Health Minister to attend Medical Council’s crucial meeting tomorrow

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin will attend the meeting of the Medical Council of Thailand tomorrow, to explain to council members why he vetoed its May 8 resolution to suspend the medical licenses of the two Police General Hospital doctors temporarily.

Treechada Srithada, the ministry’s spokesperson for political affairs, said Somsak feels that the penalty is too harsh, as it “equates to death sentence in the medical profession” and would like the council to be just to the former and the incumbent chief doctors at the PGH.

Citing Sections 25 and 24 of the Medical Profession Act, she insisted that Somsak has the authority to veto the council’s resolution, adding that the minister also has the right to attend the council’s meeting tomorrow and to express his opinion.

He has no right to vote, however, because he is not one of the council’s 70 members.

The spokesperson went on to say that the minister wants the council to review its resolution, but added that the outcome will be a matter for the judgement of individual council members.

She compared the role of Somsak to an arbiter, between the Medical Council and the two disciplined doctors, as she insisted that the minister has been not instructed by anyone to intervene in this case and only intends to maintain justice and protect the honour of the council.

Core leaders of the Student and People’s Network for the Reform of Thailand consider Somsak’s presence at the council’s meeting tomorrow is intended, however, to exert pressure on the ex-officio council members.

The council needs the votes of at least 47 of the council’s 70 members to override the minister’s veto.