In his first interview since the allegations were aired, Chakrapong Leelaporn, 53, said the scandal had only slightly affected him and that many people had conveyed their support to him despite the accusations.

“I don’t hold any grudges or hatred against anybody and will not seek lawsuits against anyone. I will continue working to pay back to the country as I studied by using taxpayers’ money and have worked in a public hospital,” Chakrapong said.

Meanwhile Panadda Wongpudee, founder of a charity organisation, led six alleged victims to petition the national police chief to seek his help in the case.

Chakrapong told reporters that he would fulfil his obligation to give lectures to foreign medical students at Nakhon Sawan Pracharat Hospital, where he works as a government official.

He has been accused of molesting and raping patients at his private clinic in Nakhon Sawan’s Muang district.

One woman, whose name has been withheld, told police the doctor had raped her during a gynaecological examination at his clinic, an accusation Chakrapong denies. Despite the scandal, people were still seen waiting for medical examinations at his clinic on Tuesday.

Chakrapong said on Tuesday that the accusation would affect him personally only slightly but would have a more profound effect on other gynaecologists , who would find it difficult to carry out their duties as a result of the scandal.

He revealed that he had already spoken about the case with the hospital’s director, who expressed concern about it but sympathy for him.

“I will not take days off following the scandal as there is a large group of patients waiting for medical attention,” he said. “In fact my clinic has been fined Bt10,000 for not having enough doctors’ assistants.”

Some of the complainants have spoken anonymously about the |scandal, saying the attacks happened when they were alone in the room with the doctor, without any nurses or medical assistants being present.

Chakrapong said it was possible that some patients might have misunderstood his direct comments and the physical contact he made, which was essential during medical examinations. He said other patients from many provinces had not been deterred by the publicity and still flocked to his clinic every day.

Those patients, he said, extended their support for him and expressed their confidence in him being able to continue working.

The accusations came to light after female lawyer Saranya Wangsukcharoen, activist Achariyasap Ruengrattanapong and Panadda joined ranks to gather information and evidence about the allegations.

Panadda on Tuesday went to the national police headquarters in Bangkok and submitted a petition to national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda, asking him to help investigate the accusation.

She claimed that about 50 patients from Bangkok and other provinces had come forward to claim criminal wrongdoing by the doctor dating back many years.

Achariyasap, meanwhile, visited the “Dr Chakrapong Clinic” in Nakhon Sawan on Tuesday together with the provincial police commander.

The activist said before visiting the clinic that he suspected that there were two possible scenarios for what really happened.

“There may be some patients who agreed to have sexual relations with the doctor but took opportunity to blackmail the doctor after the scandal broke out,” he surmised.

“The second possibility is that the molestation and rape really happened in the clinic.”

He also suggested that the doctor could have committed rape but settled the case with the help of a police officer who took a bribe.

He revealed chat messages, reportedly between the doctor and a former female patient, which appeared to show that their relationship went beyond doctor and patient.

According to Achariyasap, the doctor told that patient that he would take life-long care of her and bought her souvenirs from abroad.

On Loy Krathong Day, the cumulative deaths by drowning over the past decade stood at 145, with 43 being children under 15.

Hence, the ministry has instructed its agencies to raise public awareness about the risk of drowning during the festival.

Loy Krathong is traditionally marked across the nation by releasing flowery floats in rivers and other water sources as an apology to the River Goddess and to rid themselves of bad luck.

Parents and guardians will be told to keep a close watch on children, so they do not get too near or bend too far over the edge of water to collect floats or coins placed in floats, which can lead to the child falling over, Sukhum said.

He added that alcohol was also often the cause of adult drowning.

Health officials were also told to get ready to handle an increase in road accidents as well as injuries from fireworks, he said.

Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, has also urged parents to keep small children within sight and reach, and teach them to blow a whistle when they are in trouble.

He has also told people to wear life jackets when on boats, and urged boat operators to adhere to safety rules and not overload their vessels.

