'Thaksin won’t be allowed to transfer to private hospital'

Sahakarn Phetnarin, deputy permanent secretary for Justice Ministry, and Nassathee Thongplad, commander of the Bangkok Remand Prison, held two separate press conferences to dismiss speculations that Thaksin had been moved from the police hospital to Phraram 9 Hospital, in which Thaksin’s family has a major shareholding.

Thaksin was rushed from the prison hospital of the Bangkok Remand Prison to the Police General Hospital at 1am on Wednesday after doctors inside the prison hospital found he had chest pain and constantly high blood pressure.

His opponents cried foul over the report of his transfer outside the prison to the hospital, speculating that he might receive VIP treatment on the 14th floor of a building with a spectacular view of a pristine green golf course nearby. Some even suspected he might have been moved to the more comfortable Phraram 9 Hospital, as the authorities have never shown his photo inside the Police Hospital.

“He’s definitely inside the Police Hospital but his photos cannot be shared because dissemination of inmates’ photos is prohibited, whose rights are protected by the law,” Sahakarn said.

He added that patients also have their privacy rights protected by the law.

The deputy permanent secretary said there was no reason to transfer Thaksin from the police hospital to a private hospital because doctors at the Police General Hospital can handle his medical conditions.

Sahakarn added that four officials of the Corrections Department were deployed in front of Thaksin’s room and police would provide security to ensure that no untoward incident would happen as Thaksin might have antagonists.

“The officials and police will ensure no untoward incident would happen. If anything happens, they would be held responsible,” Sahakarn added.

He reiterated that Thaksin had four co-morbidities – heart lacking enough blood flow, adhesion in lungs, hypertension, and herniated discs – and once he was put behind bars, tension and worries caused his conditions to worsen.

The deputy permanent secretary said relatives could not visit Thaksin during the first five days of his stay in the hospital.

After the first five days, relatives could seek permission from the Bangkok Remand Prison to visit him during the normal visiting hours of the Police General Hospital, which are from 11am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm.

He added that Thaksin would not be allowed to use telephones during his stay in the hospital.

Apart from close relatives, only important persons, such as diplomats and executives of international organisations could seek to visit him, Sahakarn added.

He said doctors would be the ones to make a decision on when Thaksin should be sent back behind bars.

Sahakarn said Thaksin had not requested any special favours and he knew about the air-conditioners on the floor being out of order from the media.

He said he had met Thaksin only once when he was first sent to the prison when Thaksin had not yet changed into the inmate uniform.

“It’s essential for the officials to save the life of inmates. If doctors diagnose that they cannot save a life, they would have to transfer him to another hospital. This is a normal thing to try to save his life. But as of now, the Justice Ministry has affirmed he would not be transferred anywhere,” Sahakarn said.

“He will be transferred only if doctors come up with a clear medical report that they cannot treat him.”

He expressed belief that doctors of the Police General Hospital could handle Thaksin’s conditions so he would definitely not be transferred.

He said several ill inmates had earlier been transferred from hospitals inside prisons to the police hospital, but they did not make headlines because the inmates were not big names.

Meanwhile, the commander of the Bangkok Remand Prison said his prison had been regularly updated on Thaksin’s condition at the police hospital.

Nassathee said Thaksin could not meet visitors during the first five days of the Covid-19 quarantine period.

He said the prison allowed only 10 relatives to visit him each day and 10 names had already been submitted and granted permission to visit Thaksin on August 28.

Meanwhile, Pol Lt-General Soponrat Singhajaru, director of the Police Hospital, said the team of six specialist doctors in charge of Thaksin had not sought permission from him to transfer Thaksin to another hospital at all.