Top public health official faces probe for civil disobedience

BANGKOK: -- The permanent secretary of the Public Health Minister Dr Narong Sahamethapat is facing disciplinary probe after he announced civil disobedience and called on all public health officials to stop work and join the January 13 Occupy Bangkok protest.

It was the first time which the top official of the ministry openly called on all public health officials to disobey the government and join anti-government protest.

In the announcement signed by the permanent secretary after the meeting with senior health officials, he called on all heads of all departments, divisions and hospitals under the Ministry of Health to stage civil disobedience to press for reform before election. All hospitals will put up signs to support the protest on January 13.

At the end of the announcement Dr Narong wrote “See Again When the Country Needs”.

The announcement prompted the public health minister Dr Pradit Sinthavanarong to set up a committee to investigate.

If the announcement of civil disobedience was true, the permanent secretary will face severe penalty.

Meanwhile Dr Narong said he was relieved after announcing his stance to the public.
He said he was not worried and would not step down.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/top-public-health-official-faces-probe-civil-disobedience/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-public-health-official-faces-probe-civil-disobedience

-- Thai PBS 2014-01-10

The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

And who does he expect to treat the casualties of Monday or does he not care?

Good for him. When you do something that is sure to earn the full admonishment of the government - particularly this government - it is not an easy thing to do. It is called bravery. And the fact that he is not standing down is really courageous. And commendable. Civil disobedience is a right.

And who does he expect to treat the casualties of Monday or does he not care?

I think its very brave of him and his colleagues to be at the very scene

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instant dismissal.

The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

Someone who dedicated his life to saving people is a traitor?

Have you ever done anything to benefit mankind? I'd love to hear

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The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

No comment...

Good for him. When you do something that is sure to earn the full admonishment of the government - particularly this government - it is not an easy thing to do. It is called bravery. And the fact that he is not standing down is really courageous. And commendable. Civil disobedience is a right.

Certainly not a right in this case. He misused his authority to encourage others to abandon their duty to the people. Disgraceful

How can call him traitor? He just exercise his right to do civil disobedience. That anyway should bring him to immediate dismissal, given the incompatibility with government.

There's nothing so bad in the whole fact. Sure is a signal that Government is losing cohesion day after day.

Civil servants like this one is as or more corrupt than politicians.

If democracy is to be suspended, every civil servant above level 11 should be retired.

Without the active connivance of the civil servants, the politicians would nt know how to loot.

And an other one in clear defiance of the constitution.

CHAPTER IV

Duties of the Thai People

Section 74. A Government official, official or employee

of a Government agency, a State agency, a State enterprise or

other State official shall have a duty to act in compliance with the

law in order to protect public interests, and provide convenience

and services to the public in accordance with the good governance

principle.

In performing the duty and other acts relating to the

public, the persons under paragraph one shall be politically

impartial............

No respect for the government, no respect for the law, no respect to their own constitution
and then they talk about democracy

The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

...and send him and his family to Dubai!

How can call him traitor? He just exercise his right to do civil disobedience. That anyway should bring him to immediate dismissal, given the incompatibility with government.

There's nothing so bad in the whole fact. Sure is a signal that Government is losing cohesion day after day.

No problem for him to voice his political opinion, but to encourage the whole health department to civil disobedience?

That is a crime and a traitorist act!

And an other one in clear defiance of the constitution.

CHAPTER IV

Duties of the Thai People

Section 74. A Government official, official or employee

of a Government agency, a State agency, a State enterprise or

other State official shall have a duty to act in compliance with the

law in order to protect public interests, and provide convenience

and services to the public in accordance with the good governance

principle.

In performing the duty and other acts relating to the

public, the persons under paragraph one shall be politically

impartial............

No respect for the government, no respect for the law, no respect to their own constitution

and then they talk about democracy

U do not get it.

this government is corrupt.

there are no equal rights (law) for all.

the constitution has a lot of loopholes and is outdated.

Here is no democracy, if the majority is looted from few corrupt people.

Why does he say that?

Why people feel this way?

It seems a lot of people in this country are fully feed up with these unethical politicians.

I think he, as a doctor helped more people than all the politicians together in the last 12 years!

Good for him. When you do something that is sure to earn the full admonishment of the government - particularly this government - it is not an easy thing to do. It is called bravery. And the fact that he is not standing down is really courageous. And commendable. Civil disobedience is a right.

Yes he has the right of civil disobedience, and it can take some courage to express it, so on this occasion Scamper I agree with you.

If he wants to take the day off work without pay to protest then go ahead apply for the time and do your thing.

But I would hope that he interne supports the right for people to register for candidacy and for people to vote.

Also there are teachers in some schools telling kids not to come too school next week as many teachers will protesting, well if they apply to take the day off ok, but can't claim a sick day and still get paid...but if they are supposed to be at work then that is wrong and a miss use of tax money...

