Doctors disciplined over Thaksin’s hospital stay amid ethics probe
Investigation sparks debate over healthcare standards and political influence in high-profile medical cases
Three doctors involved in former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s controversial stay on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital have been disciplined by the Medical Council of Thailand.
The disciplinary actions stem from the findings of an investigation into Thaksin’s treatment, which has raised ethical concerns about the standard of care provided.
Today, May 8, Professor Doctor Prasit Watanapa, the Medical Council’s first vice president, announced that one doctor had been given a formal warning, while two others had their medical licences suspended. The reason for the suspensions was the lack of conclusive evidence to support the claim that Thaksin was in a critical condition, despite the high-profile nature of his hospital stay.
The Medical Council is a body of 72 members, half of whom are ex officio members, including senior officials from various government health departments, and the other half are elected members. The disciplinary actions followed the work of an ad hoc subcommittee led by Emeritus Professor Dr Amorn Leelarasamee, which was formed to investigate medical ethics complaints regarding Thaksin’s transfer from the Department of Corrections Hospital to the Police General Hospital.
Dr Amorn’s subcommittee began its investigation in December 2024 and gathered medical information from the Police General Hospital to support their findings. Although the subcommittee intended to present its results in April, the presentation was postponed due to the submission of additional medical documents by both the Police General Hospital and the Department of Corrections Hospital. This delay has pushed the timeline for resolution to today, when the Medical Council voted on the matter.
During the Council’s April 10 meeting, Dr Methee Wongsirisuwan, a Medical Council member, provided an outline of the investigative process, which consists of seven steps. The subcommittee’s findings are currently on step 4, and once the investigation concludes, the case will move to step 5 for external legal review. A decision will then be made regarding whether the accused doctors should face disciplinary action.
The resolution, if passed, will be forwarded to the President of the Special Committee of the Medical Council, Somsak Thepsuthin, Minister of Public Health, for final approval. Should the decision be contested, it will be submitted back to the Medical Council for further review. If a two-thirds majority supports the resolution, the accused doctors will face consequences, but they retain the right to appeal the decision, The Nation reported.
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