Father pursues missing infant body case as hospital and police provide updates

On the morning of 20th March, Chinese businessman Fang Peng Cheng accompanied by his lawyer, Dr Athipong Polchai, visited Phuping Police Station to follow up on two linked cases: the disappearance of his one-month-old son’s body from the mortuary unit of Maharaj Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital, and a separate complaint he has filed against the hospital’s medical team and relevant personnel on charges of negligence resulting in death, citing doubts over the treatment his son received.

Police Colonel Damnoen Kan-ong, Deputy Commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, travelled to the station to chair a meeting with the investigation team and brief Fang and his lawyer on progress in both cases. Separately, Associate Professor Dr Khajornsak Nopakhun, Deputy Director of Maharaj Hospital, came to meet the family in person, offering condolences and handing over documents detailing the findings of the hospital’s internal review committee.

Dr Athipong explained that the visit was prompted by his client’s fear that the case might quietly go away or be shut down unfairly, partly because Fang is a foreign national. He noted that beyond a public statement issued by the hospital, the family had received no direct communication regarding either the investigation’s progress or any offer of remedy.

On the negligence complaint, Dr Athipong pointed to a discrepancy between the hospital’s clinical diagnosis and treatment records on one hand, and the autopsy findings on cause of death on the other. Fang has also raised objections to the hospital’s public statement, which he says disclosed his son’s personal medical details without consent.

Speaking through an interpreter, Fang said the ordeal has devastated his entire family. His wife, he said, is now suffering from depression as a result of the trauma, and he is asking the hospital to come forward, explain what happened and take responsibility.

Dr Khajornsak expressed the hospital’s profound regret over the disappearance of the body, stressing that the institution takes the matter seriously. A formal complaint has been filed with Phuping Police Station, an internal investigation committee has been established, and the hospital says it is cooperating closely with police and relevant agencies. He stated that the mortuary unit operates under strict protocols, including a barcode tracking system and CCTV coverage, and that the hospital is working to establish the facts as quickly as possible, though he acknowledged no timeline could yet be given.

On the negligence complaint, Dr Khajornsak maintained that the diagnosis, treatment and autopsy findings all met standard medical practice, adding that the full medical records had already been submitted to the Medical Council of Thailand for review.

He also confirmed that the hospital’s forensic medicine department retains some tissue samples from the deceased infant, which the family may reclaim, with DNA verification available should they wish to confirm identity before collection.

Police have so far questioned five mortuary unit staff and one Hai Ya Cemetery undertaker. According to information gathered, on 4th February 2026 the mortuary unit sought authorisation to cremate eight unclaimed bodies. When those bodies were transported to Hai Ya Cemetery and counted, no infant was among them, and staff have stated that at that point the child’s body was still being held in the unit.