PHUKET, Feb 21: Former crown prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah is still battling for life in a Bangkok hospital over 24 hours after having a major heart attack.
He was unconscious, according to reliable sources, till the time the news was filed and in the ICU of Samitivej Hospital at Sukumvit Soi 49 -- a hospital that promotes medical tourism and is popular among Japanese and Koreans.
The hospital, however, did not want to make comments on Shah´s health condition. It only said: “We´re still conducting tests on him and would speak to the media at the earliest.”
Doctors at the hospital conducted CT scan on him on Wednesday. An MRI test was also recommended but could not be performed because of instability in Shah´s heart beat rate, according to Sunil Khadka, a Bangkok-based businessman and the general secretary of Non Resident Nepalis Association (Thailand Chapter).
“However, his condition has improved,” Khadka told Republica over the phone from Bangkok.
Shah was brought to the hospital after he suffered a major cardiac arrest -- the second one after September 2007 -- at the apartment of Khadka at Rama 9 in Bangkok on Tuesday night. Shah had been living there for around last two months.
“Me and my wife were out at the time (when Shah suffered cardiac arrest). But before we left he said he wanted to prepare some food,” Khadka said. After he collapsed, he was rushed to the hospital by his girlfriend Kannika Chaisan, who was with Shah at that time.
Khadka said Shah was keeping a low profile ever since he was arrested on charges of possessing marijuana in Phuket and lodging of a police complaint on smashing up of a rented Bangkok apartment.
“He used to stay in the apartment most of the time and had quit alcohol quite some time ago,” he said. “But he did not go for health checkups regularly.”
Although Shah´s parents were informed about his condition, they have not flown into Thailand yet. But Prerana Singh, Dilasha Shah, Dr Rajeev Shahi and Adarsha Rana have arrived in Bangkok Wednesday evening. They were at the hospital when the news was filed.
Consular Dornath Aryal also went to the hospital Wednesday morning to take stock of Shah´s health. “It was on a humanitarian grounds and nothing else,” he told Republica.
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