In a bid to quell the rising tide of rumors concerning Thaksin’s whereabouts, both Sahakarn Phetnarin, deputy permanent secretary for the Justice Ministry, and Nassathee Thongplad, commander of the Bangkok Remand Prison, convened press conferences separately. Their goal: to debunk any speculation that Thaksin had been stealthily relocated from the police hospital to Phraram 9 Hospital–an institution where Thaksin’s family happens to have sizable agricultural holdings.
News broke that, in the dead hours of early Wednesday at 1 am, Thaksin was hastily moved from the prison hospital located inside the Bangkok Remand Prison to the Police General Hospital. This sudden action was triggered by the discovery of persistent high blood pressure and chest pain symptoms by the medical staff at the prison facility.
This raised eyebrows and fueled widespread controversy, sparking rumors that he might be enjoying VIP treatment in a luxury-filled 14th-floor suite with a stunning view overlooking a well-manicured nearby golf course. Some doubters suggested he could be holed up in the more lavish Phraram 9 Hospital, considering that no photographic proof of his stay in the Police Hospital was ever publicly made available. Sahakarn, eager to inculcate trust, confirmed that indeed Thaksin is currently at the Police Hospital but citing legal constraints, clarified that pictures of Thaksin couldn’t be shared due to existing laws safeguarding inmates’ rights to privacy.
The deputy permanent secretary firmly stated there was no justifiable motive to move Thaksin from the police hospital to a private one. The resident doctors at the Police General Hospital are more than capable of managing his medical conditions. Sahakarn further noted that a team of four Corrections Department officials had been appointed to monitor Thaksin’s room and the police had been tasked to ensure his safety in the wake of potential threats from adversaries.
Sahakarn, reaffirming their commitment to Thaksin’s well-being, revealed that Thaksin suffers from four co-morbidities – hypertension, adhesion in the lungs, heart lacking sufficient blood flow, and herniated discs. He emphasized that the stress and anxiety associated with imprisonment had exacerbated these conditions.
No visitors were permitted for the initial five days of his hospitalization. Post this quarantine, relatives could apply for permission to visit him during the designated visiting hours from 11 am to 1 pm and between 5 pm to 7 pm. While in the hospital, Thaksin’d be denied access to telephones. This visitor policy equally applied to anyone else of significance like diplomats and top brass at international organizations.
The final say on when Thaksin would return to prison was left to the doctors. He didn’t request any special amenities during his hospitalization and had only learnt about the faulty air conditioners from news reports. Sahakarn met Thaksin once when he was first moved to prison and hadn’t yet donned the inmate uniform.
Sahakarn reiterated that doctors would have to endorse Thaksin’s transfer to another hospital if they deemed the life-saving treatment needed was beyond the current hospital’s capacity. Doctors at the Police General Hospital were more than equipped to handle Thaksin’s medical issues, and therefore, he put to bed all swirling rumors about a transfer.
Commander Nassathee from the Bangkok Remand Prison assured that Thaksin’s medical updates were being regularly monitored. Thaksin’s five-day Covid-19 quarantine mandated no visitor policy. He added that only ten relatives were permitted per day and the slots for August 28th had already been filled up.
Meanwhile, Pol Lt-General Soponrat Singhajaru, the director of the Police Hospital, unequivocally stated that no application had been submitted by the six specialist doctors overseeing Thaksin’s health for his transfer to another hospital.
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