Minister of Public Health Jurin Laksanawisit and Dr. Pipat Yingsaeree,
secretary of the Thailand Food and Drug Commission announce the arrest
of Pin Sirisaringkarn (seated, 2nd right) for selling drugs over the
Internet.
Patcharapol Panrak
Authorities have arrested a Trat woman who allegedly
sold an abortion-inducing drug over the Internet to a local high school
student who ended up in the hospital.
Minister of Public Health Jurin Laksanawisit and Dr.
Pipat Yingsaeree, secretary of the Thailand Food and Drug Commission,
told reporters at an Oct. 15 press conference at Pattaya’s Alangkarn
Theatre that 50-year-old Pin Sirisaringkarn had been taken into custody
in Trat’s Klong Yai District.
Pin is accused of selling ulcer-treatment drug
Cytotec on her Cytotec4u.com website as medicine to induce abortions.
The drug’s manufacturer warns pregnant women should not take the
medication as it causes strong contractions of the uterus.
An unnamed secondary school Class 6 student had
reportedly ordered a panel of Cytotec and experienced bleeding that
required hospitalization. Investigators then set up a buy from the
illegal online shop and swept into Trat with an arrest warrant after the
drugs were paid for and delivered.
Pin was charged both with selling abortion remedies
and marketing legal drugs without a license. If the drugs were found to
be counterfeited copies, she could face additional charges.
Jurin warned the public not to trust any drugs sold
over the Internet, especially those marketed as abortion medications.
Those finding website selling such drugs can report them by calling
1556, he said.
