Five arrested for illegal medical services in Phuket



All five were arrested for illegally providing medical services. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: Officials have arrested three women and two men for working illegally as inlicensed medical practitioners after they were found conducting annual employee health examinations inside a Big C store in Rassada.

The five arrested, which police did not name, work for a company based in Pathum Thani, on the outskirts of Bangkok, that police also did not name.

The five were arrested, and their minivan set up as a mobile x-ray clinic seized, at the Rassada Big C store on Thepkrasattir Rd on Thursday (Dec 24) after officials from the Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) and the Phuket office of the Consumer Protection Board filed a complaint with the Phuket City Police.

“Officers noticed the team performing medical exams when they inspected health and beauty products for sale at the store,” explained PPHO Director Dr Bancha Kakhong.

“The Consumer Protection officials who were accompanying the health officers approached them and asked to see medical practitioner’s licenses, which they did not have,” he added.

The five arrested explained that that they had all graduated from a six-month course at a healthcare school.

However, police explained that they now faced up to three years in jail or a fine of up to B60,000 or both, for illegal operation of a medical service or working as medical specialist”.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/five-arrested-for-illegal-medical-services-in-phuket-55571.php

-- Phuket News 2015-12-26

Well ... none of theme seem the least bit worried about "up to three years in jail or a fine of up to B60,000 or both, for illegal operation of a medical service or working as medical specialist.

No doubt their 'boss' will grease the right palms ...

The five arrested explained that that they had all graduated from a six-month course at a healthcare school.

And they have all received their MBBS after that six months. Still beat the PhD of a certain former Science Minister...

I'd be happy to turn my head and cough for the one with the phone to her ear.

Name and shame? Iam sure alot more out there.! Just not got caught yet.

Yes Sir, they all look so scared that they got arrested. Three of them don't look old enough to have graduated basic education yet, much less having any advanced medical training.

2 or 3 years ago there were vans traveling through Issan offering the same services as this one.

A crack down by the health officials in the provinces scared them off and I cant recall seeing any recently.

Yes Sir, they all look so scared that they got arrested. Three of them don't look old enough to have graduated basic education yet, much less having any advanced medical training.

Try going to a medical convention in Thailand. You would swear you were in a High School.

So they arrested 5 that were performing medical exams. But what about the copmany that HIRED them? What about the boss (or bosses) of the 5. that sent them out to perform these medical exams? And what is the NAME of that company?

As usual, everything is bassackwards in this country, Plus I am equally sure nothing will hapen to the boss(es) nor the company that is responsible.

Yup, Amazing Thailand, indeed.

I'd be happy to turn my head and cough for the one with the phone to her ear.

what does "cough for...." mean?

after 6 months training its not unspeakable to do basic stuff like check blood pressure and pulse, ask questions to complete a form.

It's my understanding anyone practicing medicine is required to have their qualifications checked and register with each provincial MoPH prior to starting work in that province. Obviously this mob didn't.

...they and 'the company that they work for' are already protected it seems....no names...and no worries in the world.....

The five arrested, which police did not name, work for a company based in Pathum Thani, on the outskirts of Bangkok, that police also did not name, and were detained by police they did not name, on a day they could not define. They now plan on filing unspecified charges against the unnamed perpetrators anonymously. If convicted, they might earn punishments which, at the time of the announcement, were described vaguely.