Dr Pradit Chareonthaithawee, a member of the National Human Rights Commission, said yesterday he feels uneasy with the announcement as it violates patients' rights. He plans to submit a letter demanding that Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkla, who oversees the Medical Council, review the announcement.

Pradit said he wants the announcement to be amended so that medical professionals committing malpractice could face both civil and criminal action by the victims.

Announcement 46/2529 was issued on November 4 after criminal and civil lawsuits mounted against physicians.

It states that "sometimes in medical treatment procedures, unwanted circumstances occur despite sufficient caution and care by the medical profession and that shall be regarded as a force majeure".

Saree Ongsomwang, manager of the Consumers Foundation, said the announcement would fan conflicts between patients and doctors. It would create more problems because patients and doctors have different interpretations of "emergency", she said.

If the council did not review the announcement she would take action against it by using legal cases, as it amounted to an administrative order causing the loss of access to medical services.

"Doesn't the Medical Council have other things to do? Why have they often done things to fuel conflict between patients and doctors?" she asked.

"Medical councils in other countries throughout the world have to be responsible for patients, not just protect the medical profession," she said.