PM advisor Wissanu Krea-ngam insisted today that he has no plans to undergo a kidney transplant, despite needing daily dialysis.
Wissanu, 71, said his doctors agreed with him that he could continue dialysis for now, with no need for a transplant.
He was speaking to the media at Government House after attending his first cabinet meeting as an advisor to PM Srettha Thavisin.
He flatly denied rumours that he has returned to serve under Srettha because he wanted to jump to the top of the kidney transplant waiting list and that he wanted to have the transplant at Rama IX Hospital, where the Shinawatra family are major shareholders.
“It is not true at all that I wish to have a kidney transplant. My doctors and I decided long ago that dialysis is the best method for me. I am okay, though a little busy with having to undergo the treatment every day,” he said.
He also referred to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who has already had a kidney transplant, saying Phumtham’s kidney donor was one of his children and that he has to take immunosuppressants following the operation.
“I do not want to take the medicine or a kidney from my children,” Wissanu said.
He added that he will attend the weekly cabinet meeting every Tuesday, except when it is held outside Bangkok.
Wissanu, who served as a deputy premier under Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government, was invited by Srettha to return to lead his defence in the Constitutional Court over the appointment of controversial politician Pichit Chuenban as PM Office Minister.
Srettha currently has to submit a written rebuttal to the court by June 7. Wissanu, a legal expert, said the defence will be sent to him for inspection today.
