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A private hospital in Thailand has been penalised after confidential patient records were found being used as street food wrappers
The shocking incident came to light in May 2024, when an online influencer known as Doctor Lab Panda posted a photo of a crispy crepe, or khanom Tokyo, wrapped in what appeared to be a hospital document.
Upon closer inspection, the wrapper clearly displayed sensitive patient details, with one record revealing a man's hepatitis B status.
The influencer sarcastically asked his followers, "Should I continue eating it, or is this enough?"
Following public outcry, Thailand's Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) launched an investigation and, on 1 August, imposed a fine of 1.21 million baht (RM158,000) on the hospital
According to South China Morning Post, the committee found that over 1,000 protected files were leaked after the hospital outsourced document disposal to a small, family-run business without proper oversight.
Instead of shredding the documents, the contractor stored the papers at their home and failed to report the subsequent leak. The disposal business owner was also fined 16,940 baht (around RM2,200).
The influencer's post drew thousands of reactions, with many criticising the hospital for its negligence
"More importance should be given to the personal rights of patients. The hospital should be sued and its licence revoked," one person commented.
Another user warned, "Buyers should boycott shops that use recycled bags like this. The medical documents should be shredded instead of being sold."
