pakpoom Dejhasadin, aka Panda Lab Doctor, a medical technician working at the National Blood Centre and the Thai Red Cross Society, posted on his well-known Mor Lab Panda Facebook page that several hospitals did not want to provide Covid-19 tests -- but he claimed the real reason was that they had no choice but to admit those found to be infected ... and several hospitals had run out of beds due to the soaring number of new cases.

The Defence Ministry said the armed forces were preparing to set up field hospitals as instructed by the prime minister following the new infection cluster linked to pubs and bars in the Thong Lor area.

He said the armed forces were also making plans to set up field hospitals in other provinces to deal with the possible spread of Covid-19.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said Ratchaphipat Hospital in Bang Khae district and Bang Khunthian Geriatric Hospital in Bang Khunthian district were among the first locations chosen to accommodate field hospitals.