Thai council pays tribute after young doctor’s tragic fatal accident

In an unfortunate twist of events yesterday, the Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) extended its deepest sympathies over the untimely passing of a newly qualified young doctor, who endured a fatal traffic mishap in Kanchanaburi.

The doctor, 24 year old Yanisa Suebchiang, best known as Dr Mean, fell casualty to a catastrophic four-car accident that transpired at around 4pm on Friday, at a notorious endangered junction in the vicinity of Mo Ta Khieo intersection in Som Det Charoen sub-district of Nong Prue district.

On the fateful day of the accident, Dr Yanisa was en route to two outlying hospitals approximately 100 kilometres from her place of work, Phaholpolpayuhasena Hospital. She had only joined the role of the state-run hospital 23 days prior, after completing her medical studies at Mahidol University.

The exact cause of the crash remains nebulous, with some speculating that it could be down to the fact that Dr Yanisa might have been running on empty after numerous consecutive shifts, or perhaps the unfamiliarity with the route, or a combination of both.

Secretary-General of MCT, Dr Ittaporn Kanacharoen, utilised his official capacity to extend heartfelt condolences to Dr Yanisa’s family and lamented the loss of a key player in the nation’s medical team.

He also touched on the recurring incidences of traffic accidents at the very junction where Dr Yanisa lost her life, thereby urging the local transportation authorities to address the situation and prevent a recurrence of such a devastating incident.

He issued a stern caution to all physicians, stating “Be warned, all doctors. Please don’t force yourself to drive if you feel too tired after working a long shift. If you really need to travel on your own, catch some sleep first. It’s never worth risking your life driving while tired after work.”

Dr Ittaporn disseminated information on June 8 stating that the MCT had taken the proactive measure to formulate two sub-committees, with the primary objective of offering a solution to the high attrition rate witnessed among newly graduated doctors. The leading cause for their swift exit was the excessive work hours required at state-run hospitals.

He went on to expose the stark reality of the situation where, despite MCT’s defined guideline stating physicians ought not to exceed a 40-hour workweek, plenty of doctors found themselves serving in understaffed hospitals, where they had no choice but to shoulder a heavier responsibility with extended work hours.

In related news, nearly 900 new doctors quit within six months in Thailand with a heavy workload and poor work systems cited as contributing factors. Meanwhile, the Medical Council has issued guidelines for working hours to help alleviate the situation. Read more HERE.