Bogus doctor arrested in Pattaya clinic raid after repeat offences
3 arrested after undercover sting exposes unlicensed treatments
Officers raided an unlicensed clinic in Pattaya after receiving reports of illegal medical services being provided without certified professionals.
The operation, carried out yesterday, October 17, by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Region 2 in coordination with the Chon Buri Provincial Public Health Office (PPO), targeted a well-known clinic on Soi Chaiyapreuk 2 that had previously come under scrutiny.
The raid began around 2.15pm, led by Police Major General Kiertisak Sarathongoi and Police Colonel Thianchai Loetmaneetawet, following complaints that the facility was providing medical treatments without a certified physician on site.
Officials had placed the clinic under surveillance for months before sending in undercover agents posing as patients. After receiving treatment and medication, the agents signalled the raid team to move in.
Inside the three-storey shophouse, inspectors found a front counter dispensing drugs, two consultation rooms, and a small recovery ward with IV drips already in use. Several patients were waiting, including one receiving fluids intravenously at the time of the raid.
Pansanya Udomta, who was acting as the primary caregiver, failed to produce a medical licence and was arrested alongside her assistant, 48 year old Worathan Inwanna, who was in charge of patient records. Both appeared visibly distressed during questioning.
Documents uncovered at the clinic included patient charts, antibiotics, and a business licence, though notably, the named physician was not present during the raid.
The clinic’s owner, 52 year old Wariya Khao Songtham, was also detained. Tearfully, she admitted to running the clinic since January, claiming a licensed doctor typically worked evenings. However, she said ongoing financial losses of around 100,000 baht per month had forced her to scale back, reported The Pattaya News.
In an emotional outburst, she questioned the fairness of the operation:
“Why not raid the other clinics? Pattaya and Jomtien are full of them!”
Officials revealed the clinic had already been raided once in May under the same ownership but had resumed operations illegally. The PPO is now preparing charges under the Medical Facility Establishment Act, including illegal medical practice and operating an unlicensed clinic.
Investigators said that unauthorised injections, blood tests, and IV treatments posed serious public health risks.
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