Bangkok: Deputy Minister of Public Health reveals that 300,000 incorrect health examination certificates for foreign workers have been found. All must be revoked, with charges pending against hospitals and doctors.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chaichana Dejdecho, Deputy Minister of Public Health, addressed the investigation into a private hospital in Samut Sakhon Province, which allegedly sold health examination certificates to foreign workers without performing actual examinations to ensure legal registration. He stated that the hospital, which was not licensed by the Ministry of Public Health, had conducted health examinations for 15,000 foreign workers. He stated that all health examination certificates were currently being revoked.
Mr. Chaichana stated that currently, of the 82 hospitals registered with the Department of Employment, 41 have received permits from the ministry, while the remaining 41 were found to be in violation of the law. Therefore, the 41 hospitals that issued invalid medical certificates are considered illegal workers. Furthermore, he learned that two more hospitals in Samut Sakhon Province issued invalid medical certificates to approximately 30,000 workers, and one in Pathum Thani Province issued over 10,000 workers. It is estimated that these 41 hospitals account for approximately 200,000 to 300,000 workers receiving invalid medical certificates.
However, retroactive action is possible because the medical certificates previously issued were considered invalid. Regarding the hospital, once it receives all the information from the provincial public health office regarding the workers' employers and where they work, it will coordinate with the Department of Employment and Immigration Police to inspect the work sites to clarify that any illegal activity must be legally enforced.
When asked what punishment the hospital will face, Mr. Chaichana stated that, knowing the offense was committed, the hospital still issued the invalid medical certificate. Under Section 35 (4) of the 1998 Healthcare Facility Act, the penalty is one year imprisonment and a 20,000 baht fine. Therefore, it will be necessary to determine how the doctor who signed the certificate, knowing it was invalid, could have done so. If the investigation reveals that the infringement was intentional, the hospital's license will be revoked.
Furthermore, the hospital inspected is registered with the Department of Employment but is in the process of applying for a license from the Ministry of Public Health. Therefore, during the application process, they cannot issue medical examination certificates, as the law clearly states. Going forward, we will inspect the work sites where these workers are located. We believe that if we don't stop this, and if an epidemic occurs, the Thai people will bear the consequences. Hospitals and doctors who sign medical examination certificates should have greater ethics and a greater sense of Thainess.