Loy Krathong event organisers have also been told to set clear points where the floats can be released, to set up warning signs and fences to stop children from falling into water and to keep equipment at hand to rescue victims.

About 55,000 entered for rallies upcountry and some 30,000 applied for the rally in Bangkok, Anupong said, urging more people to join the events. Entries are accepted at city halls or district offices during office hours on weekdays or online around the clock at http://www.bikeunairak2018.com.

The rallies will be flagged off simultaneously nationwide at 3pm on December 9 with the main event – a 39km ride from the Royal Plaza in Bangkok to Lat Pho Park in Samut Prakan and back – slated to be led by His Majesty the King.

The rallies are being held to usher in the “Un Ai Rak Klai Kwam Nao Sainam Haeng Rattanakosin” (feeling the warmth of love amid the cold at the Rattanakosin River) fair to be held from December 9 to January 19 at the Royal Plaza and the adjacent Sanam Sua Pa. They are also aimed at promoting public awareness about the importance of exercise, the love and unity of family and society, plus road safety.

In Phitsanulok province, an 81-year-old man, Chamlong Puktom, led his elderly friends aged between 70 and 80 on a 10km bicycle ride from their homes in the Ban Krang area to Phitsanulok City Hall on Tuesday morning to register for the “Un Ai Rak” ride in this central province. “We love exercise, especially riding bicycles, so when we heard about the ‘Bike Un Ai Rak 2018’, we decided to come right away and register ourselves,” he said.

As of 9am on Tuesday, 2,661 people had entered for the rallies at Phitsanulok City Hall.

Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Sutthipong Wongpin on Tuesday said police had arrested three suspects on Monday night following the issuance of arrest warrants earlier in the day for five males aged 20-25 for colluding in a premeditated murder.

Already in custody are alleged target-pointer Patipan Charoenchaikul, alleged mastermind Krissada Narapong and alleged getaway motorcyclist Saharat Dongphrachan.

The two suspects that police are still searching for are alleged shooter Prasit Yonpol and accomplice Jirapat Phetchrak.

Police cited the motive for Kamonwich’s murder as a dispute among rival college students.

The five suspects reportedly did not have a personal dispute with the victim, but allegedly targeted him due to the fact that he studied at a rival school, police said.

Kamonwich’s family had last month suggested that the motive might have stemmed from the fact that Kamonwich was a friend of a previous murder victim, 23-year-old Thanit Kanlahasunthorn, and might be a witness in that student’s murder case.

Thanit was fatally stabbed on Prachasongkroh Road in Din Daeng district on April 15, 2016.

In July this year, his father Supachai Kanlahasunthorn, 52, jumped to his death from the eighth floor of the Criminal Court building after the court announced it would give the benefit of the doubt to the case’s sole defendant, Nattapong Ngern-khiri, who was acquitted.

FRESH EFFORTS to make private hospitals “affordable” have now ramped up, with consumer-protection groups voicing their suspicion that private operators may be too focused on making profits and losing track of the core humanity essential to quality medical care.

“We understand that hospitals need profits to stay afloat, but they should strike the right balance between profit-making and humanity,” Supatra Nacapew, member of the Independent Committee for Consumer Protection, said.

She called for relevant authorities to intervene and control prices set by private hospitals amid reports that some families have had to sell land and home to foot medical bills.

Prayoth Benyasut, deputy director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said his department was now addressing the issue in consultation with the Health Service Support Department.

“We’ve already had one meeting, and our next meeting will take place on November 19 [yesterday],” he said late last week.

Discussions have so far focused on requiring private hospitals to clearly display prices, so people can make informed decisions on whether to seek their services, Prayoth said.

Medical facilities are required by law to display prices and failure to do so can result in a fine of up to Bt10,000. However, patient say sometimes they cannot find where the prices are displayed.

Last month, the Internal Trade Department inspected 62 hospitals and found that some had posted prices in their websites, while others simply kept the list in their internal computer system.

