Decision on Thaksin's Medical Council case forwarded to Health Minister

Thaksin's Last Stand at the Hospital

The Medical Council of Thailand recently put forward a proposal to penalize three medical professionals who handled the care of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. These recommendations were addressed to the Public Health Minister, Somsak Thepsutin, on a Thursday meeting.

Torpol Wattana, an assistant to the council secretary-general, and the council's legal representatives delivered the report to Somsak's aide, Thanakrit Chitareerat.According to Thanakrit, the decision on these recommendations would be left in Somsak's hands by Friday.

Owing to tradition, the Public Health Minister serves as the honorary president of the medical council. As such, Somsak has 15 days from the aforementioned date to decide whether he should approve or discard the recommendations.

In case Somsak doesn't concur with the decision, the case will be sent back to the council. A two-thirds majority of the council's 70-member board is necessary to override the veto.

Infuriating the director of Police General Hospital, the minister intends to establish a panel to review the 1,000-page dossier of evidence presented by the medical council to support their conclusion. This dossier claims to prove the doctors breached medical ethics in handling the Thaksin case.

The council, under the pretext of addressing ethical matters concerning the Thaksin case, launched an investigation. Thaksin was in the midst of a one-year prison sentence when he was moved to the Police General Hospital in August 2023. He resided there for six months before being released on parole.

At the crux of the controversy lies the question: Was Thaksin so critically ill that he could not be handled in a prison hospital? The council asserts that no evidence supports this contention.

On May 8, the council publicly acknowledged that three doctors had transgressed medical ethics with respect to the Thaksin case. The identities of these doctors were reported by Isra News Agency: Pol Lt Gen Dr Thaweesin Vejvithan, Pol Lt Gen Dr Sophonrat Singhajaru, and Dr. Ruamthip Supanun.

The council's recommendations called for the suspension of the medical licenses of Pol Lt Gen Dr Thaweesin, a doctor from the Police General Hospital, and Pol Lt Gen Dr Sophonrat, a senior physician at the hospital who was then an assistant national police commander. They were accused of providing misleading information about Thaksin's health status.

Dr. Ruamthip, who assessed Thaksin's health at the Corrections Department Hospital, was recommended to receive a formal warning. She was responsible for authorizing his transfer to the Police General Hospital.

These council conclusions have sparked disagreement, prompting the Police General Hospital director to present "new evidence" to the health minister for review prior to the final decision.

Now in a challenging position due to his ties with the Pheu Thai Party, Somsak could face repercussions if he endorses the council's findings, effectively disputing the basis for Thaksin's extended stay in the 14th-floor VVIP suite at the police hospital. This decision may also impact the Supreme Court's inquiry into whether Thaksin's prison sentence was enforced properly. The first hearing is scheduled for June 13.

Overall:- The Medical Council of Thailand has proposed sanctions for the three doctors, with two facing license revocation and one receiving a formal warning. These recommendations were based on the council's assertion that there was no compelling evidence that Thaksin was gravely ill[1][2][4].

The proposal was submitted to Public Health Minister, Somsak Thepsutin, who will review and decide within 15 days whether to uphold or refute the recommendations[1][2].
New evidence has been submitted by the director of Police General Hospital [3][4], which could potentially influence the decision.
Potential outcomes include the case being reconsidered by the medical council if Somsak disagrees with the recommendations and a two-thirds majority of the council is unable to override the veto [1].

The controversy surrounds the Medical Council of Thailand's recommendation to penalize three medical professionals, allegedly for breaching medical ethics in handling former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's medical conditions, specifically in relation to cancer policy and legislation.
Politics could play a role in this case as Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin reviews the council's recommendations, with potential repercussions for Somsak if he endorses the findings, which may impact the Supreme Court's inquiry into Thaksin's imprisonment and parole.
The general news landscape is abuzz with discussions about this case, as new evidence has been presented by the director of Police General Hospital, possibly influencing Somsak's decision and the final outcome of the council's recommendations.