Thai doctor gets four-year and three-month jail term for schoolgirl's death during liposuction

The Appeal Court upheld the lower court's four-year imprisonment sentence to Chalee, who was found guilty of the manslaughter of Siriporn Muima, who died while undergoing the liposuction procedure at his clinic in December 2001. The Court also added a three-month jail term for using expired drugs on the girl.

Siriporn's parent Kamol and Bangern Muima and their lawyer were present at the verdict hearing while Chalee, who looked worried, went with his lawyer. Chalee was taken to the court's prison immediately after the verdict reading while the victim's parents hugged each other with satisfaction.

Chalee's lawyer Wichit Makkharasunthorn said that they would appeal the case to the Supreme Court within this month and aimed to ask for the Supreme Court's mercy on Chalee who made good merits in his profession, inventing a hearing aid to help people. He said he also submitted a Bt400,000 bank account for a bail release of Chalee.

Kamol said he was pleased with the court's ruling because it was just. He said he had tried to contact Chalee for outside-court settlement but Chalee insisted to fight on court.

As for the family's civil lawsuit, he said they would have to wait for the criminal case to end first and the family was consulting a lawyer to sue Chalee for a sum of Bt13 million in compensation in Civil Court.

The Nation