Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit yesterday revealed that of all inpatients transferred out of Chulalongkorn Hospital last week, four have died.
Speaking at a House session, Jurin said three of the patients succumbed to cancer at the Kasemrad Prachacheun, Hua Chiew and BMA General hospitals. The other, he said, died from diabetes, heart disease and kidney failure at a Samut Prakan hospital.
The Chulalongkorn Hospital transferred all its inpatients including the Supreme Patriarch to elsewhere out of concerns for their safety. The transfer took place after hundreds of antigovernment protesters stormed into the hospital buildings on the night of April 29 to check if there were soldiers inside. Prior to that, the protesters had already camped out in an area right next to the hospital for weeks, causing serious concerns among the hospital's staff all along.
Jurin yesterday pointed out that five organisations of medical workers agreed with the Chullalongkorn Hospital's move, saying that the transfer was necessary and condemning those who obstruct the process of giving medical treatment to people.
According to Jurin, Chulalongkorn Hospital has clearly announced that it has strictly observed the Red Cross principles including neutrality and that it has not suspended all of its medical services. Its emergency room remained open despite the turmoil right next to where it had operated.
In response to a question as to why the hospital started evacuating some of their patients even prior to the raid, Jurin said only 10 patients were evacuated in the first place and that was because an explosive sound erupted nearby.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban said that, prior to the Silom clash, the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation's offer to have soldiers guarded the hospital was turned down on ground of the hospital's wish to remain neutral. Hence he confirmed that there was no soldier inside the hospital but only some local policemen guarding in front of the hospital.
When the redshirt protesters stormed the hospital on the night of April 29, it threatened medical staff and thus the hospital decided it was no longer safe thus evacuated its patients, he said. He said that forensic expert Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan's comment that two grenades were shot from the hospital was based on the detection of nitrate in the hospital's toilet and affirmed that this matter was to be investigated further.
Earlier in the same House session, Pheu Thai MP Prasit Chaiwirattana questioned the Chulalongkorn Hospital's neutrality.
Although admitting the redshirt raid on the night of April 29 into the hospital was wrong, he said he wasn't sure if all was a plan leading to the martial law implementation.
He said that the hospital should be neutral and not allow police or soldier into the premise and that the hospital director had no right to say because of certain people the hospital had be closed for security because the redshirt didn't do anything suggesting they wanted to harm the hospital people.
Prasit also asked if NBT broadcasting pictures of patients being evacuated was a journalist ethical violation.