Bangkok: Pattana insists there was no order from the Prime Minister regarding the severe disciplinary action against Dr. Suphat in the ATK procurement case, stating everything was done according to procedure and unaware of anyone linking it to politics.
According to Thai News Agency, the Civil Service Commission of the Ministry of Public Health resolved, based on the disciplinary investigation committee's findings, that Dr. Suphat Hasuwanakit was guilty of misconduct during his time as director of Chana Hospital in Songkhla province regarding the procurement of ATK test kits. The resolution, passed by a 4-3 vote, recommended his dismissal. This has sparked criticism regarding the timing of the decision, questioning why it's being made before the upcoming election on February 8, 2026, potentially disqualifying Dr. Suphat, a candidate for Member of Parliament in Hat Yai District 2. Dr. Suphat views this as a politically motivated issue.
Most recently, on January 26th at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Mr. Pattana Promphat, Minister of Public Health, along with Dr. Somruk Chungsaman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, gave an interview stating that the Ministry of Public Health's Personnel Committee meeting on January 22nd was a regular monthly meeting and included the case of Dr. Suphat and several other matters.
When asked whether the decision was to dismiss him from government service, Mr. Phatthana said that it was in accordance with the decision of the disciplinary investigation committee, which was issued even before he took office. Everything followed the investigation process. It is a resolution, but we must wait for the official order according to the legal process.
When asked whether the timeline had to be this period because it coincided with the election, and whether it was politically motivated, Mr. Phatthana stated that there was no specific timeline; it was a normal procedure. The investigation committee had completed its investigation and submitted the matter according to procedure, which was then brought up at the monthly meeting as a regular agenda item.
When asked by reporters about the vote in favor of the "dismissal" investigation, which resulted in a 4-3 victory with the Minister of Public Health giving the fourth and deciding vote, Mr. Phatthana stated that it was in accordance with the disciplinary committee's findings. He added that the vote was conducted by all members and had no political implications whatsoever, reiterating that everything was in line with the disciplinary committee's fact-finding process.
When pressed further on whether he was actually guilty, Mr. Phatthana reiterated that the investigative committee had submitted its opinion in that manner.
When asked about the political implications of Dr. Suphat's dismissal, specifically whether it was an order from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul due to Dr. Suphat's previous statements about Hat Yai not receiving compensation and his past criticisms of the Prime Minister during his time as Minister of Public Health, Mr. Phatthana stated that he didn't know who was making the connection, as there was really nothing to it, and he hadn't spoken with the Prime Minister.
"I can confirm that everything is proceeding according to the timeline set by the investigation committee. Once completed, the results will be submitted to the Civil Service Commission of the Ministry for consideration, which holds monthly meetings. As for the political connection, I only recently learned that Dr. Suphat is running for Member of Parliament. So, that's up to people to interpret it however they want," Mr. Phatthana said.
When asked again whether the dismissal of Dr. Suphat had taken effect, Mr. Phatthana stated that they were awaiting the official order and the signing process, which he understood was a matter of time and he did not want to go into detail about the procedure at this time. 'Actually, Dr. Suphat can appeal this case, as per the law. I also confirm that the Civil Service Commission's decision was made within the timeframe, and the resolution was based on the investigation committee's findings, which included fact-finding and inviting the accused to provide information,' Mr. Phatthana said.
When asked by reporters whether there was a link between the resolution and the SKYY9 building belonging to the Social Security Office, Mr. Phatthana stated that he had no involvement whatsoever. He had previously clarified this matter, as he did not sell the building to the Social Security Office; he sold it to investors. He had already explained this in Parliament. He also stated that he had no involvement with the buyer. After the purchase, the company that previously managed the building sold it as is. The buyer then invested billions of baht themselves to renovate and beautify it. Two to three years after purchasing it from the company he co-managed, it was sold to someone else. He later learned that it was the Social Security Office, after which the issue became news.
'Therefore, it's unrelated, there's no connection. I have nothing to do with it, and I have no need to link multiple issues together. The Prime Minister didn't order any vote related to Dr. Suphat. I just came in; I don't have any issues or conflicts with anyone. Importantly, the investigation results came out before I even took office,' Mr. Phatthana said.