Senator Exposes Alleged Corruption in Health Ministry Appointments, Procurement

On October 26, 2026, at parliament, Senator Dr. Prem Piyayura called on Ministry of Public Health executives to investigate complaints about official transfers and appointments, transparency in medical equipment procurement, and dialysis services. He cited information raising suspicions that certain position considerations may involve vested interests, emphasizing that criteria must be disclosed for verification and fairness to career civil servants.

Dr. Prem noted that last week, the appointment of four senior ministry inspectors was withdrawn from cabinet consideration. However, he learned the same names might be resubmitted at the October 27 cabinet meeting without clarity on whether previous objections had been addressed. The core issue is the seniority criteria the ministry has long followed. Even if knowledge, ability, or a fast-track system are considered, the weighting of each component must be clearly explained, along with reasons for the withdrawal and review.

He asked Permanent Secretary Dr. Somratch Jeungsuman to investigate whether transfers and appointments are linked to high-value medical equipment procurement in Health Region 10, covering Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Sisaket, and Mukdahan. He also requested verification of whether individuals are falsely claiming connections to executives, promising promotions in exchange for hospitals purchasing equipment from companies linked to powerful figures — possibly external actors exploiting the system.

Dr. Prem further demanded transparency in dialysis and hemodialysis services, especially those funded by the National Health Security Office (NHSO), including provider registration criteria, budget allocation, and reimbursement standards. He urged disclosure of procurement and contractor selection data to enable financial trail and business relationship audits.

Questioning the fairness of executive selection and appointment following the naming of the permanent secretary and department directors — which will determine subsequent deputy positions — Dr. Prem cited the case of the Udon Thani Hospital director, reportedly transferred to a smaller hospital in Loei shortly after taking office following disagreements with superiors. Another case involved a Uttaradit Hospital executive transferred to the south. He demanded explanations for the rationale and appropriateness of each order.

Dr. Prem stated he received confidential information about a "basket exam" (rigged selection) process for hospital director and provincial health office positions, with allegations of payments required at multiple stages: to enter the candidate pool, to have one's name shortlisted, and to secure the position. The inspector general post allegedly commands up to 8 million baht (termed "8 kilos"), while other positions reportedly range from 1 to 5 million baht. He stressed these figures and processes are allegations submitted for investigation, not proven conclusions.