The Medical Council of Thailand has voted to suspend the licences of two doctors and issue a warning to a third after concluding that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was not in critical condition, despite earlier claims that led to his extended hospitalisation during his prison term.
The council’s vice-president, Prof. Dr Prasit Watanapa, told reporters on Thursday that the decision, passed by majority vote, still requires final approval from the public health minister, Somsak Thepsutin—a member of the ruling Pheu Thai Party led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s daughter.
All three doctors under scrutiny were working at the Correctional Hospital and Police General Hospital. According to Dr Prasit, the doctor receiving a warning failed to follow proper standards regarding a referral document.
The two suspended doctors were found to have submitted medical reports containing false information. All three are orthopaedic specialists.
“The information we received does not clearly show that there was any critical condition, as earlier announced,” Dr Prasit said.
The duration of the suspensions has yet to be determined. Dr Prasit noted that a licence suspension is considered one of the most serious disciplinary actions for medical professionals.
He urged the public not to draw conclusions about whether Thaksin’s medical conditions were genuine, stating that the council’s findings were based solely on the absence of clear evidence supporting claims of critical illness.
Thaksin returned to Thailand on August 22, 2023, after 15 years in self-imposed exile.
On arrival, he was sentenced by the Supreme Court to eight years in prison for abuse of power and conflict of interest committed while serving as prime minister before 2006. His sentence was later reduced to one year through royal clemency.
On his first night at Bangkok Remand Prison, Thaksin was transferred to Police General Hospital with complaints of chest pain, hypertension, and low blood oxygen levels. Authorities stated the prison hospital lacked the facilities to treat critically ill patients.
Although the law allows a maximum of 120 days of external medical treatment, the Department of Corrections permitted a 180-day stay, citing health concerns.
Thaksin covered all associated costs, including a VIP room costing 8,500 baht per night, according to parliamentary testimony.
He was paroled and discharged from the hospital on February 18, 2024, on grounds of age and illness. He appeared in public wearing a neck brace and arm sling in the weeks that followed.
Since his release, however, Thaksin has been seen actively travelling and participating in political events for the Pheu Thai Party. He officially completed his one-year sentence on August 31, 2024.
The Supreme Court has since announced a probe into whether Thaksin’s sentence was properly served. This follows an earlier decision to dismiss a similar petition, citing the petitioner’s lack of legal standing.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is among those expected to testify before the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on June 13 regarding her father’s medical treatment.
Thaksin will submit a written statement instead of appearing in person, according to his lawyer.
