Cabinet approves budget to make Phuket a “world class health destination”

Thai officials plan to make Phuket a “world class health destination.” The Cabinet just approved a 1.411 billion baht budget to develop health and wellness centres on the island and improve medical services.

Over 45 acres of state-owned land in Phuket will be used to develop health centres and facilities. The project was expected to take four years to complete and construction will start next year.

The health facilities will be developed in line with world standards to place Phuket as a top destination for medical tourism, according to the prime minister’s spokesperson, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

The budget would be used to improve technology, medical science techniques, and the island’s public health system.

Following the Cabinet’s approval, the Public Health Ministry will conduct environmental impact assessment on plans for the new project.

The government expects the project to benefit Thai residents by drawing in more foreign tourists, and in turn, raising the employment rate, improving income distribution, and increasing the country’s GDP.

SOURCE: Thairath