The public are advised not to buy Automated External Defibrillators (AED) online, after 27 sets of the life-saving devices, worth about 1.8 million baht, were stolen from various places in Bangkok, according to the “Drama-addict” Facebook page.

An AED is a portable emergency device used to help people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest outside a hospital.

The Facebook page said that 27 AEDs, distributed free of charge by the Thai Red Cross Society and deployed at police kiosks and government buildings in Bangkok, have been stolen. Some of them have been offered for sale online at low prices, with contact phone numbers for anyone who is interested in the devices.

“Drama-addict” warns that anyone who buys one of these stolen devices will not only lose their money but will also face legal action.

In 2021, the Ministry of Interior issued an edict requiring all high-rise buildings and public buildings with more than 10,000m² floor space to provide a location for the storing of AEDs to be used in an emergency.