THE WOMAN at the centre of the Face Off scandal yesterday denied any wrongdoing about plastic surgery services that she has promoted.

However, Kamol Cosmetic Hospital, which has reportedly provided the so-called ‘Face Off’ services, now risks being punished for condoning such promotion.

“Dr Xeping Chaiyasan”, who is not a medical doctor, recently said the Face Off services would make famous singer Surachai Sombatcharoen look a few decades younger.

The case has attracted huge media coverage.

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“I am a beauty expert,” Xeping told a press conference yesterday as she tried to wade through the storm of criticism.

Several doctors criticised her last week for using catchy words that could mislead consumers into having false expectations.

Dr Cholatis Sinratchatanan, president of the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Society of Thailand, also went public about the fact that Xeping was not even a doctor and lodged a complaint against her for falsely claiming to be his relative.

Xeping yesterday tearfully suggested that Cholatis might have been dissatisfied with the fact that she had stopped recommending customers to him. “I used to recommend him, but not anymore. I am not sure whether he’s dissatisfied,” she said.

While admitting that she was not a medical doctor, she claimed she was the holder of a doctorate degree.

Xeping did not, however, offer any explanation about Cholatis’s complaint that she had falsely told others she was his niece.

In response to the complaint, police have decided to pursue the case against Xeping on grounds that her claim appeared in the computer system and might cause damage to others.

On the catchy choice of words, Xeping said: “People define Face Off in various different ways. But if the Office of the Consumer Protection Board rules that I should rename the services, I will do so.”

Squadron Leader Dr Boonruang Triruangworawa, director-general of the Public Health Ministry’s Health Service Support Department, said Kamol Cosmetic Hospital’s actions might constitute offences under the Medical Facilities Act, as it had failed to dismiss Xeping’s advertisements about the services.

Such offences are punishable by a fine of Bt20,000 plus a daily fine of Bt10,000 until the illegal activities are corrected.

“The department’s subcommittee on advertising will look into this case before issuing a ruling,” he said.

Meanwhile, Medical Council president Prof Dr Somsak Lolekha said the council’s ethics committee would look into Dr Kamol Pansrithum’s role in Xeping’s promotion of the services.

Kamol, who is chief plastic surgeon at Kamol Cosmetic Hospital, earlier told the media that he was not involved.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) said it will consider setting up a committee to protect consumers in relation to health and beauty products.

Following their inspection of Kamol Cosmetic Hospital, where Sudarat had taken former singer Surachai Sombatcharoen for a “Face Off” surgery, Health Service Support Department chief Boonreung Traireungworarat said yesterday that Kamol had told the inspection team that he was not involved in advertising such services.

Boonreung said the department was still gathering evidence and would check if any hospital personnel were involved in Sudarat’s claim. The department’s sub-panel on advertisement will consider the next move. If doctors or hospitals are found involved, they can face a fine of Bt20,000 and the suspension of their licence.

“This alleged faulty claim will be considered if the person is a doctor and if he or she cites a hospital. If that is the case, then the department can act immediately. The problem is we can’t pinpoint that. Dr Xeping, who came up with the allegations, was found to be no doctor,” he said. He added that the claims of drastic rejuvenation and restoration of youth in itself was a violation of the consumer protection law, and the advertisement of this claim via social media is also a violation of the Computer Crimes Act.

Air Vice Marshal Dr It tiporn Khanacharoen said OCPB would look into this case and will soon set up a panel to protect consumers in relation to health and beauty products.

Meanwhile, Bangkok’s Somdej Chao Phraya Police Station investigator Pol Colonel Pavena Ekkachat said police couldn’t summon Sudarat because a search on Thai household data didn’t yield a result and the Sudarat who was pictured in the database does not match the Dr Xeping pictured on social media.

She also clarified that Dr Cholatis Sinratchatanan, president of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Society of Thailand, had filed a complaint against Sudarat as she claimed to be related to him in an alleged move to boost her credibility. She said the complaint wasn’t against the “Face Off” service, but stemmed from some customers contacting Cholatis to confirm if he was indeed related to Sudarat. Fearing this faulty citation aims to reap benefits from his position, he filed a complaint on Monday, she said. “It has nothing to do with the former singer’s plastic surgery,” she affirmed adding that police was still probing this case.