Chula Hospital insists on talk with UDD outside rally site

BANGKOK, 1 May 2010 (NNT) — King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital will not send representatives to negotiate with the anti-government protesters at Ratchaprasong Junction, according to the hospital director, MD Adisorn Patradul.

MD Adisorn said that sending hospital representatives for a negotiation with the anti-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) within the demonstration site at Ratchaprasong would be inappropriate. He reasoned that the talk should be based on both sides’ consent to urgently return normalcy to the hospital and its patients.

Yesterday, police officers arranged a negotiation between the hospital and the UDD; however, no UDD members made their appearance due to fear of being arrested.

UDD protesters have also set up bunkers of car tires and sharpened bamboo sticks in front of Chulalongkorn Hospital to prevent the military troops from entering the premises. On Thursday, supporters and guards of the group stormed into the hospital in search for military troops believed to be hiding out inside and preparing for protest dispersal.

With the UDD’s bunkers in front of the hospital, MD Adisorn admitted that he was still uncertain when the hospital would be able to resume normal operations, citing that medical personnel now feared for their safety during night shift. The hospital decided to close its out-patient services yesterday and has transferred patients to Siriraj Hospital.