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Published on January 2, 2008

"The emergency lines are set up to provide medical services for those who are in urgent need. Please think about the victims and their relatives whose lives could be saved if they received medical treatment in time," said permanent secretary for Health, Prat Boonyawongwiroj yesterday.

The Narenthorn Centre's 1669 number for emergency medical service was clogged with about 1,800 crank calls a day, or one every single minute, he said.

They came from both children and adults via cellphones, home phones and public telephones, he said.

Besides disturbing the operators with nonsense messages such as reporting a fire on the head of a match, some callers also sexually harassed the attendants, he said.

Dr Surachet Stitniramai, director of the Narenthorn Centre, said all those who made prank calls, if they could be traced and arrested, would be fined Bt5,000 for violating the Emergency Medical Service Act recently passed by the National Legislative Assembly.

The Nation