Report Bangkok Cosmetic Horror: Doctors Jailed as Woman Left in Coma

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Picture courtesy of Thai Rath

 

Two Bangkok doctors are facing prison after a botched cosmetic surgery left a woman in a coma and her family drowning in medical debt. The legal battle has gripped Thailand, as both doctors have been sentenced for their roles in the tragic operation.

 

Clinic owner and surgeon, Thunpaphat Poonyaphatworrachote, received a six-month sentence, while another doctor involved, Penlada, was sentenced to three months. The case revolves around 27-year-old Chayapha “Ning” Hirunyanit, who went into a coma following surgery at the clinic in Huai Khwang.

 

The operation, intended to enhance Ning’s facial features, went horribly wrong. Ning was transferred to a private hospital in shock, believed to be an anaesthetic overdose. She has remained in a coma ever since, with her family unable to pay the accumulating medical bills, now over 10 million baht. Despite demanding 29 million baht in compensation from the surgeon, her family received no resolution.

 

Ning’s brother, Apiphu Hirunyanit, turned to social media for help, reaching out to influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet to highlight their plight. Following the surgery, the surgeon changed his name and rebranded the clinic, adding to the family's frustration and agony.

 

The Bangkok North Municipal Court handed down the sentences yesterday, bringing some form of justice but no peace for Ning, who remains hospitalised; her condition is reportedly unchanged. As her family continues to face mounting legal and financial pressures, the future remains uncertain.

 

This incident is not isolated. In a related case, a woman earlier experienced severe blood loss after another aesthetic procedure in Bangkok, while two women suffered disfigurement from surgeries at a different Huay Kwang clinic last year. These cases underscore ongoing concerns about safety and accountability within the cosmetic surgery industry.

 

Now that the court has delivered its verdict, pressure is growing for stricter laws to stop future tragedies. The victims' stories serve as harrowing reminders of the potential risks associated with cosmetic enhancements, urging more stringent oversight and patient protection measures in Thailand.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-08-22