A 74-year-old man posing as a doctor was arrested after a raid on a clinic in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok, authorities said. The suspect allegedly used another doctor’s identity to secure part-time work, earning a substantial hourly wage while exposing patients and employers to serious risk.
Police say the case began after a complaint to the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 3 alleging that the identity and certificate of Dr. Manit Jaruwan had been used to apply for shifts at multiple clinics. The complaint characterized the impersonation as a threat to public safety and a financial swindle against clinic owners.
Elderly fake doctor arrested after Lat Phrao raid
Officers carried out a raid on the Lat Phrao clinic on September 5 and arrested the man identified as Boonmak Phansila, 74. Investigators say Boonmak had been working at the clinic for roughly two months before his arrest, earning between 500 and 1,000 baht per hour while posing as a licensed physician.
Boonmak reportedly confessed to impersonating Dr. Manit and admitted he had obtained the documents through a Facebook group where the real doctor had shared them while seeking part-time work. Police have taken him into custody as they continue to build their case and gather evidence related to the latest allegations.
Police: identity stolen from online Facebook post
According to investigators, the stolen identity and certificate originally belonged to Dr. Manit Jaruwan, who had posted his information online to find part-time opportunities. The complaint to Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 3 claimed that those documents were then used without permission to register and work at multiple clinics, raising alarms about identity theft and patient safety.
Authorities say the use of a doctor’s credentials from a public Facebook post underscores how vulnerable personal information can be when shared online. The complainant emphasized that the impersonation not only defrauded clinic owners but represented a broader social danger because unqualified individuals could endanger patients.
Suspect confesses gambling debts drove the scheme
When questioned by police, Boonmak admitted he had previously worked alongside medical staff and observed the relatively high wages doctors earned. He told officers he wanted to secure the same income to fund an online gambling habit, and that most of the money he earned at the clinic went straight to gambling sites.
Boonmak also claimed he had graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Beijing and tried to explain why his name was not in the Medical Council registry by saying documentation was still being processed. Investigators have treated those claims with skepticism while conducting further verification and evidence collection.
Clinic staff alarmed by risky prescriptions given
Staff at the clinic said they were shocked when the truth emerged; many had respected Boonmak because of his age and assumed he was an experienced practitioner. One nurse admitted she had been uneasy about some of the medicines he prescribed, calling them “unusual,” but said she did not feel able to confront him directly out of deference to his apparent seniority.
Nurses did note, however, that Boonmak had at times been open to colleagues’ suggestions and would adjust prescriptions when concerns were raised. Still, the episode left medical staff worried about the potential harm to patients and the reputational and financial damage to the clinic.
Police said the suspect will face prosecution for past offenses first while investigators collect further evidence related to the Lat Phrao case. Media reports noted this was not Boonmak’s first brush with the law: he had been arrested twice before, including a 2017 arrest in Rayong after which he was reportedly released temporarily and later evaded court proceedings.
Authorities stressed the need for clinics to verify credentials carefully and for individuals to be cautious when sharing professional documents online. The case highlights how identity theft and fraud can intersect with public health risks, and officials say they will pursue both the new allegations and unresolved prior charges.
