Daijiworld Media Network- Bangkok

Bangkok, Aug 7: In a bizarre yet deeply troubling incident, a private hospital in Thailand has been slapped with a hefty fine after sensitive medical records were found being used as street food wrappers in Ubon Ratchathani province.

The breach came to light when a well-known social media influencer, who goes by the name Doctor Lab Panda, posted images of crispy crepes—locally known as khanom Tokyo—wrapped in pages containing confidential patient data. The documents reportedly included names, diagnoses, and personal identifiers. One visible record even revealed details about a patient infected with the hepatitis B virus.

“Should I continue eating it, or is this enough?” the influencer questioned in his now-viral post, sparking outrage across Thailand and beyond.

Following an investigation, Thailand's Personal Data Protection Committee imposed a fine of 1.21 million baht (approximately USD 37,000) on the hospital for gross negligence and violation of the country’s strict data privacy laws. The committee emphasized the urgent need for more robust data protection practices in healthcare institutions.

The hospital, in its defense, admitted that it had outsourced its document disposal to a small business. However, officials conceded that they failed to monitor how the documents were handled. The small business owner responsible confessed that the documents were improperly stored at their home, eventually leaking into local recycling chains.

The Bangkok Post and South China Morning Post both reported that the incident triggered widespread public condemnation. Social media users demanded stricter accountability and even called for the hospital’s licence to be revoked.

“More importance should be given to the personal rights of patients,” one user wrote, while another commented, “Medical documents should be shredded, not sold. Vendors cutting corners like this are putting public health at risk.”

The case has reignited concerns over data privacy in Thailand and highlighted the risks of careless document disposal. The committee urged all institutions handling sensitive information to ensure proper destruction and secure disposal to prevent further violations.