Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket, the island’s sole rescue service with a foreign volunteer in its ranks, made a public appeal earlier this week, encouraging foreigners to join the Phuket blood donation drive. The team’s volunteer and instructor Vincent Modell from the UK is also a regular blood donor.
“Dear foreign friends, high season has just started in Phuket, international flights have already increased greatly. This not only means our hotels will get more guests – our hospitals will get more patients in need of blood transfusions. More tourists mean more accidents, more life-threatening conditions and much, much more blood needed to save human lives,” Rescue Team Volunteers said in a Facebook publication.
The rescue service emphasised that Rh-negative blood is always in critically short supply in Thailand because it is rare among Thais. According to academics, only 0.3% of the Thai population has this blood type, in contrast to approximately 15% of Westerners.
"As simple as that: Thais cannot provide enough Rh-negative blood to the Blood Banks as they do not have it. When a tourist needs to be saved, only other foreigners can help, and preparations must be made in advance," urged Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket, calling for foreigners to step forward for blood donations in Phuket.
This call received support from various members of Phuket’s diverse community of blood donors, including both Thais and foreigners.
Despite their dedication, the existing donors can only donate blood once every three months, making it challenging to meet the needs of Phuket hospitals.
This public appeal comes as the high season approaches when road accidents and other emergencies are expected to become more common.
From Jan 1 through Nov 5 this year, the national road safety agency ThaiRSC has recorded 40% more road deaths and 25% more hospitalisations than in the same period of 2022.
"Please, if you can, come and donate blood now. Very soon, doctors will need it urgently. All blood groups are welcome, but RH-negative donors are in the highest demand," emphasized Ael Sirima, a highly regarded member of Phuket’s blood donor community.
To streamline the donation process, the Phuket Regional Center (Phuket RBC), operated by the Phuket chapter of the Thai Red Cross Society, sets up mobile donation points at various locations across the island.
The Phuket RBC schedule for November is as follows:
- Nov 6 – 2pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 8 – 9am-3pm – Wat Sawang Arom (Wat Rawai);
- Nov 10 – 12pm-3pm – Phuket Wittalaya School;
- Nov 14 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 14 – 1pm-4pm – Blue Canyon Country Club;
- Nov 16 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 16 – 10am-3pm – Mueang Thalang School;
- Nov 17 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 17 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Thalang (Thepkrasattri Rd);
- Nov 21 – 10am-3.30pm – Phuket FantaSea Kamala;
- Nov 24 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 24 – 12pm-6pm – Jungceylon Patong;
- Nov 25 – 2pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 28 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 28 – 10am-2pm – Satree Phuket School;
- Nov 30 – 12pm-6pm – Lotus’s Samkong (bypass road);
- Nov 30 – 12pm-6pm – Central Phuket Floresta.
The Phuket Blood Bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital is organising a separate outreach program in November also arranging temporary donation centers in various parts of Phuket.
The Vachira Phuket Hospital schedule for November is as follows:
- Nov 6 – 10am-3pm – Royal Paradise Hotel (Patong);
- Nov 8 – 10am-3pm – Phuket Graceland Hotel (Patong);
- Nov 13 – 10am-3pm – Anantara Mai Khao Villas;
- Nov 14 – 10am-3pm – Phuket Boat Lagoon;
- Nov 15 – 10am-3pm – TwinPalms Phuket Resort (Surin);
- Nov 16 – 10am-3pm – Royal Thai Navy NAC 3 (Cape Panwa);
- Nov 17 – 10am-3pm – Kathu Wittaya School;
- Nov 20 – 10am-3pm – Rassada Municipality;
- Nov 21 – 10am-3pm – Pa Khlok Municipality;
- Nov 22 – 10am-3pm – Nai Yang Beach Resort and Spa;
- Nov 23 – 10am-3pm – Thalang Hospital;
- Nov 24 – 10am-3pm – Kathu Municipality;
- Nov 27 – 10am-3pm – Khun Mae Chu Shop (Thalang);
- Nov 28 – 10am-6pm – Thai Watsadu Chalong;
- Nov 29 – 10am-3pm – Phuket Revenue Office;
- Nov 30 – 12pm-6pm – Region 8 Police (Mai Khao);
People can also donate blood directly at the Phuket RBC in Phuket Town:
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 8.30am to 4.30pm;
- Tuesday, Thursday – 8.30am to 8pm;
- Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays – 9am to 3pm;
- Telephones – 076-251178 ext. 2 or 081-9588854.
- Facebook – Phuket RBC and Region Phuket NBC.
Donations can be made at Vachira Phuket Hospital on Yaowarat Rd in Phuket Town:
- Monday to Friday – 8.30am to 8pm;
- Weekends and holidays – 8.30am to 3pm;
- Telephone – 076-361234 ext 1287;
- Facebook – Blood Bank, Vachira Phuket Hospital.