American Tourist, 63 Rescued and Given CPR on Chiang Mai Flight

On Friday, a 63-year-old American tourist was safely rescued after falling unconscious and losing consciousness during a plane landing at Chiang Mai International Airport.

The airport was notified that a passenger fell unconscious during a Bangkok Airways PG 225 flight at 1.30pm on Friday.

After the plane touched down, medical and rescue crews rushed aboard. They administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and used an automated external defibrillator (AED).

The passenger’s pulse and breathing had been restored, and he had regained consciousness. He was taken to the Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.

According to a Facebook post by Chiang Mai International Airport, the man had suffered from a cardiac arrest.

The rescue operation of a 63-year-old American passenger who fell unconscious and had no pulse on a plane at Chiang Mai International Airport is posted on the airport’s Facebook page. He was safely rescued.

Chiang Mai’s Doi Luang Chiang Dao

Doi Luang Chiang Dao in Chiang Mai is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore lush sub-alpine woodland and limestone mountains that rise 2,225m above sea level.

Its topography, as part of the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, is comparable to that of the Himalayas and southern China.

It is a must-see destination due to its diverse biological ecosystem, and it was added to the list of biosphere reserves by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) last year.

This prompted the wildlife sanctuary to raise awareness of visitors’ roles as guardians rather than conquerors on the trek to the top of Doi Luang Chiang Dao.

The wildlife sanctuary, which has a population of 23,917 people, covers 536,931 rai and is home to 100 of Thailand’s 2,000 serows as well as over 620 species of wild animals. It bills itself as a learning centre for sustainable development, and visitors this year had to register in advance in October. The alp is open until January 31 and has a daily limit of 100 people, with colourful winter blossoms in full bloom and chilly breezes.

The government passed the new National Park Act in 2019, which assists locals in capitalizing on the area’s potential for community-based tourism while decreasing agricultural areas.

During the off-season, the wildlife sanctuary is collaborating with local communities to create a program of eco-friendly leisure activities and walking tours for tourists.

“The ethnic groups in the area are diverse, with Hmong, Lishu, and Paganyaw cultivating mobile plantations, rotational farms, and cash crops like cauliflower and corn.

During the dry season, people go hunting in the forest, and the area has experienced forest fires, which cause air pollution “Kittapas Kuntathongsakutdi, director of wildlife conservation at the Protected Area Regional Office 16, said (Chiang Mai).

“After Doi Luang Chiang Dao was designated as a biosphere reserve last year, the plan and management restrictions were implemented.

Rather than enforcing the law, we collaborated with the Forestry Department and the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Research Station to educate people about the importance of wildlife and plants.

Local communities have been involved in tourism for three to four years.

The new National Park Act will aid in increasing revenue and fostering positive relationships among authorities, communities, and partner networks.”

The sanctuary has improved the landscape and installed mobile toilets to ensure waste management. Visitors must attend a 60-minute training session the day before ascending Doi Luang Chiang Dao to learn about the biosphere reserve, its rules, and how to survive in the campgrounds.

They will be given a pack of disposable urine gel bags and biodegradable plastic bags for excretion, but they will be unable to cook or dispose of trash on the mountain.

“We’ve held a training session every three years for the past three years, and the response has been positive. When visitors need to stay longer, they will book a resort and spend the day visiting tourist attractions, restaurants, or cafes.

During peak season, local entrepreneurs can earn more money on weekdays and weekends “Natthakun Khanthasorn, chief of Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, stated

To promote understanding of the Doi Chiang Dao nature trail and biosphere reserves, the brand-new “Wonders Of Doi Luang Chiang Dao Biosphere Reserve” exhibition provides an introduction to what visitors can expect to see in the deep jungle.

Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, Bertram (1958), Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, and We Love Doi Luang Chiang Dao Network collaborated to create a gallery of photographs and information about the region’s management, demonstrating how people and nature can coexist in harmony.

Thailand’s other four biosphere reserves are Sakaerat in Nakhon Ratchasima, Mae Sa-Kog Ma in Chiang Mai, Huay Tak Teak in Lampang, and the Ranong Mangrove Forest. Visitors can learn about land zoning in the biosphere reserve by looking at a map.

The core region has been set aside to protect landscapes, ecosystems, animals, and genetic variations such as Doi Luang Chiang Dao, Doi Nang, and the watershed forest.

The buffer zone borders the core region and is home to 25 villages, allowing local villagers to conduct scientific research and environmental education activities. The transition zone or downtown Chiang Dao can be used to showcase their rich culture and way of life.

“This is a wildlife sanctuary, not a national park that can be visited as a tourist attraction. Visitors are not tourists, but rather natural learners.

This is the first time we’ve shown a structure between protected and tourist-oriented areas so that the general public can understand how the places are managed “said Assoc Prachya Compiranont of Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Fine Arts.

“The biosphere reserve emphasizes the importance of human and ecological ecosystems. A group of researchers, botanists, and professional photographers have contributed a collection of eye-catching images to present Doi Luang Chiang Dao as a model of Thailand’s sub-alpine ecosystem.”

To promote sustainable tourism, they are collaborating with local communities to create a series of mini exhibitions that will be displayed at various restaurants, grocery stores, resorts, and cafes. Local villagers will also serve local cuisine made from local ingredients and serve as guides on walking tours of the community forests.

Due to a lack of internet access on the mountain, Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary collaborated with National Innovation Agency, Deco Moda Studio, Faculty of Architecture of Chiang Mai University, and We Love Doi Luang Chiang Dao Network to create the offline map application “Doi Chiang Dao Biosphere” with 28 intriguing learning stations to navigate and provide information in both Thai and English to a crowd of visitors.