Comptroller General’s Department to join lawsuit over theft of expensive drugs

13 Sept 11:39 Key points summarised by AI

The Comptroller General’s Department will join a lawsuit against approximately 20 former and serving hospital officials, seeking compensation for the decade-long theft of expensive imported drugs used to treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The department identified a significant loophole in free medical entitlements for government officials and their families, where prescriptions are often issued by doctors who do not actually treat the patients, and entitlements extend beyond their usual medical facilities.
Despite acknowledging the loophole, the Comptroller General’s Department will not change the entitlement rules to avoid adversely affecting innocent officials, but it is tightening controls on the dispensing of unusually large quantities of expensive NCD medications.
Additional issues contributing to the problem include doctors prescribing large quantities of NCD drugs per visit to reduce patient trips, and a critical lack of data sharing between state hospitals, which hinders the tracking of dispensed medications.

Lamphun in a New Light

Today 15:02 Key points summarised by AI

Lamphun illuminates its ancient city with two concurrent light festivals: the high-tech VIJIT Thailand @ LAMPHUN and the traditional Hundred Thousand Lantern Festival.
VIJIT Thailand @ LAMPHUN transforms historic landmarks into an outdoor gallery, using projections and multimedia to animate Lamphun's history, including Queen Chamadevi's story.
The Hundred Thousand Lantern Festival, part of Yi Peng, fills temples and streets with countless traditional lanterns, symbolizing Buddhist devotion and personal wishes.
These festivals offer a unique after-dark experience, blending contemporary light art with centuries-old Lanna traditions, connecting visitors to Lamphun's past and faith.