Six bogus doctors have been arrested during police raids on medical and cosmetic clinics in Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi provinces.
Officers raided clinics at five locations in the two central provinces following complaints from public health officials and local residents that unqualified people were performing cosmetic and medical treatments, said Pol Maj Gen Witthaya Sriprasertparb, commander of the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD).
Investigators subsequently verified the allegations about five locations, said Pol Col Veeraphong Khlaithon, superintendent of CPPD sub-division 4.
At the first clinic, located at Talaad Thai in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani, a woman identified as Supakjira Thammachan, 53, told police she was a doctor providing treatment.
However, she did not have a medical practitioner’s licence. She later admitted she had only completed Mathayom Suksa 6 (Grade 12).
Also raided were a cosmetic treatment clinic on Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road, a medical clinic in tambon Ban Mai, both in Pathum Than; a medical clinic in tambon Bang Yai of Nonthaburi, and a spa shop in tambon Lam Pak Kud in Pathum Thani. A man and four women were apprehended and 29 items of evidence seized.
The officers examined the suspects’ education certificates and found that one person had completed junior secondary level from a non-formal education school, one held a certificate from a vocational college, one held a bachelor’s degree in nursing and one had a bachelor’s decree in medical technology. The last person held a bachelor’s degree in computer science but had also studied to be a nursing assistant.
Ms Supakjira and the other five suspects — Sonthaya Tangprasert, 54; Ekkaphop Thamthinno, 63; Romchalee Nakham, 40; Oraphin Pinjai, 33; and Jintana Prahusri, 39 — were charged with working as doctors without licences. Some faced additional charges of running medical clinics without permission.
Another woman is arrested during police raids on medical and cosmetic clinics in Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)