When asked about calls for the authorities to control medical-service fees, he said a major issue like this would require further discussions between the Commerce and Public Health ministries.

“If both ministries agree with [establishing] controls, it will be proposed to the Central Committee on Product and Service Prices. If the committee approves it, then the proposal will go to the Cabinet,” Prayoth explained. Petrol and sugar are now among the products whose prices are subject to control.

Dr Pongpat Patanavanich, president of Private Hospital Association, said private hospitals charged patients much higher fees than state hospitals because they shouldered larger costs.

“The government covers staff salaries at state hospitals, but not at private hospitals,” Pongpat said. “Also, state hospitals are usually able to purchase medicines at a much lower cost because of bulk purchases.”

Pongpat also challenged claims that private hospitals were too preoccupied with making profits to care about the patients. “We have joined the country’s UCEP [Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients] even though we know participating will cost us money,” he said.

Though the government reimburses private hospitals for the treatment of UCEP patients, the rates provided are much lower than the actual cost, Pongpat added. Initiated by the government, UCEP allows emergency patients to receive free medical services from any hospital in the first 72 hours.

Saree Ongsomwang, secretary-general of the Foundation for Consumers, said at the very least, the prices of about 1,000 medicines required for emergency treatments should be controlled.

She also asked relevant authorities to define more clearly which symptoms qualify for UCEP. When patients go to a hospital hoping to receive medical services under UCEP, they might later find themselves having to pay a hefty bill if their condition is deemed as a non-emergency.

The Independent Committee for Consumer Protection has been advocating for price controls in the medical sector since 2015. “Since not much progress has been visible, we have stepped up our efforts again,” she said.

Saree spoke after submitting a petition to the Central Committee on Product and Service Prices. She will soon submit another petition to the Public Health Ministry, she added.

A source said private hospitals were firmly opposed to any move to control their service fees.

The development strategy encompasses the “fourth industrial reform”, development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and the Thailand 4.0 initiative to pull the country out of the middle-income trap, he told the “Skills and the Future of Work: Strategies for Inclusive Growth in Asia and the Pacific” forum.

The meet aimed to serve as a platform for experts, speakers from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), academics, as well as members of employer and employee organisations to discuss and exchange experiences and recommendations.

Adul said the government sees human resources as the main force to propel the country forward, and aims to boost the country’s capacity to compete in 10 target industries.

The target industries are the First S-curve – next-generation automotive; smart electronics; affluent, medical and wellness tourism; agriculture and biotechnology; and future-oriented foods and the New S-curve – robotics; aviation and logistics; biofuels and biochemicals; digital; and “the medical hub”.

‘Ready for the future’

Adul pointed out that Thailand was also ready for constructive cooperation and will serve as part of the Asia-Pacific region to develop human resources for meaningful work.

Meanwhile, with the ILO marking its 100th anniversary next year, seven initiatives will be implemented with the aim of helping the agency meet its social-justice mandate. They are:

Future of Work: Initiating and cultivating a global dialogue on the future of work, building the ILO’s ability to guide governments, workers and employers to better meet work challenges of the next century;

End to Poverty: Promoting a multidimensional response through work, labour markets, and social and employment protection to eradicate global poverty;

Women at work: Reviewing the place and condition of women in the world of work and engaging workers, employers and governments in concrete action to realise equality of opportunity and treatment;

The Green: Scaling up knowledge, policy advice and tools for managing a just transition to a low carbon, sustainable future;

The Standards: Enhancing the relevance of international labour standards through a review mechanism and consolidating tripartite consensus on an authoritative supervisory system;

The Enterprises: Establishing a platform for the ILO to engage with enterprises that will contribute to their sustainability and ILO’s goals; and

Governance: Reforming the ILO’s governance structures, assessing the impact of the 2008 Declaration as set out in its final provisions, and acting on its findings.

The investigation is based on testimonies from various sides, including the victim’s daughter, two taxi drivers who took her to hospital and the hospital’s representatives.

