Patients build forts in Thailand
Due to the fast-spreading nature of the recent Covid-19 outbreak, Thailand’s hospitals are quickly becoming overcrowded. The government’s solution was to create multiple field hospitals throughout Thailand.
When we imagine a field hospital, we think of multiple patients being sick and lying in their beds. These patients at a field hospital in Chiang Mai, however, have proved us wrong: these individuals who show little to no symptoms are building forts out of paperboard.
Recent updates on Covid-19:
- Thai govt implements more safety guidelines & restrictions
- Public in high-risk areas urged to work from home
Forts made from paperboard
Last Saturday 17th April 2021, posted to the Instagram account @up2youha was a video showing the atmosphere at one of the field hospitals in Chiang Mai. Opposing the image full of sick people the word “hospital” brings, what we see instead is a room filled with forts made out of paper boxes as if the patients were playing “house”.
Screenshot: @up2youha
The video – applied with one of TikTok’s many upbeat song selections – shows forts in various shapes: from those with 4 walls, to those with none, to tent-like roofs, and even ones with a rack for wet towels.
Caption humorously saying that the patients are already marking their territories after a few days in.
Screenshot: @up2youha
Netizens quickly bumped in their opinions with most focusing on the romance that could erupt at the place as boredom sweeps in. While some say that there must be some flirting going around, another netizen jokingly mentioned that if couples can show some PDA at the place, the mood would surely lighten.
On a more serious note, a couple have commented on how privacy was neglected and that they wish the patients were given partitions so that they wouldn’t have to build their own “walls”.
Screenshot: @n.rangnok
Translation: There should at least be partitions to give the patients some privacy.
On the bright side, however, at least the patients are receiving treatment, said a netizen.
Privacy vs. discourtesy
While the DIY walls do give the privacy that the patients lack in field hospitals, it is still important to set some limits to prevent disrespecting the boundaries of neighbouring patients or creating obstacles for caretakers.
More about Covid-19:
- Thai Hotel Association proposes “hospi-tels”
- Thai private hospitals receive green light to import vaccines
- BKK & other provinces impose new regulations
Cover images adapted from: @up2youha
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