New hospital aims to boost Samui medical tourism
A new hospital hopes to boost medical and wellness tourism on the popular holiday island of Koh Samui. Wattanapat Samui Hospital has just opened its doors, marking the fifth medical facility on the island. The hospital has 380 beds, specialist personnel, and modern equipment that are expected to boost confidence in Koh Samui as a wellness destination.
Dr Somchai Chansawang, CEO of Wattanapat Hospital Trang Plc, along with provincial Governor Wichawut Jinto and other senior officials, opened the new hospital on the ring road between Chaweng and Bophut.
Governor Wichawut, in line with the Surat Thani province’s tourism goal of transforming Koh Samui into a “wellness destination,” said that the new hospital will play a significant role in building trust and attracting more foreign tourists to the neighbouring islands of Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao.
“Koh Samui not only offers high-quality tourism experiences and beautiful natural attractions, but it also places importance on wellness and health activities.”
With the global trend of wellness tourism on the rise, the governor sees this new addition to Koh Samui’s healthcare infrastructure as a great opportunity for the three popular tourist islands to tap into this growing market.
Many tourists are serious about their health, safety, and well-being, and this new hospital is another way to cater to those needs.
Last year, the three islands saw tourist arrivals surpass one million visitors, triple the amount during the pandemic period. This year, the islands expect to see double or triple the number of visitors, potentially drawing up to three million travellers.
Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao already have plenty of health resorts, spas, health restaurants, weight loss, beauty and anti-ageing centres and other wellness services on offer. The islands also boast many resources for preventive, traditional Thai, and alternative medicine.
With the opening of the Wattanapat Samui Hospital, Koh Samui is now well-positioned to meet the demands of this category of tourists.
The CEO of the Wattanapat hospital group stated that the newly opened hospital will work with related authorities and government departments to promote the islands as a wellness destination.
