A House committee looking into claims that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra received privileged treatment at Police General Hospital during his detention there does not have the authority to summon him or agencies linked to the matter, according to the Department of Corrections.
The committee on state security, border affairs, national strategy and reform chaired by Rangsiman Rome, an MP of the opposition People’s Party, has invite various parties to attend.
They include Thaksin, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, Department of Corrections director-general Sahakarn Petchnarin, Police General Hospital director Pol Lt Gen Taweesilp Wechawitarn, and Medical Correctional Institution director Wattanachai Mingbancherdsuk.
The committee said it came upon “worrying” information during its previous meeting last week, including the standard of treatment in prisons and the transfer of a sick prisoner who was diagnosed as seriously ill.
However, there were no details on treatment, nor were there photos or video recordings at the police hospital that suggested that standards of care for prisoners who receive medical care outside prison were kept consistent.
Somboon Muangklam, an adviser to the justice minister, said on Thursday that the Department of Corrections had sent a letter to inform the House committee that it has no authority to investigate the issue.
The issue is also being investigated by the House committee on police affairs and other independent agencies, he said.
The committee chaired by Mr Rangsiman is duplicating the work of other agencies, Mr Somboon said, citing the letter.
He also said he could not confirm whether the justice minister and the corrections chief would attend the House committee meeting on Friday.
Mr Rangsiman said on Thursday that the committee has offered all parties an opportunity to explain themselves and clear up public concerns about claims that Thaksin received privileged hospital treatment.
“If Thaksin is confident he did nothing wrong, he should come and explain the matter so all the doubts will be laid to rest,” the MP said.
“The government has been criticised for keeping people in the dark about Thaksin’s stay on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital.”
Thaksin returned to Thailand last Aug 22 after 15 years of self-imposed exile. That very day, the Supreme Court ordered him imprisoned for eight years — later shortened to one year under a royal pardon — for abuse of power and conflict of interest while serving as prime minister prior to 2006.
On the first night of his stay at the Bangkok Remand Prison, corrections doctors determined that he had to be transferred to Police General Hospital. He walked out of there six months later after meeting conditions for parole, having never spent a night behind bars.