Hatyai, Thailand – A rescue team came under online fire for keeping their shoes on during a house call to a suspected stroke patient, prompting an apology and a wider debate about etiquette in emergencies.
Trigger: Social media post over shoes in the house
In Hatyai, a woman’s social media post drew attention after she wrote that rescue workers had entered her home wearing shoes while treating a patient.
She condemned the behavior as a breach of etiquette and politeness, saying it was “unacceptable” for her.
Online reaction: Criticism turns on original poster
Reports stated that the post caused widespread confusion among internet users, with many turning against the author.
Numerous commenters accused her of publicly attacking the helpers even though they had acted in an emergency situation.
Response from Taphong Therdtham Rescue Foundation
The Taphong Therdtham Rescue Foundation later issued a statement and apologized for the incident.
At the same time, the organization pointed to the urgency of the operation and stressed that any delay in such moments could be risky.
Medical context: Stroke as a race against time
According to the foundation, the patient was in critical condition and, with a suspected stroke, required immediate treatment.
Key interventions such as clot-dissolving medication or a procedure needed to occur within 4.5 hours, and a brain CT scan was typically carried out within 30 to 60 minutes to enable rapid therapy.
Rescuer’s account: No time to remove shoes
A participating rescue officer told Khaosod that the emergency call came in on 3 April at 10:50 a.m. about a patient with suddenly occurring weakness.
On site, the patient reportedly could not move, spoke slurringly and appeared dazed, so the team had to bring equipment into the house quickly and kept their shoes on to avoid losing life-saving time.
No objections on scene – and common practice in emergencies
The officer also said that family members of the patient had not objected to the shoes during the operation.
In many households, wearing shoes during acute emergencies was tolerated so responders could work without delay and transport equipment safely.
Strain on responders: Anger, sadness and a late apology
The team reported that the intense reaction on social media had left them angry and sad because they had put the patient’s life first.
According to them, an apology came only from the woman’s younger brother, not from the person who had published the post.