Taiwanese tourist dies from hit-and-run injuries after Bangkok hospital refused to admit him

A man on holiday in Bangkok died from his injuries after a hit-and-run accident on Dec 8.

But paramedics insisted that the 41-year-old Taiwanese tourist could have survived if the first hospital he was sent to had admitted him, ET Today reported.

According to the Taiwanese news outlet, the man surnamed Chen was hit by a car at 1am.

Ambulance staff then conveyed the unconscious man to a private hospital just 500 metres away from the accident scene.

But the paramedics said that the hospital refused to admit Chen.

The hospital was allegedly concerned that they would not be able to receive payment after treating the foreigner.

"They asked us why we didn't bring him to a public hospital instead," Thai ambulance personnel told reporters.

"They said, 'You know we can't treat him since he's a foreigner'."

The paramedics continued to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Chen as they rushed him to another hospital some 10 kilometres away, TTV news reported.

But the man succumbed to his injuries on the way there.

"If the first hospital had treated him, I think he could have survived," the paramedics said.

A 51-year-old driver was later arrested and questioned for causing the accident.

Chen's family also travelled to Thailand to handle matters relating to his death.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com