On Friday (May 23) Dr Jessada Jongpaiboonpattana, the hospital’s director, and his deputy Dr Somboon Wangtaetham handed a cashier’s cheque for B100,000 to Patong taxi driver Namporn Inthawong.
Mr Namporn lost not only his wife but also his newborn son Atsawin, who died two days after his mother.
Dr Jessada said “We are very sorry for what happened. A claim can be made if it is supported by the relevant documents. We are waiting for the autopsy result to tell us the actual cause of death. We have set up an investigation and we would like to stress that we will deliver justice to both [Mr Namporn and the hospital staff involved].”
Mr Namporn thanked the hospital for helping with the funeral expenses. Hospital employees had already attended the funeral and made their own personal donations.
Mr Namporn brought 50 relatives and friends to the hospital on May 10 to stage a protest against the deaths of his wife and son and to demand answers.
Dr Nara Kingkaew, the Deputy Director of the hospital’s Medical Department, later denied allegations of malpractice and callousness made in the more sensational Thai press.