Bangkok: Watchara Petchthong, a former Democrat Party member of the House of Representatives, has provided testimony to the Royal Thai Police’s fact-finding committee, chaired by Pol. Lt. Gen. Thanapol Srisopa, regarding allegations against two police doctors. These doctors are accused of violating discipline by assisting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the Police General Hospital. Their actions led to the suspension of their medical licenses by the Medical Council due to a lack of medical evidence supporting Thaksin’s treatment on the 14th floor.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Watchara revealed that his testimony is part of an ongoing disciplinary investigation involving the two police doctors. Although he claims no medical expertise, his information is derived from discussions with officials from the Department of Corrections and Police General Hospital. These officials confirmed the involvement of four doctors in Thaksin’s care. Mr. Watchara previously shared his findings with the Police Commission and was subsequently invited by the Medical Council to provide further testimony. He identified the doctors involved and questioned their adherence to medical ethics, which ultimately resulted in the revocation of their licenses.
Mr. Watchara further mentioned his limited access to direct medical information, noting that even Mr. Chaichana Dechadecho, a Police Commission member, faced restrictions in inspecting the 14th floor of the hospital. Despite these limitations, Mr. Watchara observed that Thaksin did not appear seriously ill based on public appearances. He noted that Thaksin was able to engage in political activities soon after receiving a suspended sentence.
In his testimony, Mr. Watchara emphasized that he had no personal intention to pursue charges against the two police doctors. He agreed with the Medical Council’s decision to punish them and chose not to seek harsher penalties through the Administrative Court. He stressed that disciplinary actions within the Royal Thai Police are the responsibility of the appropriate authorities, and his role was merely to confirm the facts. He submitted relevant documents, including the Medical Council’s decision and records from the House of Representatives Police Commission meeting, to the Fact-Finding Committee.
In addition to his testimony, Mr. Watchara announced his plans to submit a letter to National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panpetch, urging the resumption of investigations in two significant cases: the 2010 RPG attack on Wat Phra Kaew and the vandalism involving former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. He criticized the lack of progress in these cases, attributing it to police involvement, and called for the establishment of a fact-finding committee to conclude investigations within 15 days, followed by a public statement.