Report Man Dies After Clinic Allegedly Denies Care in Bangkok

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Picture courtesy of Matichon

 

A man's death sparks uproar as a Bangkok clinic allegedly denies care, prompting health officials to investigate the incident.

 

Tragedy struck on June 18 in Pracha Uthit, Bangkok, when a 60-year-old man passed away after being turned away from a local clinic.

 

The man's son, seeking urgent help for his father’s worsening chest pain, claims they were told to head to a hospital instead, with a staff member infamously remarking, "Don’t die in the clinic." Despite receiving an anti-nausea injection, the elderly man collapsed and died just outside, forcing his son to seek emergency assistance alone.

 

The grieving son expressed anger, believing that the clinic’s priority was avoiding liability rather than offering care. He insisted that even an attempt to save his father, unsuccessful or not, would have mitigated his anguish.

 

Disheartened, he lodged a formal complaint with the Medical Council of Thailand, demanding an ethical review of the clinic’s operations.

 

In response, the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) under the Ministry of Public Health has initiated an investigation. The clinic was closed upon their arrival, but officials plan to summon staff for questioning.

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon

 

The probe will determine if the clinic met professional standards in providing emergency care and appropriately referred the patient to a hospital.

 

Should the clinic be found guilty of breaching legal or ethical protocol, repercussions under the Medical Facility Act could include fines or imprisonment.

 

Crucially, officials emphasised that private clinics are bound by law to prioritise patients' welfare and are forbidden from denying emergency attention. They encourage the public to report any instances of similar neglect to the DHSS.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-06-20