Bangkok—
At 1:00 PM, on May 14th, 2024, Thung Song Hong police officers received a report from a victim’s mother who allegedly was physically assaulted by the director of Mongkutwattana Hospital, Bangkok.
According to the police report, Ms. Kanlaya, the mother of the 14-year-old victim who allegedly was slapped several times by the director of Mongkutwattana Hospital at 11 PM, on May 13th, filed a report to Thung Song Hong police.
The 14-year-old boy, whose name was withheld due to his age, told the police that he had been visiting his 17-year-old pregnant girlfriend at Mongkutwattana Hospital, and he secretly went to smoke inside a toilet on the first floor of the hospital’s building. As a result, more than seven hospital staff members allegedly surrounded the boy, confiscated his phone, and asked him to pay a fine of 5,000 baht for smoking in the hospital.
However, the owner and director of Mongkutwattana Hospital Rienthong Nanna allegedly arrived at the scene and shouted to the boy “How dare you smoke in this place?” and then allegedly slapped the boy’s face a few times.
After that, the boy reportedly told the police that Dr. Rienthong allegedly forced him to strip naked before kicking him out of the hospital.
The boy told the police that he walked from the hospital and asked for help from good citizens at Soi Chaengwattana 12, Bangkok, and called his relatives to pick him up and reported the story to the police.
On May 15th, Dr. Rienthong Nanna posted on his social media regarding the incident that on May 13th, there was a teenager secretly smoking at a toilet inside the outpatient department while the hospital publicly announced over the public speakers to deal with smoking violators strictly and severely.
Dr. Rienthong stated that previously there were two fire incidents in 2015 and 2021 from smoking. Therefore, he had to deal with the 14-year-old violator personally by slapping him in the face, confiscating his phone, and ordering him to strip naked before kicking him out of the hospital, posted Dr. Rienthong.
However, the boy then allegedly brought six motorbike gang members to threaten the hospital staff members, stated Dr. Rienthong.
Meanwhile, at 10:35 AM today, May 15th, 2024, Mr. Ratchaphon Sirisakorn, a lawyer of the 14-year-old boy and Kanlaya gave additional testimony to Thung Song Hong inquiry officers regarding the incident. Ratchaphon told the Thai national media that he asked the police to investigate the case as the director of the hospital allegedly attacked the boy, confiscated his phone, and other offenses.
In this case, the hospital staff members executed abusive power to the victim, said Ratchaphon. Although the boy violated the hospital’s rules, the hospital must follow the law and enforce measures accordingly and should not act as the law itself, added Ratchaphon.
Kanlaya reportedly admitted that her son violated the hospital’s rule, however, the hospital executed their authority exceedingly. She further added that her son was not well-behaved and she admitted that, but the hospital should admit their wrongs also.
The boy stated that although the good citizens who helped rescue him after being stripped naked and his relatives also went to the hospital after the incident, they did not threaten the hospital by any means and were not motorbike gang members as accused. Moreover, the boy said that he did not know smoking inside the hospital was not allowed.
Police and legal agencies continue to investigate the incident as of press time.
