The chief doctor of the Police General Hospital (PGH), Pol Lt-Gen Thaweesilp Wechvitarn, has asked Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin to review the Medical Council’s recent ruling, finding three doctors at fault for helping former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to avoid serving time in prison by having him kept at the PGH for medical treatment.
The Medical Council has not revealed the names of the three doctors.
A letter of appeal, addressed to Somsak, in his capacity as special chairman of the Medical Council, was sent by Thaweesilp via his lawyer, Netithorn Linhatrakul, and was received by Thanakrit Chitarirat, vice minister of public health, today.
Netithorn told the media today that Thaweesilp decided to appeal against the Medical Council’s ruling because he feels that such decision will tarnish the reputation of the PGH.
In the appeal, the chief doctor claims that the Medical Council’s enquiry might not have covered all the aspects pertaining to the health condition of Thaksin and it is meant to present additional evidence which the Medical Council may not have considered.
Asked why the additional evidence offered by Thaweesilp was not submitted to the Medical Council in the first place, Thanakit said that he has no idea, because he only received the appeal today.
On May 8th, the Medical Council board ruled that there was no empirical evidence to prove there was a critical situation that could justify Thaksin being sent to the PGH for treatment. Three doctors were ordered to be penalised by the board. One was given a warning and two had their medical licenses temporarily suspended.
Public Health Minister has 15 days to consider the Medical Council’s ruling, which he can approve or veto. If he decides to veto, the ruling will be returned to the council for re-consideration. To uphold its ruling, the council will need two-thirds of the votes of its members.
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office has set June 13th for the first hearing in an enquiry, aimed at discovering whether the court’s prison sentences, imposed on Thaksin on three corruption convictions, had been executed by the Corrections Department.
The public prosecutors involved in the three cases, Thaksin and officials from the Corrections Department are due to attend the hearing.
