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Published on August 23, 2007

Dr Pravit Eiumvithi-wanich said he was informed the doctor in charge had provided proper medical treatment for 29-year-old Juthamas Petchsap, who suffered from chronic high blood pressure during and after pregnancy - but had failed to take medicine for her condition.

He insisted what happened was not the hospital's mistake, but if the panel probing the death determined otherwise, it would accept the result and welcome a lawsuit.

Meeting with Juthamas' family yesterday morning, Pravit offered condolences and initially provided them with Bt12,000 for her funeral.

Dr Pravit said the hospital was willing to help the family, and that staff had assisted the victim's father in applying for money from the Health Security Act Fund.

The hospital would have more talks with the family next Tuesday.

The move followed a complaint filed to the media earlier by Juthamas' father, Khok Petchsap, who claimed that his daughter gave birth to her second child at the hospital on August 7 and later suffered a severe stomach ache.

Khok claimed the doctor on duty said it was a peptic ulcer and told her to go home, although the family disagreed because her condition did not appear to have improved.

Juthamas's condition deteriorated and she was admitted to a private clinic, which then transferred her to Huai Yod Hospital and then Trang Hospital - where she subsequently died from a blood infection caused by damaged foetal membranes in her uterus.

The enraged family then threatened to parade the dead body in protest and submitted an appeal to the Trang Governor for justice.