Since there are many industrial estates in Si Racha and nearby areas, injuries in industrial plants take place sometimes. The 500-bed hospital seeks to improve its Emergency Medical Services for cases in need.
The seaside town of Si Racha is located about halfway between the town of
Chon Buri and Pattaya beach resort. It is now experiencing the effects of
industrialization and development, supported by Laem Chabang Port, which is the
20th busiest port in the world.
More than 100 years ago, Si Racha became a retreat for Her Majesty Queen
Sri Savarindira, or Queen Savang Vadhana (1862-1955), the Queen Grandmother of
Thailand. She was a Queen of King Chulalongkjorn (Rama V) and the grandmother
of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the present monarch. Following the
death of several of her children, her health began to fail, and King
Chulalongkorn permitted her to remove herself from the capital in order to
recuperate at Si Racha for a certain period.
Realizing that local residents needed a proper medical facility for better
health care, the Queen Grandmother established the Queen Savang Vadhana
Memorial Hospital in Si Racha district in 1902, with her personal funds. She
also placed the hospital under her royal patronage throughout her life. The
hospital was officially opened on 10 September 1902. Later, in 1908, the beachfront
hospital was relocated onshore. Because of difficulties for local villagers
living in remote areas to travel to the hospital, the Queen Grandmother also
arranged mobile medical units on ox carts to offer medical services to them.
This was the starting point of mobile medical units in Thai society.
In the early stage, the Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital was under
the supervision of Siriraj Hospital, and it was transferred to be under Thai
Red Cross Society in 1928. The Queen Grandmother donated funds for the
operations of the hospital on a continual basis.
The small health care institution at that time has grown to become a major
hospital. A great number of local people in Si Racha and nearby areas have come
to seek medical services at this hospital, which has also arranged medical
teams to provide services for workers in eastern industrial estates.
The Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital, also known as Somdej Hospital
at Si Racha, is now the training center for medical students from Burapha University
in the East. It has adopted traditional Thai medicine as an alternative medical
service, applying a holistic approach to patient care, as well.
There are currently 1,600 staff members. Among them, 70 are physicians and
400 are nurses.
(thailand.prd.go.th)