He said an earlier finding by a previous panel, chaired by Dr Panya Sonkhom, that only three conditions were violated was wrong.

The three items found to be substandard were the wheelchair, the spinal board, and the test kit for measuring the sugar level in blood.

The doctor said a comment by Panya's panel that oxygen tanks equipped with a valve used for metal welding "could be used with extra personnel training" put ambulance staff at unnecessary risk. Sant claimed he knew of accidents from explosions using the industrial type valves.

Sant said the philly collar and hand-used ventilator had no

reference information to des-cribe how much each of them

cost or in which country they were manufactured - a violation of the purchase contract.

The soft casts were also made of polyester although the deal required vinyl.

Responding to Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla's recent statement extending "sympathy" for Panya's panel, Sant said he was not sure whether a minister was entitled to such an ambiguous message. "Otherwise no investigation or fact-finding committees need exist," he added.