First was Doraemon ambulance; now, Minions

The inside of the second ambulance owned by volunteer rescuer Nirand Leesuwan is decorated in a cheerful Minions theme, offering patients some distraction from their suffering. (Photo by Treenai Chansrichol)

CHON BURI: Following the well-received launch of his Doraemon-themed ambulance, volunteer rescuer Nirand Leesuwan thought it was time to decorate the inside of his second ambulance – this time with a Minions theme.

Minions is a 2015 computer-animated comedy film from America.

The cheerfully spruced up interior is aimed at offering patients some distraction while on the way to hospital, said Mr Nirand, who has been a volunteer rescuer with the non-profit Paew Yiang Tai Foundation in Sri Racha district for more than 20 years.

Last month, his first ambulance interior design featuring the Japanese Doraemon cartoon character caught public attention after he posted pictures of it on social media.

Mr Nirand said he has always treated the people he helps as if they were his own family. He wants them to feel as relaxed as possible while being rushed to hospital. And decorating the interior of the ambulance had seemed to help.

“Some have even pulled out a smartphone to snap pictures inside the ambulance while on the way to hospital. It makes me happy to see them feeling that relaxed in spite of their illness or injuries,” he said.

He has felt a passion for volunteer rescue since he was a young man. Initially, he would take his pickup truck to help transport patients in an emergency.

After he had saved enough money he bought a van which he converted for use as an ambulance, he said.

Now he has bought a second ambulance.

His labour of love is not cheap, though. The decoration of his new ambulance with the Minions theme, excluding the emergency equipment, cost him about 100,000 baht - and he has paid for it out of his own savings.



