“Healthy’ Phuket for B400 million

PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) is seeking 400 million baht from the Government to speed the island’s recovery after the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) scare led to a tourism downturn. Dr Narongsak Angkasuwapala, Director of the Department of Health Service Support, met with local officials and representatives from the private sector on Sunday morning as a prelude to today’s Cabinet meeting. Turning Phuket into the “health tourism destination of Asia” – along with Bangkok and Chiang Mai – was high on the agenda. Dr Narongsak said that under the banner of health tourism, Phuket was already targeting medical services, dental services, health checks, spas, Thai massage, cosmetics, Thai herbs and food supplements.