A team of six doctors, specialising in heart and lung diseases and COVID-19, has been assigned to treat former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is currently an in-patient at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok, according Pol Lt-Gen Sophonrat Singhajaru, the chief physician at the hospital.

Thaksin was transferred from the Corrections Department’s hospital to the Police General Hospital late last night, after he suffered from chest tightness and hypertension.

Pol Lt-Gen Sophonrat said that, according to latest report from his doctors, Thaksin’s condition has slightly improved since last night, but he is still suffering from fatigue and high blood pressure and is being provided with oxygen. No visits are permitted.

He insists that the former prime minister is not being accorded special treatment, claiming that other elderly inmates have been transferred from the Corrections Department’s hospital to the same hospital before.

He said that Thaksin is not shackled while in hospital because, according to the law, inmates who are under 16 or over 70 are exempt, adding that the shackles would cause inconvenience for medical treatment.

He disclosed that the air-conditioning system in Thaksin’s room is not working and electric fans have been provided, adding however that, if his family wants him to be transferred to a private hospital, permission must be granted by the Corrections Department.