• Two doctors in Thailand suspended for ethical violations related to ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's treatment.
• Thaksin returned from 15 years of exile and was sentenced to eight years for corruption upon arrival.
• Disciplinary measures followed accusations of special treatment and discrepancies in medical reports.
• The Medical Council deemed the evidence did not support claims of Thaksin's critical condition.
• Thaksin remains politically active despite his legal issues, including an upcoming court appearance.

Thailand's Medical Council has suspended two doctors involved in the treatment of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra following allegations of ethical violations. Thaksin, 75, returned to Thailand in August 2023 after more than a decade of exile and faced an eight-year prison sentence for corruption upon his arrival. However, he was quickly moved to a private room in Bangkok's Police General Hospital for health issues, never spending a night in a cell, leading to public suspicion of inappropriate privileges and a backroom deal, according to Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

The Medical Council's ethics committee reported discrepancies between the medical certificates issued for Thaksin and his actual health conditions. The council's vice president, Prasit Watanapa, emphasized that these findings reflect "sub-par professional work" and noted that a third doctor who issued a warning was involved in less severe infractions. The decision to suspend the two doctors must receive final approval from the Minister of Public Health, which is anticipated soon, as articulated by Bangkok Post.

According to the council, the medical evidence did not support claims of Thaksin being critically ill when he was allowed to serve his sentence in a hospital, raising significant ethical concerns about the treatment provided (South China Morning Post, Bangkok Post). Thaksin's hospital stay was initially justified on medical grounds, as he reportedly suffered from chest pain and low oxygen levels. However, the council has cautioned against drawing immediate conclusions regarding the authenticity of his medical claims, highlighting that available evidence did not clearly indicate a critical condition, as stated in Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

Thaksin, while officially retiring from politics, has remained actively involved, campaigning for his party and participating in discussions linked to trade issues. He is scheduled for a court appearance in July concerning a royal defamation case tied to remarks made during a 2015 interview, which further complicates his legal landscape, as noted by Bangkok Post and South China Morning Post.