Deleted

And an other one in clear defiance of the constitution.

CHAPTER IV

Duties of the Thai People

Section 74. A Government official, official or employee

of a Government agency, a State agency, a State enterprise or

other State official shall have a duty to act in compliance with the

law in order to protect public interests, and provide convenience

and services to the public in accordance with the good governance

principle.

In performing the duty and other acts relating to the

public, the persons under paragraph one shall be politically

impartial............

No respect for the government, no respect for the law, no respect to their own constitution

and then they talk about democracy

Thais disguise their selfishness calling it Thainess.

Doctors, when voluntarily abandoning their duty to caring for patients are doing potential harm to those in need of medical assistance.

The first tenet of ethics in medicine, universally sworn and practiced is: Do not harm.

But... TIT.

Thais are not prone to recognizing their mistakes voluntarily. First they try to save face. Second, they use outlandish logic to justify their misdeeds and lastly, they are unwilling to pay for the consequences of their actions.

This is Thailand where money and power can get the best justice and protection that money can buy.

And who does he expect to treat the casualties of Monday or does he not care?

Maybe he is then at the frontline and help there with first aid?!

The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

and shoot everyone with glasses....all these intellectuals are traitors.....at least Pol Pot thought so.

In general, and to the best of my knowledge, the senior officials of the MoPH and the related organisations are not corrupt. Many have pursued a broadly progressive agenda, while erring towards the Democrat (and yellow) side. The paradox is that the Democrat party until recently usually blocked their plans to expand healthcare coverage on affordability grounds. I wonder if in the longer term a government favouring less public expenditure and a smaller role for the state will really give the MoPH 'intellectuals' what they want. In any case I think it was a mistake for the Permanent Secretary to openly oppose the present government, and the Minister with whom he has worked closely.

And who does he expect to treat the casualties of Monday or does he not care?

Maybe he is then at the frontline and help there with first aid?!

he is a permanent secretary to the minister of health, not a paramedic.

And he is encouraging doctors and nurses to Abandon their hypocratic oath (if they adhere to such a thing in Thailand) at a time when severe civil unrest is threatened. A totally irresponsible position to take

And who does he expect to treat the casualties of Monday or does he not care?

Maybe he is then at the frontline and help there with first aid?!

he is a permanent secretary to the minister of health, not a paramedic.

And he is encouraging doctors and nurses to Abandon their hypocratic oath (if they adhere to such a thing in Thailand) at a time when severe civil unrest is threatened. A totally irresponsible position to take

He has a MD.

Agree with you that he must speek for himself and not for others.

The hypocratic oath is, that he must help if somebody needs immediately medical help, but this situation exists not at this moment.

I see it more as a warning and as a current expression of dissatisfaction with the political situation, which undoubtedly has an impact on his professional position.

Perhaps he simply logs at 13.01 as ill/sick.

But to expose himself, in his position, there must be a lot of malfunction in the medical system, he and his colleagues are pissed about.

Abandon their hypocratic oath? What is that,said he...he he he..

This country never ceases to amaze.

A medical man tells medical personnel on the public payroll to down tools for a political end.

He would probably be struck off else where in the world....

Good for him. When you do something that is sure to earn the full admonishment of the government - particularly this government - it is not an easy thing to do. It is called bravery. And the fact that he is not standing down is really courageous. And commendable. Civil disobedience is a right.

Bravery?

Doctors should not politicise this issue in their professional time.

The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

Pretty sure that when the senior members of public services in the west call for colleagues to join protests and one-day strikes they aren't being 'traitors', and neither is this guy.

The first big traitor. Stop this traitors salary, confiscate everything he assets.

Pretty sure that when the senior members of public services in the west call for colleagues to join protests and one-day strikes they aren't being 'traitors', and neither is this guy.

Show me an example in the west where a public health official has called for people to stop working to support a coup attempt against a democratically elected government? Especially one that has implemented affordable health care for the people.

Had this happened in Europe any union would have called for his immediate dismissal.

This guy represents the middle class who falsely believe they have something to gain from dictatorship. Useful idiots, pawns, gullible fools, are words that comes to mind.

instant dismissal.

You've not been here long.............it's referred to as 'transfer to an inactive post'.

Good for him. When you do something that is sure to earn the full admonishment of the government - particularly this government - it is not an easy thing to do. It is called bravery. And the fact that he is not standing down is really courageous. And commendable. Civil disobedience is a right.

"Civil disobedience is a right"

No, civil disobedience is the refusal to obey certain laws without resorting to violence. I cannot think of a country where one has the right to disobey the law. All persons pursuing civil disobedience, whether their reasoning is admirable or not, do so with the understanding that the full force of the law could come down upon them.

So, in this case, the Dr disobeyed his duty to remain impartial in political matters, and he could face punishment as a result.