Tomorrow marks a significant moment in the contemporary history of the Medical Council of Thailand (MCT), a low-profile yet prestigious association of doctors, with important implications for the medical community and Thai society more broadly.
It”s the day when all or most of its 70 council members meet to uphold its May 8 resolution to discipline three doctors — two from the Police General Hospital (PGH) and one from the Corrections Department”s hospital — for ethical misconduct in connection with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra”s questionable six-month stay at the PGH without spending a day in prison to serve his one-year imprisonment.
The council”s resolution is being challenged by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, who vetoed the resolution because he said the three doctors did not commit any ethical misconduct, and the suspension penalty imposed on two PGH doctors was deemed too harsh.
Mr Somsak later asked the Information Technology Crime Suppression Centre to investigate a leaked comment in a Line group of council members criticising Thaksin, which he deemed as being biased against him.
The minister is reported to be joining the MCT meeting in the capacity of the chair of the council”s special committee. The move is perceived as intimidation by some council members who are officials at the Public Health Ministry. Asked by the media whether public health officials who endorsed the MCT”s ruling will face consequences, Mr Somsak was quoted as saying: “I don”t know.”
It was reported that quiet lobbying has been underway, targeting ex-officio council members to skip tomorrow”s meeting or refrain from voting against Mr Somsak”s veto. The council needs at least 47 votes to overturn the veto.
Such an aggressive intervention by the minister only confirms the ramifications of the council”s reconfirmation of its May 8 ruling. The ruling, which officially states that there is “no empirical evidence” of Thaksin”s critical or life-threatening illness, may extend to other cases pending with the Supreme Court”s Criminal Division for Political Officer Holders, which has scheduled its first hearing on Friday.
At stake amid all this is the MCT”s prestige and credibility, which are now being challenged by political forces dedicated to protecting Thaksin and officials who violate court orders or fabricate information to shield the former PM.
It is essential that all or almost all council members attend in unison to vote, with their conscience and commitment to upholding the truth. For this historic moment to be recorded, the MCT should opt for a roll-call voting system instead of secret voting, allowing council members to vote freely and transparently.
Politicians come and go. The council, like other professional associations, must uphold its conscience and integrity. With several other key agencies, such as the Election Commission and the National Anti-Corruption Commission, having been compromised or corrupted, society needs reliable and upright professional bodies more than ever.
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