Health officials suspended after video of fatal restraint emerges

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

 

By Bright Choomanee

 

Two health officials at Kantharalak Hospital in Sisaket province have been suspended and are under investigation following the death of 31 year old man.

 

The incident, which sparked significant attention and concern, occurred after a video surfaced showing the patient, Sa-ard Boonlabeing, forcibly restrained by hospital staff. His family, deeply troubled by the circumstances of his death, sought an autopsy, which suggested brain injury from a hard object.

 

The video, widely circulated and broadcast, depicted Sa-ard being held down by four staff members as he attempted to leave his hospital bed. This fuelled accusations that excessive force was used, leading to the tragic outcome.

 

The family, suspecting foul play, had the body examined at the Police General Hospital’s forensic institute, where the cause of death was linked to brain trauma.

 

Sisaket’s Public Health Officer, Thanong Weerasangphong, expressed condolences to Sa-ard’s family and apologised for the incident. He acknowledged the severity of the actions captured in the video and admitted that the situation highlighted a potential lack of training among staff in handling patients.

 

Thanong emphasised that the health office is committed to conducting a fair investigation, ensuring justice without bias.

 

The Provincial Health Office has initiated disciplinary action by suspending the involved staff members and forming a committee to investigate the incident further. Thanong assured the family that the hospital would fully cooperate with the inquiry and provide clarity once all information was gathered.

 

 

He reiterated that any misconduct discovered would be addressed according to the rules and that the hospital’s director would issue a detailed statement on the matter soon.

 

Hospital misconduct

 

Additionally, Thanong mentioned that the case falls under the provisions of Thailand’s National Health Security Act, specifically Section 41, which deals with compensation for harm caused by medical treatment. The family will receive due consideration under these regulations, and discussions are ongoing regarding further steps.

 

Meephon Boonla, 70 year old Sa-ard’s uncle, voiced his distress upon viewing the video, stating that his nephew did not display any aggressive behaviour warranting such treatment.

 

“Seeing the footage made it clear to me that such actions were unjustifiable. He was neither fighting nor causing a scene.”

 

He expressed his dissatisfaction with the hospital’s initial response and insisted that those responsible should have admitted fault from the beginning. The family’s disappointment extends to the perceived delay in law enforcement response, as they were unable to file a complaint immediately, reported KhaoSod.

 

The Sa-ard family is now grappling with the aftermath of this incident, seeking both justice and accountability. Meephon, highlighting the emotional toll the situation has taken, questioned why it took so long for the truth to emerge and why institutional transparency was lacking.

 

“If the roles were reversed, if it were your relative treated this way, what would you do?”

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2024-12-11

 

 

 

 

[Gottfrid]

Suspended?! At minimum they should be sacked on spot. After that, I hope they get what they deserve and rot in jail.

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Suspended?! At minimum they should be sacked on spot. After that, I hope they get what they deserve and rot in jail.

Suspended while the investigation continues to find the real evidence of who did what and why.

Then disciplinary action can take place with compensation for the family.

[prakhonchai nick]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Suspended while the investigation continues to find the real evidence of who did what and why.

Then disciplinary action can take place with compensation for the family.

Plus the obligatory wais!!!!!!!  Charge them with murder!

[sqwakvfr]

Catch 22?  Let the patient walk out and then dies on the street.  The family is outraged and blames hospital staff for letting him walk out and die on the street.  Restrain the patient to prevent him from leaving and as a result he dies.  Hospital staff is blamed for his death.  Sometimes it is difficult to restrain someone without the use of force.  If it sounds easy to do then get a job at a hospital and deal with the full range of pattients.  Some patients are not cooperative and some get violent. 

[hotchilli]

23 minutes ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Plus the obligatory wais!!!!!!!  Charge them with murder!

If guilty then that should be the case, it was not an accidental death via misadventure.

[jcmj]

There are many ways to refrain someone in the hospital when the patient is delusional and angry. But, if it’s showing head trauma I think they took the wrong approach. They should all be suspended without pay until it’s clear what happened and if guilty of causing his death then be charged with murder. Certainly doesn’t sound premeditated but they still need to be responsible for their actions and the hospital should also be in hot water in any case. 

[JimHuaHin]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

Catch 22?  Let the patient walk out and then dies on the street.  The family is outraged and blames hospital staff for letting him walk out and die on the street.  Restrain the patient to prevent him from leaving and as a result he dies.  Hospital staff is blamed for his death.  Sometimes it is difficult to restrain someone without the use of force.  If it sounds easy to do then get a job at a hospital and deal with the full range of pattients.  Some patients are not cooperative and some get violent. 

Agreed.

 

But what if the patient was acting violently and threatening other patients?  What actions should the orderlies have taken?  Nevertheless, it does appear that excessive force was used.

[fredwiggy]

If you haven't the skill to properly restrain someone, example here and also as a police officer or bouncer, you have no business working those positions. The hospital is liable here and the workers should be jailed. Hitting and punching isn't restraining. It's an ego gone astray.