House panel to investigate Thaksin’s long stay in police hospital

A House committee chaired by an opposition MP resolved on Sunday to conduct an investigation into alleged privileged treatment provided to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra compared to other inmates.

The House committee on national security, border affairs, and national reforms, which is chaired by People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome, decided to open an inquiry into Thaksin’s six-month-long treatment at the Police General Hospital on Thursday.

The House panel announced after its meeting that it would conduct an inquiry on a case study of alleged injustice related to the Corrections Department granting special privileges to Thaksin during his jail term.

The inquiry is titled “Study on how to reform the judicial process by focusing on the case study of the Corrections Department allowing Thaksin to stay in the Police Hospital, and law enforcement”.

After Thaksin returned from self-imposed exile in August last year, he was supposed to serve his jail term but he was rushed to the Police General Hospital the very night he was sent to the prison. His jail term was later commuted by a royal clemency to one year and he remained in the hospital for six months until he was released on parole early this year.

In early August this year, the National Human Rights Commission resolved to ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the conduct of the Corrections Department for alleged unfair treatment to other inmates who did not enjoy special treatment granted to Thaksin. The NHRC concluded that Thaksin had received special privileges because of his social and economic standing, which violates the principle of equality.

On Sunday the House committee announced that it would summon the following persons to testify:

– Seri Ruam Thai Party leader and former National Police chief Pol General Seripisuth Temiyavej, 

– Former deputy National Police chief Pol General Surachet Hakparn

– Assistant National Police chief Pol Lt-General Soponrat Singhajaru

– Surgeon-General of Police Hospital Pol Lt-General Thaweesilp Vejvitharon

– Former deputy surgeon-general of Police General Hospital Pol Maj-General Sorawut Laoratanaworapong

– Surgeon-general of Correctional Hospital Watanachai Mingbanchersuk

– Ruamthip Supanon, a doctor at the Correctional Hospital

– Wichai Wongchanapai, an assistant secretary-general of the Medical Council