Medical tourism the new muse for Thai government

The Thai government seems to flutter from demographic to demographic in search of a tourism get-rich-quick scheme. Now, the Ministry of Public Health has announced that medical tourism is the magic amulet that will rake in billions as Thailand recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ministry has created a new “Health for Wealth” campaign, which is banking on people in need of medical treatment to come to Thailand and spend, spend, spend. They believe that people seeking medical procedures, as well as the growing wellness retreat sector in Thailand, can bring substantial economic stimulus.

They may be right, Thailand is ranked 5th in the world among all health tourism destinations, according to the Medical Tourism Association. The kingdom rates well for the quality of care at reasonable prices. The low cost of living is helpful for people who need to stay longer to recover from treatments as well. Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul says there is also a good system for medical visas and infrastructure in place.

Medical tourism revenue is already up 47% this year over last year, with around 11.9 billion baht generated from tourists who came for treatment. Those figures come from a study that surveyed 30 hospitals over the last year, conducted by the Bank of Thailand and the Department of Health Service Support.

Patients came for treatment of cardiovascular issues, metabolism, cancer, bones ad joints, and neurological systems. These five categories created the most income for hospitals. Dentistry was also popular among the top travellers, who came from Kuwait, Cambodia, Myanmar, Japan, and China. Medical tourists spent 35,000 baht on average on treatment last year.

Medical treatment is not likely to become the most popular draw in Thailand. A survey in July and August by the Tourism Authority of Thailand found that 90% of respondents love eating Thai food, 48% of people loved Thai beaches and massage treatments and 46% of visitors enjoyed uncovering the history of the kingdom.

But, Bangkok Post reports that the Ministry of Public Health believes Thailand can grow its reputation for wellness retreats and medical tourism, bolstering the economy with its new Health for Wealth scheme.