Bangkok: The National Police Chief has mandated the disciplinary division to prepare for an investigation following the Medical Council's decision to penalize doctors involved in treating former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the Police General Hospital.
According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, addressed the situation where the Medical Council voted to reprimand and suspend the licenses of three doctors involved in Thaksin's treatment on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital. It was reported that two of the punished doctors are from the Police General Hospital. Pol. Gen. Kittirat mentioned that he learned about the matter through media reports and has yet to receive official documentation. Nonetheless, he has instructed the Disciplinary Division to prepare for an investigation to verify facts should an official report be submitted. The Royal Thai Police procedures dictate that upon receiving a report, the Disciplinary Division must investigate the facts, and they are ready to provide their opinion even prior to receiving an official report.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat stated that should it be confirmed that a police doctor has had their medical license suspended, they must cease medical practice immediately and could potentially lose special compensation for their professional role. Additionally, any police discipline issues will be evaluated in accordance with the National Police Act and the Royal Thai Police Commission's regulations on disciplinary administration.
The Royal Thai Police will not ignore this incident, emphasized Pol. Gen. Kittirat. He stated that if a medical license is suspended, medical duties must stop immediately. Moreover, any disciplinary violations by police officers must be investigated. Regarding potential criminal charges, he noted that a complaint would need to be filed before any further action could be taken, and disciplinary actions will be assessed based on relevant laws.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat expressed that he does not feel burdened by the situation as it involves the standard process of transferring Thaksin to the Police General Hospital for treatment. He acknowledged that once the Medical Council's findings are available, they will be factored into any subsequent actions.