Man faces three counts in coma case

Thanat Natchaweerakul, who worked as a helper at a beauty clinic before opening a practice of his own, surrendered to police on Wednesday night. At a news conference yesterday, he apologised to the parents of Arthittaya Iamyai, who went into a coma after getting a glutathione injection. The suspect also faces charges of practising medicine without a licence and opening a medical clinic without permission. 

The suspect said he had given glutathione injections to about 20 women, for Bt40,000 each, without any problems. He told police that Arthittaya had stopped breathing and lost consciousness after he gave her the injection. He said he then took her to hospital and went into hiding, but decided to turn himself in once the news broke. 

A police source said the suspect, known among event presenters as Dr Pop, did not reveal where he had obtained the glutathione and other chemicals used as fillers. Police later heard that Thanat reportedly ran his business with the help of another presenter called Bogie and that she might have been his source of chemicals. Police are on the hunt for this woman.

Arthittaya has been in coma since taking the injection early this week and is being treated at a Bangkok hospital.