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Published on October 3, 2007

 The surgeon has been accused of defrauding the public and reckless action causing serious harm to others.

The Ratchadapisek Criminal Court yesterday ordered the first in-court questioning of the plaintiffs' witnesses to be held today.

Jessada Wiwattananukul submitted his birth certificate and application to be a co-plaintiff in place of his mother, Raweewan, who was shot dead on September 13.

The court agreed that Jessada was Raweewan's son and the lawyer for the defendant did not object.

The lawsuit, filed last December, accused Phaisal of defrauding patients between April 2003 until February 2005 by advertising a special technique using a drug that was not yet approved by Thai Food and Drug Administration. The drug allegedly caused negative side-effects.

The public prosecutor and Jessada's lawyer, Nakhon Chompuchat, requested a delay of in-court questioning because they were not ready to call their first witness.

Nakhon said the public prosecutor called a surgeon from the Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Sur-geons of Thailand to testify on Sept 21. He said the testimony had to be heard out of court at that time because the surgeon had a previous engagement abroad.

The surgeon testified that several of Phaisal's Bio Clinic patients complained to the society about procedures causing bad side-effects. So it sent a letter to Phaisal suspending him from carrying out further treatment.

 The Nation