The Thai government has uncovered a massive fraud in Samut Sakhon province, where migrants were given fake certificates without tests or X-rays.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has ordered the cancellation of thousands of counterfeit medical certificates issued to migrant workers and legal action against hospitals and doctors involved in the scam. Deputy Minister Chaichan Dechdecho has revealed details of the widespread fraud involving the issuance of documents without X-rays and blood tests.
An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 fake certificates issued across the country are to be cancelled. Chaichan Dechdecho said a private hospital in Samut Sakhon province, where thousands of Myanmar migrants work in the fishing industry, sold medical certificates without conducting proper examinations. It turned out that the hospital was registered with the Employment Department, but did not have a license from the Ministry of Health. However, it managed to issue 13,000 certificates, which are now being cancelled.
It was also established that of the 82 clinics registered with the Employment Department, only 41 have a license from the Ministry of Health. The 41 institutions were therefore operating illegally, and the health certificates they issued were invalid, automatically classifying the migrant workers who held them as illegal. Additional violations were found at two other hospitals in Samut Sakhon, which serve approximately 30,000 workers, and one hospital in Pathum Thani, which issued more than 10,000 certificates.
The authorities estimate that up to 300,000 workers could be affected by these actions. Chaichan Dechdecho emphasized that, under Thai law, cancellation of certificates and legal action are entirely possible, as previously issued documents are deemed illegal. After collecting information on the employers and workplaces of the affected workers, the Employment Department and the Immigration Bureau will conduct inspections.
The Medical Institutions Act carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 20,000 Thai baht for such violations. Doctors who knowingly sign false certificates could lose their licenses. Local health authorities have also warned that issuing medical documents without proper testing could pose a public health risk if undetected diseases spread.
The situation with the fake medical certificates has highlighted the problem of illegal labor migration and the need to strengthen control over the activities of medical institutions serving foreign workers. The incident is expected to lead to stricter requirements for licensing medical organizations and increased inspections by regulatory authorities.
Read More Articles Here
Read More Articles Here
