The Thai Red Cross Society has prepared an emergency plan for blood donations should violence break out during the remainder of the red shirts' mass rally.
Ninetytwo beds will be prepared at the Thai Red Cross Society for 3,000 people to donate blood for emergencies per day, said the society's national blood centre director, Dr Soisaang Pikulsod.
Medical workers from Vachira, Pramongkut, Somdejprapinklao, Bhumiphon, General Police, and Ramathibodi hospitals will be deployed to help the society collect blood from donors during this period, she added.
At present, the Thai Red Cross Society can provide 525,000cc or 1,500 units of blood for a normal situation and 350,000cc or 1,000 units for emergencies.
She said the number of blood donors had increased this year to 1,500 people per day, from 1,200 daily in the same period last year.
Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said he has instructed 16 hospitals in Bangkok and nearby provinces to be ready to provide emergency medical care to victims of violence during the redshirt demonstration.
The move comes after redshirt leaders vowed yesterday they would block streets and paralyse traffic in Bangkok to pressure Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve the House of Representatives.
Jurin said no protesters had been injured during the redshirt demonstration on Wednesday at the prime minister's residence.
So far, nine protesters have taken ill and six protesters and two soldiers are in hospital. The two soldiers have been admitted to Phramongkut Hospital, while the protesters are in Vachira, Rajavithi, Hua Chiew, and Sirichai hospitals. Another two protesters have been admitted to the Police General Hospital.
As the number of ill protesters has increased over the past six days, Jurin has asked the redshirt protesters to send representatives to collect medicine at the Public Health Ministry.
He said the ministry would prepare 2,000 sets of nostrum, 1,000 sets of medicine for diarrhoea, 1,000 sets of saline solution, and 1,000 sets of medicine to relieve itchiness.