“We will determine if the hospital violated the Medical Facilities Act,” HSSD director-general Nattawuth Prasertsiripong said yesterday.

He added that this case was serious because the offence, if confirmed, will carry heavy penalties including a fine as well as a jail term.

HSSD launched the probe after Chorladda Tharawan, 38, reportedly succumbed to her injuries shortly after she left the hospital.

Several questions emerged as to whether the hospital had denied Chorladda services and if it even had a doctor on duty.

Chorladda arrived at the hospital in a taxi at the break of dawn earlier this month, with acid burns on her face. She left soon after in another taxi to seek treatment at Bang Mod Hospital, where she is entitled to free treatment, and where she was pronounced dead.

She was accompanied to both hospitals by her 12-year-old daughter, who testified to the HSSD yesterday.

Her husband is currently under detention for pouring acid on her face while she was sleeping.

Meanwhile, Help Crime Victim Club’s chairman Atchariya Ruangratanapong is helping the victim’s family seek justice.

“At the very least, Praram 2 Hospital should offer an apology,” he said. “We are not going to discuss compensation at this stage”.

Taxi driver Sittichai Chaidejkamjorn, who drove Chorladda and her daughter to the Praram 2 Hospital, said the victim initially asked him to take her to Bang Mod Hospital, but he took her to Praram 2 Hospital because it was closer.

“She was in pain, whimpering all the time. I didn’t look at her face because I focused on driving her to the hospital as fast as possible,” Sittichai said. “When we arrived at the hospital, we didn’t see a doctor come forward”.

Taxi driver Sa-ngad Dutchathuyawat, who drove Chorladda to Bang Mod Hospital, said her face was bandaged when she left Praram 2 Hospital.

Separately, Atchariya yesterday also urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to investigate if Praram 2 Hospital had illegally modified its building.

The BMA has promised to look into the issue.

MANY THAIS believe drug abuse and alcohol consumption are the most common causes of violence, a recent large-scale survey showed.

The authorities have designated November as the month to campaign for an end to violence against women and children.

Statistics show that so far this year, at least six people every day have been a victim of violence. Of the 2,710 victims reported – most of them youths – 1,774 suffered violence at the hands of their own relatives. Of the total victims, 2,043 were women.

“The respondents also put violence down to upbringing problems, association with the wrong type of people and stress,” Porametee Vimolsiri, permanent secretary at the Ministry for Social Development and Human Security, said yesterday.

His ministry’s survey unit collaborated with NIDA Poll to conduct a survey on 4,800 respondents over the past two months.

When asked about violence in Thai society, more than half of the respondents mentioned brawls and physical assault, while 52.6 per cent said domestic violence significantly fostered aggressive behaviour and suppression of emotion among children.

When asked whether media encourages people to act aggressively because of their violent content, respondents pointed the finger at YouTube for allegedly spawning copycats followed by social media and TV soap operas.

As for what they would do upon witnessing violent incidents, most respondents said they would alert the police.

Some 53.07 per cent added that strict enforcement of the law was a good way to solve violence problems, while some 48.81 per cent said good family relations and inculcation of proper attitudes were the solutions.

As for what they would do to end violence in society, 26.27 per cent said they will suppress violence within themselves, while 25.29 per cent said they will not react when angry.

Meanwhile, 42.79 per cent said it was their duty to curb violence in society, while 34.06 per cent said this was a family duty.

Saranya Chittangwong, adviser to a UN Women project, said the very fact that 40 per cent of the respondents were willing to help end violence made her happy. “So, we should provide information on what people can do when they witness violence.”

Leartpanya Buranabandit, who heads the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, said all parties must start inculcating the right attitude if violence is to be brought to a complete end.

“It’s best to start at a young age. If people understand and adopt the sense of gender equality, respect for law and emotional control from a young age, they won’t be violent,” he said.

Chadet Chaowilai, director of Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, said society should understand that attitude matters the most.

“Alcohol and drugs are just stimulants,” he pointed out.