The city of Korat is currently engulfed in sorrow as it mourns the tragic loss of its prominent paramedic, who was locally known as “Doctor Toon.” This dedicated emergency medical professional, aged 38, had his life abruptly cut short in a devastating road accident.
Yesterday, at 12:10 am, the local police in Korat received a distress call reporting an accident on a bridge near the decorated flower market intersection in the Kok Krathum district. Upon arrival, they discovered an overturned Lambretta scooter on the bridge, with a ten-meter drop to the road below. A volunteer rescue team was desperately trying to revive the injured individual, identified as Dr. Bunluea Aongjaem, also known as Doctor Toon. Toon played a vital role as an emergency paramedic associated with Thep Rattana Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Sadly, the impact of the accident and the resulting severe injuries led to Doctor Toon’s untimely death. Police Major Paisarn Punrue, the duty sergeant of Po Klang police station, provided some initial findings. Dr. Bunluea was riding his scooter alone on the bridge, heading back to his residence at Thep Rattana Hospital when he lost control while negotiating a right curve. This caused him to hit the edge of the bridge and be thrown down to the roadside below.
The scooter’s tail light was broken, but there was no damage to the rear mudguard. To dispel any doubts about whether it was a single-vehicle incident or involved a collision, we have collaborated with the investigation team to review CCTV footage along the route,” he explained.
Dr. Bunluea played a crucial role in the EMS response operations, providing assistance to patients and injured individuals at accident scenes. He also assessed EMS standards in Korat and served as the primary instructor and coordinator for CPR and AED at the SaengthamDharma training center in Suong Noen, collaborating with the National Institute of Emergency Medicine. His expertise and dedication were highly regarded among rescue volunteers across 32 districts, making his loss a significant blow to the medical community.
Heartfelt tributes and condolences are pouring in for Doctor Toon on various rescue pages and Facebook from both rescue volunteers and those who knew him personally. Today, at 11 am, an ambulance from Thep Rattana Hospital transported Doctor Toon’s body from Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital’s morgue to the Wat Mai Pratu Chai temple in Pimai district, Nakhon Ratchasima, where a funeral ceremony is taking place this evening. His fellow rescue volunteers are attending the event together, as reported by Sanook.
