Loei City Police are urgently pursuing a Loei Hospital employee who stole respiratory equipment worth more than 7 million baht to sell on the black market. A summons has recently been issued.
On 17 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Loei City Police investigated and found medical equipment discarded in the Loei River near the Kon Daeng Bridge pier, Na An Subdistrict, Mueang Loei District—two units—and three units near the Loei River at the Phak Loei-Ban Mai Bridge, Kut Pong Subdistrict, Mueang Loei District, totaling five units stolen by the hospital employee, valued at over 2 million baht.
Regarding this case, at 09:00 on 18 Mar 2026 GMT+7, reporters following up learned that the suspect, Mr. Chinawat Chatraksa, age 30, a Loei Hospital employee, stole hospital respiratory equipment including: 1) eight DRAGER ventilators, 2) twelve HAMILTON ventilators, 3) one DRAGER high-flow oxygen machine, and 4) three INFUSION PUMA machines, totaling approximately 7,245,700 baht, from late 2025 to the present.
Loei Hospital assigned Mr. Peerasit Saenprasert, the hospital's legal officer, to file charges against Mr. Chinawat Chatraksa on 4 Mar 2026 GMT+7. Investigators gathered evidence and issued a summons for Mr. Chinawat to acknowledge the charges; failure to appear will result in Loei Provincial Court issuing an arrest warrant. The stolen equipment is believed to have been sold on the black market in Bangkok and Khon Kaen.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nopadol Phitsanuwong, director of Loei Hospital, revealed that the suspect, a hospital employee, repeatedly stole respiratory and medical equipment valued at over 7.2 million baht. The hospital assigned its legal officer to file charges, supported by clear CCTV footage showing multiple thefts. Further details cannot yet be disclosed.