Man Dies After Two-Hour Wait at Hospital for Severe Abdominal Pain
A 65-year-old man died at a Southern Thailand hospital after waiting two hours without receiving promised pain relief or a CT scan for severe abdominal pain; the scan eventually revealed a ruptured abdominal aorta requiring emergency surger
On August 14, 2025, a family filed a complaint after their 65-year-old relative, referred to as Cham, died at a hospital. His wife, 54-year-old On-see, brought him to the emergency room around 7 p.m. on August 12 when he developed severe abdominal pain and described feeling a hard mass in his abdomen. After an initial ultrasound, doctors told him they would give him a painkiller and he could go home. However, the family says Cham waited about two hours without receiving the promised injection or a CT scan, and his pain continued to worsen.
Around 10 p.m., Cham's condition deteriorated sharply. His daughter asked staff how much longer they would have to wait, expressing concern he was going into shock. Shortly after, he began seizing, vomiting, turned pale, sweated profusely, and lost consciousness. Staff then rushed him to resuscitation, gave him oxygen, and his blood pressure measured around 200 mmHg. An urgent CT scan was ordered and revealed an abnormality in his abdominal blood vessels requiring immediate surgery. Despite doctors' efforts and assistance from a vascular specialist, Cham's pulse weakened and his heart stopped. Resuscitation attempts failed and he died.
The CT scan showed his abdominal aorta was enlarged and ruptured. His wife and 28-year-old daughter posted on Facebook asking why the CT scan was not done earlier when he was conscious and could describe his symptoms, and why the diagnostic and treatment process took so long. They do not seek compensation but want the hospital to explain the delays and review the case to prevent similar losses in other families. They believe faster and more thorough initial examination might have saved his life.
