Emergency medical care was the main topic at the Pattaya City Expats Club

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MC Ren Lexander presents the PCEC’s Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Pemisa Jarcau for her interesting and informative presentation about Emergency services in Pattaya.

PATTAYA, Thailand – At the regular meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) on 14 May 2025,  Dr. Pemisa Jarcau from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (BHP) gave an insightful talk about emergency services available in Pattaya.

Dr. Pemisa Jarcau, M.D., an emergency doctor at BHP, delivered a compelling presentation. Her talk focused on the critical operations of the hospital’s emergency teams and the importance of choosing the right medical services during emergencies. She important talk held at the expat club regarding emergency preparedness, particularly focusing on what to do during critical medical situations such as strokes and heart attacks.



She began by emphasizing the significance of BHP as a primary choice for emergency situations. She highlighted the hospital’s accreditation as a trauma center by the Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand and its recognition for quality medical transport services. The hospital has also been lauded for its corporate social responsibility initiatives, particularly in promoting CPR training within the community, which has successfully trained over 20,000 individuals in life-saving techniques.

A key part of Dr. Pemisa’s presentation was the detailed explanation of the emergency services offered by BHP. She outlined the two types of ambulance services available in Thailand: government and private. The government ambulance service, accessible by calling 1669, is free but may have longer response times to the call (8 to 12 minutes) and does not allow for hospital choice. In contrast, calling 1719 directly connects to BHP, ensuring a quicker response in dispatching an ambulance (around 2 minutes) with advanced medical personnel on board.


She stressed the importance of being prepared for emergencies, advising attendees to have necessary documents like passports and insurance cards ready. She encouraged everyone to save the hospital’s ambulance number on their phones for quick access.

She reiterated that BHP offers high-quality, internationally accredited emergency services with a focus on rapid response and comprehensive care. She urged everyone to familiarize themselves with the emergency procedures and consider the BHP as their first choice in medical emergencies. The presentation concluded with a Q&A where various topics were discussed, including handling do-not-resuscitate orders and the importance of having emergency contact information readily available.

Following the main presentation, John Horrigan, a member of the PCEC Governing Board and Treasurer, was interviewed by fellow member Dawne Fowler. To allow members to know more about their fellows, “Member Interviews” following the main speaker are being added to the regular PCEC Meeting Program.


John during  his interview noted he is actively involved in the PCEC as well as in community service through a dental foundation in Thailand, assisting in organizing mobile dental clinics that provide free dental care to underserved populations.

Further, John’s journey began in New York City, where he was born, before moving to Westport, Connecticut at the age of eight. After high school, he pursued liberal arts for a couple of years before joining the army in 1973, driven by an interest in electronics and a recruitment bonus. Opting for electronics training over infantry, John was stationed in Berlin, Germany, where he served in the Army Security Agency, a branch of the NSA. His time in Berlin was marked by intriguing experiences, including working in electronics repair and being part of a secretive organization during the Cold War.


After leaving the army in 1977, John pursued further education in Germany and later after returning to the US he studied library science, eventually working as a librarian. Further, John’s travels took him to various countries, including Indonesia, where he met his first wife and they married in Bali in 1989; having two children together. After her passing away in 2021, John found love again with his current Thai wife, whom he met while teaching English online. They share a passion for travel and have explored numerous destinations together, including Iceland, Australia, and various national parks in the USA.



After the presentations, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming PCEC events. This was followed with the Open Forum portion of the meeting where audience members can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.

For more information about the PCEC, visit their website at https://pcec.club. To view videos of the presentations, visit the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at  https://www.youtube.com/@pcecclub6255/videos.