Close to 5,000 people joined the Volunteers for Dad group to provide services to mourners paying homage to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Grand Palace. Formed shortly after the passing of The King, the group aims to help distribute food and drink, collect and sort garbage, provide a motorcycle shuttle service, and offer medical treatment.
Thammasat University deputy rector Parinya Thewanarumitkul, director of Volunteers for Dad, told local media that 4,867 people had joined the group and have been working to assist at the Grand Palace.
Meanwhile, a number of volunteer medical personnel are taking care of mourners for free as a good deed in honour of the late King, according to media reports. This has given people mourning at Sanam Luang access to dedicated medical services. Staff are stationed at 12 medical units around the venue. Each unit is equipped to perform emergency medical services and transfer acutely ill patients to nearby hospitals if needed.
“Currently, there are around 200 to 300 people seeking medical assistance from our unit every day, most of whom are poor people from other provinces,” Dr Ittaporn Kanacharoen, Medical Council of Thailand deputy secretary-general and a volunteer medical unit director at Sanam Luang, explained to The Nation. “These people cannot use their Universal Health Coverage rights in Bangkok, so our free service is very beneficial to them.”
Dr Ittaporn added that doctors, nurses and other medical personnel volunteering at the makeshift medical centers had come from the country’s medical schools, public hospitals and private clinics.
“All of our medical staff here come from various organisations, but we all have a single purpose to provide healthcare for those who need assistance as a tribute to the King. Everything, from health check-ups, medicine and all treatments, are free, so everyone can access quality healthcare during the event,” Ittaporn told the newspaper. “Normally, we have around 10 doctors on duty everyday from 8am to 9pm and can receive up to 1,000 patients per day.”
Image via facebook.com/volunteersfordad
