THAILAND PROBES CLINIC AFTER INFLUENCER DIED FROM FILLER
Thailand’s health ministry has ordered an investigation into a Bangkok clinic after British-Nigerian influencer Igho Ubiribo, 43, died the day after getting a penile filler injection there. A UK coroner’s inquest found the hyaluronic acid injection and a resulting pulmonary embolism were behind his death, The Independent reported.
Ubiribo, a businessman also known online as “Tiny,” “Denisi” and “Ego,” died in Bangkok on March 6, 2026. He had more than 180,000 Instagram followers, where he posted about travel, fashion and his life with his wife.
Chest pain at a massage
The procedure took place on March 5, 2026, and involved about 40 milliliters of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine, The Straits Times reported. Ubiribo was reportedly on a luxury holiday in Thailand with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen.
Several hours later, the couple reportedly went for a massage. Ubiribo began complaining of chest pain and collapsed twice, according to The Independent.
An ambulance took him to a Bangkok hospital, where doctors suspected a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the lungs. A CT scan was planned, but he became unresponsive before it could be done, People reported. Inquest records said medical staff tried to revive him for more than 100 minutes.
The inquest findings
An inquest hearing on August 21, 2026, at Westminster Coroner’s Court looked at the post-mortem and toxicology results, according to People. A UK post-mortem found material in his lungs that matched the hyaluronic acid used in the injection, the New Straits Times reported.
Assistant Coroner Jean Harkin concluded that the cosmetic procedure caused the fatal pulmonary embolism, Yahoo Entertainment reported.
Thailand steps in
Health Minister Pattana Phromphat directed the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) and the Food and Drug Administration to examine the clinic in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district and the treatment Ubiribo received. Officials inspected the clinic on Monday, September 7, 2026, to review its operations and compliance with medical standards, DHSS director-general Phuwadet Surakot said. The authorities have not publicly named the clinic.
Investigators are looking at whether the clinic was properly licensed and followed required health and safety procedures.
“When it comes to medical procedures, we advocate for the highest level of caution,” Pattana told reporters, according to AFP. He said the probe was meant “to ensure fairness for everyone and to reassure both local and international patients that they are receiving safe, high-standard and valuable care in Thailand.”
The case drew renewed attention in Thailand because of the country’s large medical tourism industry. Thailand is a major destination for overseas patients seeking healthcare and cosmetic treatments, The Independent noted.
The clinic’s management gave investigators its own account. It said Ubiribo had been a patient since 2024 and had undergone five penile-enlargement procedures, the first four in 2024 and 2025. The fifth, on March 5, involved the 40 milliliters of filler, according to the health ministry.
Management said its doctor advised splitting that final procedure into two sessions, but Ubiribo asked for the full amount to be injected at once, Graphic Online reported. The clinic also said he signed a consent form before each treatment, received aftercare instructions after every procedure and had not previously reported complications, Phuwadet said.
The investigation was still ongoing as of October 7, 2026, AllAfrica reported. The DHSS said it would send the case to the Medical Council of Thailand to rule on professional standards. “We will gather all facts and evidence to proceed according to our authority and submit the case to the Medical Council for a ruling on professional practice standards, to ensure fairness to all parties,” the department said.
