The Public Health Ministry has formed an investigation committee against Dr Supat Hasuwannakit, the Rural Doctors Society (RDS) president, for alleged purchasing irregularities when he was the director of Chana Hospital in Songkhla from 1999-2022.
Dr Rungrueng Kitphati, a ministry spokesman, said on Wednesday the ministry set up the committee after finding grounds to the accusation that Dr Supat, now a director of Saba Yoi Hospital in Songkhla, did not follow procurement guidelines.
Dr Rungrueng said the order was signed by Pongkasem Kaimook, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, and the committee is led by Dr Kittisak Aksornwong, the ministry inspector, and six other officials.
He said that in 2019, Dr Supat signed five approvals for purchasing Covid-19 ATK test kits, with each procurement not worth more than two million baht.
Dr Rungrueng said the procurement did not follow the guidelines or methods of the Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act.
Dr Supat’s actions were a major disciplinary violation that damaged how the government functions, he said. The ministry also accused Dr Supat of corruption related to an 80 million baht construction project, also in 2019.
Dr Rungrueng alleged that Dr Supat changed the specifications of the height of the second to fifth floors by ordering the contractor to lower the height by 50 centimetres for each storey.
He also allegedly ordered the procurement of elevators to be installed in the building when construction had finished.
Dr Supat violated the Finance Ministry’s regulation on the section regarding contract management and inspection, said the spokesman. The committee will finish its investigation within 45 days as per the timeframe given under the Civil Service Act.