Health authorities on Thursday raided four beauty clinics in Bangkok, charging practitioners with carrying out substandard medical procedures.
Boonruang Triruangworawat, director-general of Department of Health Service Support, said the raids were a response to complaints filed by patients who were charged up to one million baht for stem cell treatment services.
The only proven stem cell treatment is haematopoeitic (blood) stem cell transplantation, according to the Medical Council.
Clinics also used misleading advertisements for stem cell therapy, claiming it could treat medical conditions and rejuvenate skin, he added.
The first clinic, located in a department store in the Ratchaprasong area, used misleading advertisements and an unregistered name, he said.
The second clinic, situated in the Ekamai neighbourhood, also allegedly misled consumers and used doctors who were unaffiliated to the clinic to provide treatments.
The third, in Thong Lor, was also unregistered and exaggerated results, said Dr Boonruang. A number of drugs found at the clinic have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, he added.
A German doctor was found to have provided physical examinations and blood tests for patients at the last clinic raided in the Ploenchit area.
The clinic is known to have five branches, said Dr Boonruang.
A prospective client is being transferred for further treatment in Germany, he said, noting the treatment costs millions of baht.
Dr Boonruang said the department would take legal action against practitioners proven guilty. The cases have been forwarded to the Medical Council, which will decide if the clinics should be closed.
If charged, the practitioners face a maximum jail term of one year and a fine of 20,000 baht.