Historical Research: Role of Thai King Chakri Dynasty on Cholera control in Thailand

Abstract

            Cholera is a serious epidemic infectious disease occurred throughout the world and remained as important health problem for a long time since 1817 until now. Cholera is caused by bacteria namely  Cholera is a serious epidemic infectious disease occurred throughout the world and remained as important health problem for a long time since 1817 until now. Cholera is caused by bacteria namely “Vibrio Cholerae”, which was discovered in 1854 in Florence, Italy by Filippo Pacini detected a large number of bent-shaped bacteria in the patient's intestine and named it Vibrio Cholerae. However the discovery was not will accepted until in 1883 when Robert Koch detected such bacteria and could separate pure bacteria form the patient therefore it was accepted that this bacteria is the causative agent of cholera. Epidemics of cholera ware found many times almost around the world. Thailand is one of the countries that has been affected by every major outbreak.

             Cholera outbreak occurred in Thailand since 1817 and continued to spread periodically at each time of the outbreak, Many Kings Chakri Dynasty have tried to find ways to treat, prevent and control disease according to methods available in each era. Until the reign of King Rama IX, Thailand was able to control more effectively the outbreak of cholera. He was will aware of the severity and pay a lot of attention to combat the disease.  He had tried several methods to treat and control cholera and initiated the establishment of the infectious disease hospital in Bangkok which later on was move to Talat Khwan subdistrict, Muang District, Nonthaburi province and changed its name to “Bumrasnaradura Hospital”. This hospital was the prototype of the infectious disease hospital of Thailand and near by countries as well.