Former Medical Council President Calls for Legal Reform After Doctor Faces Criminal Charges Despite Saving Patient

Key summary

Professor Dr. Amnuay Kusalanunt, former president of the Thai Medical Council, shared a case on Facebook dated October 24, 2026, where a doctor was criminally charged with negligence causing serious injury after successfully saving a critical patient. The patient, initially unconscious and in respiratory distress, received emergency intubation which was confirmed to be correctly positioned via X-ray. After stabilization and transfer to other hospitals, the patient later developed respiratory issues caused by a foreign body suspected to be a fragment of the broken endotracheal tube that had fractured while inside the airway during treatment. The doctor argued that such fractures in unconscious, struggling patients constitute force majeure rather than professional negligence. Despite the medical team's adherence to standards and successful initial life-saving efforts, the patient filed a criminal complaint alleging the intubation caused complications leading to serious injury. Professor Dr. Amnuay noted that while he expects investigators to recommend non-prosecution to the Attorney General, the accused doctor must endure significant emotional and professional hardship until the case concludes. He advocates for legal amendments to provide appropriate immunity against criminal lawsuits in medical practice to ensure doctors feel confident saving lives.