Concern over cosmetic surgery regulation in Thailand

There are now serious concerns over the regulation of cosmetic surgery in Thailand, particularly when it involves foreign patients. According to leading British newspaper, The Daily Mail, ” The doctor accused of causing the death of a young British woman he performed cosmetic surgery on in Thailand is back at work and offering treatment to overseas patients just weeks after being arrested.”

There are now serious concerns over the regulation of cosmetic surgery in Thailand, particularly when it involves foreign patients.

According to leading British newspaper, The Daily Mail, ” The doctor accused of causing the death of a young British woman he performed cosmetic surgery on in Thailand is back at work and offering treatment to overseas patients just weeks after being arrested. Dr Sompob Sansiri is on bail and faces up to 10 years in jail after being charged with recklessly causing the death of 24-year-old Joy Williams who flew to Bangkok to have buttock implants and died during an operation to remove them when they became infected. Health officials ordered Dr Sansiri to shut down his SP Clinic for 60 days to safeguard patients while they investigate the October 23 incident and while the police case against him is prepared. He denies any wrongdoing. Despite the criminal proceedings and the investigation, Dr Sansiri is continuing to practise and is offering to treat patients at a nearby clinic, where staff say he has use of an operating theatre and consulting room. Dr Sansiri may even not be licensed to carry out cosmetic surgery operations at all, and a Dubai patient died after being treated at his clinic six years ago. Sources have said he is only qualified as a General Practitioner. Posing as patients, female British and Thai journalists with Mail Online contacted the SP Clinic less than a month after it was ordered to close. They spoke to Dr Sansiri who offered to do breast surgery and liposuction, saying he would carry out the surgery himself on the same day they arrived.”

Nigel Mercer of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons commented in the Daily Mail: ‘It is shocking. It really is genuinely shocking. Quite clearly this guy is completely unscrupulous. It is amazing that any other clinic would let someone like this practise on their premises.”

If these newspaper revelations are true, then it is a serious concern for any agency sending patients to Thailand for cosmetic surgery. That Dr Sansiri is continuing to practise while on bail over Ms Williams’ death is worrying, as part of the investigation is looking into whether Dr Sansiri is licensed to conduct surgery at all.

Thai police authorities, and bodies promoting medical tourism to Thailand, have not made any comment either on the new allegations or the original death. The only local organisation taking the problem seriously is Thailand’s General Medical Council that has launched a review of the regulations for cosmetic surgery clinics in general as it accepts they are too lax.