Police raids five illegal medical sites, seizes 1,058 items

Bangkok — On 20 August 2026, Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Samut Sakhon Provincial Public Health Office conducted coordinated raids on five illegal medical sites, arresting five individuals suspected of providing unlicensed dental and medical services across Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon. The operation resulted in the apprehension of four dentists and one medical practitioner without proper licenses.

Authorities seized a total of 1,058 medical items, valued at over 330,000 baht, comprising 56 different types of equipment. The investigation commenced following a complaint from the Samut Sakhon Provincial Public Health Office and public tips regarding unauthorized dental services.

The suspects, identified as Thanyaporn, Somchai, Saifon, Uthai, and Thitima, were charged with practicing medicine or dentistry without the necessary legal authorization. Thanyaporn, a 30-year-old woman from Samut Sakhon, prepared dental braces and conducted procedures without a dental license; she had self-taught herself through online tutorials.

Somchai, a 61-year-old man from Samut Sakhon, also lacked a dental license and had been creating dentures for over three decades. Saifon, a 44-year-old woman from Krathum Baen district, was found preparing dental impressions for retainers, despite lacking a dental license and operating from an unauthorized premises. Uthai, a 56-year-old woman from Bangkok, was operating a dental shop without registration, having learned her craft at a private laboratory.

Finally, Thitima, a 26-year-old woman from Samut Prakan, was discovered administering intravenous procedures at a beauty clinic, all without the required licenses.