A doctor at Mae Lao district hospital in Chiang Rai province has been accused of assaulting a nurse, leading to other staff wearing black in protest.

Caretaker Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin on Tuesday ordered the accused doctor transferred to Chiang Rai Hospital and the setting up of a panel to consider punishment. He set a three-month deadline for the probe.

The move followed the posting of hospital security camera footage on social media on Monday. It showed a doctor, whose name has not been released, standing behind a nurse working at a computer and slapping her twice on the back.

The incident happened about 10pm on Saturday, while other employees were also in the room.

Nurses and other staff at the hospital in Mae Lao district wore black on Monday in a protest aimed at the doctor.

Mae Lao hospital's director on Monday acknowledged the incident, while saying the hospital was against all forms of violence.

The accused doctor was now on leave and had been ordered to submit a report on his actions upon his return to work, the director said.

He said the nurse had been shocked by the two slaps and remained stressed as a result of the incident.