Embattled acting director of Khon Kaen Provincial Hospital, Dr. Kriangsak Watcharakoonkiat, announced today (Monday) that he has decided to quit his new post.
Speaking to reporters this morning, the former director of Phra Pokklao Hospital, in Thailand’s eastern province of Chanthaburi, said that he will inform Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Sukhum Kanchanapimai today.
Dr. Kriangsak insisted that his decision to leave does not stem from staff opposition to his appointment, adding that, since he is still the director of Phra Pokklao Hospital, he would prefer to return to work there.
Dr. Sukhum ordered Dr. Kriangsak to swap posts with Dr. Charnchai Chanworachaikul, the director of Khon Kaen Provincial Hospital, after the latter was accused, in an anonymous letter sent to Dr. Sukhum, of accepting donations from pharmaceutical companies, in violation of the Cabinet’s directive to all state run hospitals. Dr. Charnchai has denied the allegations.
Dr. Sukhum’s decision to transfer Dr. Charnchai was a repeat of the order he issued when he assumed the office of Permanent Secretary, but the order had been overruled by then public health minister Dr. Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn.
This time, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul intervened, by temporarily suspending Dr. Sukhum’s transfer order pending an investigation, after medical staff at Khon Kaen Hospital and several veteran doctors claimed the transfer of Dr. Charnchai was unfair.
