Surgeon to pay B4.1m for patient’s death

The Nonthaburi provincial court yesterday ordered a plastic surgeon to pay compensation totalling 4.1 million baht to the family of a woman who died on the operating table at a surgeon’s clinic during a breast augmentation operation on Oct 17, 2020.

The court ordered the unnamed surgeon to pay Suphattra Nachaithon, 58, mother of Merisa Phumwisai, 21, 100,000 baht for the cost of Merisa’s funeral and another 2 million baht for the mother’s loss, said Phasit Loetsincharoen, a lawyer representing Merisa’s family.

The court also ordered the surgeon to pay another 2 million baht in compensation to an unnamed party who jointly brought this civil case against the doctor and an agent who introduced Merisa to the clinic operated by the surgeon, located in the Sanam Bin Nam area of Nonthaburi.

The agent, who was named in the lawsuit as a second defendant, was acquitted in yesterday’s ruling, said the lawyer.

The lawyer said he was satisfied with the ruling.

Upon hearing the ruling yesterday, Ms Suphattra said she was glad to see justice done after such a long wait.

Since her late daughter was the family breadwinner, including supporting Merisa’s own daughter, the family has been plunged into deep financial hardship, said Ms Suphattra.

Since Merisa’s death, the family has been relying on the low daily wage which Ms Suphattra earns from whatever job she can find on a day-to-day basis, she said.

Sometimes, she said, she was not able to rustle up a single baht to give to Merisa’s daughter, who needs to attend school.

She said she was undecided whether to appeal against the ruling and would have to further consult her lawyer on the matter first.