Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani temporarily suspends admissions for fresh Cambodian patients
Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital Temporarily Suspends Services for Cambodian Patients
In response to security concerns due to unrest near the Thai-Cambodian border, Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani has temporarily suspended several non-urgent services for new Cambodian patients. The hospital's director, Dr. Monchai Wiwattanasitthiphong, announced the changes on Thursday, citing the need to protect the safety of patients, relatives, hospital staff, and the facility itself.
The measures implemented include:
- Suspension of new admissions for Cambodian nationals, except in emergencies.
- Cancellation of medicine pickups on behalf of Cambodian patients due to cross-border delivery difficulties.
- Temporary halt to Cambodian-language interpreter services, especially those provided by Cambodian university students, due to a decline in Cambodian patient numbers.
- Restriction of currently admitted Cambodian patients to clearly defined hospital areas for security reasons.
- Postponement of non-urgent surgeries and suspension of specialized out-of-hours clinics to prioritize core medical services.
These measures are based on humanitarian principles and necessary logistical adjustments, not discriminatory intent. The temporary suspension started on July 30, 2025, and is expected to continue until around August 10, 2025, subject to the security situation improving. Emergency services remain available to Cambodian patients despite the restrictions.
The provincial public relations office made this information known, and it's important to note that Ubon Ratchathani is one of the battlegrounds in armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. Dr. Monchai clarified that there is no total ban on Cambodian patients, and patients from the closed hospitals were transferred to other safe hospitals. Three district hospitals in the northeastern provinces - Nam Yuen, Nam Khun, and Na Chaluai - were forced to close.
Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, a main hospital in the northeastern province's Muang district, is mobilizing resources to cope with the border situation. The hospital remains committed to providing medical services to military personnel and civilians regardless of their nationalities. The hospital's priority is now to treat injured people and military personnel due to border armed clashes.
[1] The Nation [2] Bangkok Post [3] Khaosod English [4] Thai PBS World [5] Voice of America
- The unrest near the Thai-Cambodian border has led to the temporary suspension of non-urgent services for new Cambodian patients at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani, with a focus on prioritizing core medical services.
- The temporary measures, including the cancellation of medicine deliveries and Cambodian-language interpreter services, are based on humanitarian principles and necessary logistical adjustments, not discriminatory intent.
- As one of the battlegrounds in armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, Ubon Ratchathani is a focal point of general news and politics, and the suspension of services at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital is also connected to crime-and-justice issues, such as the forced closure of three district hospitals.
