Illegal plastic surgery a worry in Thailand

World
Europe

03:30

An underground cosmetics industry is flourishing in Thailand, fueled by demand from people who will do whatever it takes to be beautiful.

"Bag doctors" – or unlicensed practitioners who go house to house with bags containing medical equipment – often perform risky procedures that in some cases end in tragedy.

Khun Da is one of an untold number of "bag doctors" offering beauty treatments in Thailand.

Khun Da, a “bag doctor” performing a procedure on a client. /CGTN Photo

Khun Da, who is just 21, did not graduate from high school, so there's no chance that she has a medical degree.

She told Assignment Asia, "A bag doctor is not a doctor. She's merely one who can inject or she might not know how to inject at all. But she learns through practice. I don't tell many people about this. I only do it with people who are really close to me."

She added, "I don't know what will happen in the future. If the customers feel like they are going to pass out, we will bring them cold sweet drinks and move them into a well-ventilated space. That's all I can do."

Due to a drastic change in the public's perception of cosmetic surgery over the past decade, many Thai consumers are willing to go to great lengths to look beautiful.

But turning to a "bag doctor" can sometimes be fatal.

Tharathip Chararat's wife recently died after having cosmetic surgery conducted by a "bag doctor".

Tharathip Chararat and their 10-month-old daughter. /CGTN Photo

Shortly after she was injected with a substance, Tharathip's wife started to have a seizure. Her breathing stopped, and her face and lips turned blue.

By the time she arrived in hospital, her internal organs had already shut down due to a lack of oxygen. She died after spending 6 days in a coma.

Dangerous beauty treatments have become a worldwide problem as people seek cheaper alternatives to plastic surgeons.

Experts say patients often overestimate the benefits and underestimate the harm of such medical procedures.

They added that medical mishaps often occur given that the beauty industry is largely unchecked and unregulated.

Assignment Asia is CGTN's award-winning current affairs program featuring long-form stories and documentaries on some of the most pressing issues in the region. The show airs Saturdays at 13:30 and 21:30 GMT, with replays every Sunday at 06:30, Monday at 01:30, and Tuesday at 05:30.