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Srisuwan petitions for ethics probe of Thaksin's doctors

Political activist Srisuwan Janya is planning to ask the Medical Council of Thailand (TMC) to launch an ethics investigation into the Police General Hospital (PGH) doctor who is responsible for jailed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Srisuwan said that he will submit the petition at 10am on Tuesday at the TMC’s office in Nonthaburi, according to his announcement.

Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand on Aug 22 after 15 years of self-imposed exile and was sentenced to a total of eight years in three cases. However, he was almost immediately sent from Bangkok Remand Prison to the PGH that night for health reasons. As of Monday, he had been at the hospital for 62 days.

Mr Srisuwan said the director-general of the Department of Corrections’ (DoC) decision to approve Thaksin’s stay extension was suspicious, suggesting the department is giving Thaksin special privileges.

He said that the medical team’s action constituted a breach of ethics, as written in Sections 31–42 of the Medical Profession Act BE 2525 (1982).

The public can demand the TMC conduct an ethics investigation against them, said Mr Srisuwan.

Earlier on Sunday, members of a group called the Network of Students and People Reforming Thailand protested in front of the PGH, saying that they wanted to “visit” Thaksin.

Pichit Chaimongkol, a group member, said that the group wants factual information about Thaksin’s illness, as well as his expected date of discharge.

They also questioned the DoC’s impartiality, as earlier, some political prisoners, such as Ekachai Hongkangwan and Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, were not sent to the PGH despite their critical illnesses, unlike Thaksin.

Deputy police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn confirmed the group’s claim that he had arranged for some members of the group to visit Thaksin, though he stopped short of giving the exact time of the meeting.

The protest was still ongoing on Monday, as the group had not received any answer from PGH’s medical team.

Officers from Pathumwan Police Station were guarding the entrance of CentralWorld, where the group based their protest, said Pol Gen Surachate.

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