Saturday March 29, 2008

Bangkok Post (Front Page News)

UNDERAGE CASTRATIONS Clinic raid fails to find evidence

By APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

Health authorities yesterday raided a Bangkok clinic which allegedly provided early castration services to young transvestites without parental consent, but found no evidence to back up the charges. A team of health officials from the Health Service Department's medical registration division went to Pratunam Polyclinic following a report that the clinic had arranged testicle removal surgery for underage boys without the consent of their parents.

Officials found nothing unusual and could not charge the clinic owner with allegedly providing the illegal service to boys aged below 18 years wanting to have their testicles removed. However, health officials seized the clinic's medical records to investigate whether it had breached any medical ethics or rules.

The Health Ministry is trying to step up measures to discourage clinics from providing testicle removal surgery, which is popular among young transvestites in Thailand.

Some transvestites believe removing their testicles can make their complexion and body appear more feminine.

But the Medical Council of Thailand has warned that the surgery is a health risk. Such surgery for young boys is considered unethical and could damage hormone growth and physical development.

Thep Vejvisit, owner of Pratunam Polyclinic in Bangkok, lambasted health officials for the raid, maintaining that he always followed the council's regulations and has never provided such services to any boys under 15 years of age.

''How dare the Medical Council of Thailand come up with such an allegation against me. I am angry. The council should first look at itself and do something to improve its own work to regain public trust rather than put the blame on my business without any evidence in hand,'' he said.

Dr Thep, however, admitted providing testicular removal surgery for boys under 18. Those cases were rare and their parents gave consent, he said.

The clinic has been offering the testicle surgery service since 2004 and over 500 Thai and foreign clients over the age of 20 have had their testicles removed there. Clients from as far away as the US, England and Japan have flown in for the operation as it costs only 5,000 baht here, he said.

He claimed none of his customers had suffered any side-effects. They only had to take pills to boost female hormone levels in their bodies.

Amnat Kusalanant, Medical Council of Thailand secretary-general, said he had not received any report on yesterday's clinic raid.

A google search returned this article at TS Roadmap as the top hit. I have no further comment other that "Wow this guy sounds scary"

http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/vagin ... visit.html

Note: According to media sources, Thep Vechavisit "has no license to practice." However, he told the Sydney Morning Herald he "is a registered Thai doctor who did a two-month course in cosmetic surgery through New York University."

A note to plasticsurgery.or.th in January 2006 confirmed that Thep Vechavisit is NOT a national board certified plastic surgeon in Thailand.

He also has divulged information about prospective patients to the press (see below), raising questions about his ability to keep patient records confidential.

From a reader in August 2006:

I'm familiar with almost all the grs surgeons in Thailand as I'm in the medical surgery industry. I really don't recommend Dr. Thep Vechavist to anyone, he operates in his tiny clinic (a very street-side clinic setting *think something about Chinatown). The surgical settings make you worry about sterility (He does everything himself, from sedatives to surgery), patients can observe cracks in the walls & discolored yellow paints on the walls. The patient will be discharged from the clinic back to the hotel.

As for the matter about his license (I've a quoted email below). There're general surgeons who can do surgeries, but, Dr. Thep Vechavisit has so many complications (for his patients) that none of the Thais are willing to give hospital privileges because of his bad reputation. The so-call 2 month's course could just be a convention (remember he is a thai, he probably didn't knew how to tell the differences). Cosmetic Surgery course in New York can only be attended by board certified surgeons (usually as an update to their skills) so I doubt he attended a normal 'physician's only' shop.

As a general rule. Good surgeons don't advertise (which explains his need to constantly advertise through news papers), he attracts them. Of the many surgeons whom I'd personally meet, Dr. Thep is the only inhonest surgeon about his qualifications. I'm likely to recommend Dr. Somsak to everyone else.

I did a tour of duty in Thailand with the Air Force. Not all Doctors over there are unqualified to practice medicine. My girlfriend got really sick with a cold during the

monsoon (rainy season). I took her to a Doctor in Bangchang. While he was examining

her I checked out his diplomas on the wall - Indiana University School of Medicine and

something from Mayo Clinic.

However, that is a country where money has a huge voice - I imagine that it wouldn't be

much of a problem to get whatever you wanted done - done. You might even don a

saffron robe and spend a year in prayer and reflection afterwards...

Sarge

Oh no, some of the very best Doctors are Thai, especially when it come to GRS and plastic surgery. On the other hand there are quacks just like any where else and this guy Thep sounds more like a cutter than a surgeon. From the description of his clinic I get the feeling that the average home body piercer does more to maintain an aseptic environment.