Five arrested for illegal medical services in Phuket

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”.

They also faced up to three years in jail and fine B30,000, or both, for providing unlicensed x-ray services.

Dr Bancha said that the private company in Pathum Thani provided mobile medical services to other provinces.

“The company provides health exams for employees of local supermarkets and shopping malls without any legal healthcare provider permit and most of their employees who work at the medical unit have no medical licenses or certificates,” he said.

However, Dr Bancha did not elaborate on what further action is – or may be – taken against the company allegedly providing a nationwide illegal medical service.

Instead, Dr Bancha urged a wide range of organisations to be ware such practices.

“I want to advise all business operators, schools and local administrations in need of having annual health checkup services preformed that they must check that the company providing the healthcare services are legal,” he said.

“They must have medical licenses and must have been issued medical profession certificates in to prevent any illegal medical-related service fraud,” Dr Bancha said.

Phuket News