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Published on September 15, 2007

Police are also looking into whether the victim, businesswoman Raweewan Setarat, 53,was killed due to conflicts over construction deals in her home province of Ratchaburi.

Dr Phaisal Hengsawas, against whom Raweewan filed numerous civil and criminal lawsuits, was at his Bio Clinic in Don Muang district yesterday but had reportedly become stressed on learning of the murder and refused to speak to the media. His staff said Phaisal was willing to be questioned by police, if asked.

Rawee-wan was shot four times, once in the head, after arriving at her house in Bang Kapi district at 9.30pm on Thursday. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Police have released a sketch of the gunman, who was seen eating at a food shop near Raweewan's home a few hours earlier with a man with whom he later escaped on a motorcycle.

Chief investigator Pol Maj-General Witthaya Kosiyasathit said police needed to gather information over the next few days before reaching an initial conclusion on possible motives for the murder, including Raweewan's public statement that Phaisal had botched an operation to enlarge the penis of a Cabinet minister during the first Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday filed a police complaint accusing Phaisal of applying a medication without permission or an FDA licence, following his injection of liquidised silicone into Raweewan's face - not recommended in general medical practice.

FDA legal adviser Jitti Yanpanya said the complaint had been lodged after the FDA ruled against the practice in August and on the recommendation of the Office of the Attorney-General, which reviewed the report of an FDA investigation ordered at Raweewan's request.

The OAG said the evidence was sufficient for further police investigation but more evidence was needed for a court trial, Jitti said.

FDA deputy secretary-general Niphon Phophatthanachai said the FDA had also found that Phaisal had sold his silicone preparation to other cosmetic-surgery clinics, although he had told the FDA that the preparation he had invented was exclusive and used only on Raweewan.

Niphon said Phaisal faced a combined prison term of up to eight years and/or a fine of up to Bt15,000 for the two charges filed by the FDA.

The FDA has no authority to prevent Phaisal from using the silicone preparation on clients as the practice was not registered with any medical authorities in Thailand.

Yuwadee Phatthanawong, a senior FDA official, said many FDA inspectors had received threats to their lives and been sued for illegal entry for investigating the Bio Clinic case and collecting evidence there.

Medical Council chairman Dr Somsak Lohlekha said an investigation into Raweewan's complaint would continue. He said the probe was taking a long time because it needed to be processed carefully as the council was at risk of counter-suits from doctors who were the subject of public complaints.

Consumer Protection Board (CPB) secretary-general Rassamee Wisathavej said she was in the process of banning the use of liquidised silicone in cosmetic surgery or beauty treatments.

She said she was saddened by Raweewan's murder, regardless of the motive, and called on other victims of medical malpractice to come forward or take action against irresponsible doctors.

She pledged to give the Bt12 million demanded in a civil lawsuit against Phaisal filed by the CPB on behalf of Raweewan to her children if the CPB won the case. Rassamee said she regarded Raweewan as a fighter and a shrewd consumer who set a good example by fighting for her rights through the legitimate channel of the CPB.

The Nation