Mother gives birth in car 300 meters from home

PHUKET: A Lao Woman gave birth to a 2kg baby boy in the back seat of a car in Koh Kaew last night.

Keothong Somthaly, 27, was being driven to hospital by her husband after she went into labor a month earlier than expected, but ended up delivering her child in the car with help from paramedics after her husband parked on Soi Koh Kaew 24 and called emergency services for help about 6pm.

The couple had only driven about 300 meters down the road from their home after Ms Keothong went into labor unexpectedly.

Srisoonthorn and Kusoldharm rescue workers arrived on the scene just in time to help Ms Keothong deliver her baby, whose head was already showing, in the back of the couple’s Toyota Vios.

“There wasn’t time to take her to hospital,” said first responder Thawit Billabdullar. “Mother and baby were then taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital in an ambulance,” he said.

— Winai Sarot