The symbols of Royal support were handed to Eemi by the official representative of the Royal Palace Capt Khumsup Aeimsri this morning (Feb 23) at Krabi Nakharin International Hospital, where the boy receives treatment.
Capt Khumsup's visit followed visits from Krabi Governor, local officials and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Krabi PR Department reports that Eemi's condition keeps improving, the boy's wounds are recovering well and the doctors had not found any traces of infection. This morning the boy was already strong enough to sit on his bed. It is expected that he will be able to leave the hospital in one ore two days.
The attack on Eemi happened at about 6:30pm last Wednesday (Feb 20) at Ao Nang Beach. A pack of dogs attacked the boy when he went to the sea to wash sand off himself before leaving the beach his his father and brother.
Eemi's father ran to intervene and with the help of people nearby manged to get the pack away from Eemi, though the dogs followed him while he was carrying the boy to safety. In the end, local people chased the dogs away (read here).
In the attack Eemi suffered scratches and bites to his torso, back and buttocks and a wound about five centimetres long on his right calf. The most dangerous wound was a bite to his neck near his Adam’s apple.
More than 20 dogs have been already rounded up at Ao Nang Beach following the attack on Eemi (read here).
“They will be held for 30 days for owners to come and collect them and to observe their condition to make sure they don’t have rabies,” Junelachat Junelaphet, a veterinarian with Krabi Provincial Livestock Office, told The Phuket News.
“All of the dogs will be sterilised and vaccinated against rabies, we will find a new home for any dogs that are not claimed,” he added.
It is still not clear if (or how often) similar attacks happened at Ao Nang before.
“Ao Nang Beach and Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park are popular tourist areas, and this is the first time we have had stray dogs hurting tourists, but we must take quick action to prevent it from happening again,” said Pankum Kittithornkul, Chief Administration Officer (Palad) at the Ao Nang Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor).
Meanwhile, Sombat Boonerit, village headman (Phu Yai Baan) of Ao Nang Moo 2, which includes the beach area where the attack happened, said that dogs at the Ao Nang beach area had often bitten tourists.
“We had previously notified the District Office and relevant departments, but they still cannot solve the problem,” Mr Sombat added.