Bangkok doctor arrested for trafficking sedatives in police flat raid
Doctor used 11 Bangkok clinics to illegally purchase drugs from FDA
A female doctor working at Police General Hospital has been arrested for allegedly ordering and trafficking sedative drugs, including the notorious alprazolam (commonly known as a date-rape drug), for illicit purposes.
The arrest follows a dramatic raid on a police flat in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district early this morning, June 10, carried out by officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and other agencies.
The operation was triggered after the FDA flagged suspicious activity surrounding the doctor’s orders for alprazolam.
This sedative is classified as a controlled substance and can only be prescribed by licensed medical professionals.
Investigators uncovered that the doctor, a Police Colonel, was using the names of 11 clinics across Bangkok to make illicit drug purchases from the FDA between 2022 and 2025.
Thanakrit Chitareerat, Assistant to the Public Health Minister, led the raid. During the operation, officers seized more than 10 boxes of sedative drugs, stored in large cartons.
Two were arrested: the female doctor and a Thai man who managed a room at the police flat where the drugs were stored.
“The drugs were sold to young people, primarily for illicit purposes,” Thanakrit said, detailing how the sedatives were sold outside the regulated medical system.
The doctor’s orders amounted to 15 million baht in drugs, with as much as 80 million baht flowing through the operation.
The seized sedatives are classified under Categories 2 and 4 by the FDA, meaning they are heavily regulated. Misuse of these substances poses serious risks to public safety, particularly when sold by non-medical personnel.
Withid Sariddeechaikool, Deputy Secretary General of the FDA, emphasised that the drugs must be prescribed by licensed professionals and used strictly in healthcare settings, reported The Nation.
Evidence gathered from the raid, including DNA traces and transaction records from the FDA, further solidified the case against the doctor, who is now facing both disciplinary and criminal charges.
These charges include money laundering, illegal possession, and distribution of controlled substances. Additionally, the Medical Council will be asked to revoke her medical licence.
A raid on the 11 clinics is scheduled for June 11, and officials are investigating whether other medical staff members were involved in the scheme.
Further details will be revealed in an upcoming press conference.
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