A 31-year-old patient suffering from alcohol withdrawal died after allegedly being beaten by staff at the Si Sa Ket hospital where he was being treated.
An autopsy revealed he died from a head injury caused by a hard object.
The patient, Sa-ard Bunla, was a heavy drinker. He had abruptly stopped drinking and after two days began having seizures, according to his father, Thongsuk Kaewraksa.
Sa-ard was admitted to Kantharalak hospital on Dec 4 and his condition had improved after two nights there.
However, about 3am on Dec 7 hospital staff told Mr Thongsuk that his son needed to be moved to the psychiatric section. The reason given was he talked incoherently and did not sleep.
In a recording from the security camera in the hospital, Sa-ard was seen walking toward the door and trying to leave the room. Two male staffers then arrived, grabbed hold of him and tried to drag him back into the room.
The recording showed them slamming Sa-ard to the floor. One of them punched him on his head several times. Two female staff arrived to help and together they tried to handcuff the patient while pressing him to the ground.
Mr Thongsuk said he heard the attack happening in the room but he was not allowed to go in. He asked staff if they were overdoing it, and was told it was normal, he said.
About 6am, Mr Thongsuk visited his son in the room and found him tied to the bed, with injuries all over his body.
At 8pm, Sa-ard was pronounced dead.
The two male staff have already been suspended from work and the hospital is now investigating his death.
