The Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) has launched an ethics investigation into the treatment of a 31-year-old man who died after an alleged misdiagnosis at a private hospital in Ratchaburi.
The hospital has apologised to the victim's family and pledged full cooperation with the inquiry.
The case came to light after the wife of Phanupong Wongwai alleged that a doctor failed to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) despite her husband complaining of chest pain, pain radiating to his arm and excessive sweating.
The woman, who is known on social media as Khru Sai, said the doctor failed to examine her husband properly or perform an ECG, instead attributing his symptoms to anxiety before discharging him.
Phanupong later collapsed and died. An autopsy found two blocked coronary arteries.
ACM Ittaporn Kanacharoen, the MCT's secretary-general, said the council had accepted the complaint and assigned its legal team and assistant secretary-general for ethics to coordinate the investigation.
The council will review medical records, the autopsy findings, the doctor's explanation and evidence from the family while coordinating with the hospital, the Social Security Office, the Department of Health Service Support and other relevant agencies.
The investigation will determine whether the doctor's treatment complied with professional and ethical standards, ACM Ittaporn said, adding the process would be impartial and evidence-based.
Hospital director Father Piyasak Wongwai attended the victim's funeral in Bangkok to apologise to the family in person.
He said San Camillo Hospital had set up a probe committee and suspended the doctor involved, a part-time internal medicine specialist in his 70s who had worked at the hospital for more than 10 years.
The hospital has been unable to contact the doctor since the incident.
Dr Piyasak said the hospital would fully cooperate with investigations by the MCT and the Ministry of Public Health while respecting any legal action taken by the family.
He said the case had affected the hospital's nearly 300 staff and its patients, adding the tragedy should serve as a lesson for the institution and lead to improvements while legal proceedings run their course.
