When Jeeranan “May” Kitprasarn went under the knife in December to get breast implants, she never imagined the surgery at Seoul’s Grand Plastic Surgery hospital would almost kill her.
Now she’s looking for justice in the only form she’s likely to get it — cold, hard cash.
The 2000s pop star plans to sue a hospital in South Korea and all parties involved for THB20 million (about US$600,000) in compensation, after a blood infection from the breast augmentation put her in intensive care, a situation she says left her with just a 10% chance of survival.
Pursuing legal action is all part of Jeeranan’s road to physical, emotional and financial recovery, her lawyer, Wanchai Sornsiri, told Coconuts Bangkok yesterday. Planned lawsuit targets include the South Korean hospital where the surgery was performed, as well as their Bangkok sister hospital KTOP, and the Thai agent who helped facilitate the operation.
“We are still preparing evidence to file against both the Korean and Thai hospitals as well as the Thai agent,” said Wanchai.
His team of lawyers is in no rush to finalize a filing date, he added, saying they are being methodical in their preparations and that the statute of limitations for such cases is one year.
Meanwhile, Jeeranan is still undergoing physical therapy daily to work on her shoulders and arms’ range of motion, which has been limited to only “90-180 degrees” after three surgeries to remove the silicone and puss from her breasts and to stabilize the heavily infected wounds.
The former pop star has been informed by her doctor that she may never make a full recovery nor be able to breastfeed.
“The doctor isn’t sure if the 360 degree flexibility [of my arms] will ever return, but it would at least take at least another 6 months to a year to further my current range,” she told Coconuts.
“Right now, my breasts feel completely numb … I also have a huge scar across my chest that, according to my doctor, will take about year or two to heal.”
Though she has considered getting corrective cosmetic surgery, nothing can be done until the wounds completely heal, Jeenanan said.
KTOP declined Coconuts’ request for comment.
Wanchai said that his team is also filing complaints with related government institutions including the Medical Council of Thailand, Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board — in hopes these organizations will take a closer look at the lucrative cosmetic surgery industry and its advertising.
“We want the story to be a wake-up call for these institutions to take better care of their citizen’s rights and safety,” explains Wanchai.
“This matter concerns the rights and safety of the general public and not just this specific case.”
