During the Loy Krathong festival, apart from floating krathongs, there are also activities involving firecrackers, fireworks, or sparklers, which contain explosive materials and have been developed to create more powerful explosions. This is especially common among children and teenagers who sometimes engage in risky behavior for fun. Such exuberance and lack of caution can lead to accidents.
Learning basic first aid can help alleviate the severity of injuries and reduce the risk of losing limbs.
Basic first aid methods for injuries can be done as follows:
- Clean the wound with clean water at normal temperature, or let water run over it, or soak the affected limb in clean water for about 15-20 minutes, or until the burning pain decreases.
- Remove clothing from the burned or scalded area. If difficult to remove, cut it into pieces. If the clothing is stuck to the wound, do not pull it off but cover it with a clean cloth instead.
- Do not apply any substances, creams, or medications on the wound, especially fish sauce, seasonings, toothpaste, and balm, as these can cause irritation, increase the risk of infection, and complicate treatment.
- Cover the patient’s body with a thin clean cloth to help maintain body temperature (when the skin loses its function, body temperature may drop, causing shivering).
What to do if an extremity is severed?
- Stop the bleeding by pressing and elevating the injured part.
- Preserve the severed limb by following these steps:
- Put the severed part into a dry and clean plastic bag to prevent it from drying out.
- Tightly seal the bag without using disinfectants or washing the severed part.
- Tightly seal the bag without using disinfectants or washing the severed part.
- Transport the patient to the hospital quickly along with the severed limb.
Accident and Emergency Center Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai Phone number: 052-089-888
