Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister stated that Thailand now is ready to be a leader of world class medical services along with leading tourist destination as well as showed the great competency of Thai massage and make a new record of the most people being Thai massaged at the same time, 641 couples to the world recognition.
Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister presided Thailand Medical Hub Expo 2012 by the concept of Thailand as the world class health care destination and stated the readiness of Thailand as the world class leading medical services with quality people, technology and services both modern and Thai traditional medicines. This event showed the healthy Thai massage 641 couples and pinned the new record of the most people being Thai massaged at the same time and longest time at 12 minutes. Moreover, Minister of Health Public revealed that the Thai’s hospitals have been internationally certified at most, no. 1 of Asia and Thailand provides the world class 33 Thai Spas. The 5 years target of medical service is expected to bring the revenue to Thailand upto 800,000 million baht.
Today (August 30, 2012) at Impact Challenger Hall 2-3 Muangthong Thani Nonthaburi, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister and Mr. Wittaya Buranasiri, Minister – Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) launch Thailand Medical Hub Expo 2012 with the concept of Thailand as the world class health care destination, hosted by Department of Health Support Service (DHSS), MOPH, at the first time. This expo shows the competency of Thai health and medical services at the higher standard and quality level also prepares for ASEAN economics community in the year 2015 and world free trade agreement.
Today Thailand makes a new record by showing holistic head to toe Thai massage from DHSS certified masseurs, 641 couples. Guinness World Records guarantees the new record at the most people being massaged at the same, 12 minutes with more than 500 couples. The old record at 2010 was recorded by Australia at 263 couples at the same time,5 minutes.
Prime minister said that the medical hub policy is the key government policy and MOPH integrates successfully all stakeholders into the unity. Thai health public service is one of the competency service and the government expects all Thai people to access the major health service especially 30 Baht health service project which repute to other foreign countries as a public health service model. Moreover the government supports the excellent center at all over country to ensure the service near their home and supports the specific services such as treatment of heart disease, surgery and beauty services. In the next 3 years, Thailand will enter into the ASEAN economics community that health service business is the one that need to develop and enhance modern health information system for searching the health service efficiently.
For the last foreign trip, many countries interested in doing cooperation with Thailand in term of health business and the government made an agreement of extended stay for Arab memberships’ travelers who love to medical travel to Thailand such as United Arab of Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman and Bahren from 30-90 days without visa. This is a great start in promoting Thailand image as the world leading tourist destination and this Thailand’s strength combining with Thai knowledge such as Thai massage, herb and traditional medicine will increase extremely the international acceptant as the tourist destination country. The government is ready to support the health innovation and confident that the medical hub policy will create good economics, great income, gorgeous career for Thai’s people. Ms. Yingluck said.
Mr. Wittaya Buranasiri, Minister – Ministry of Public Health revealed that thailand’s medical hub policy from 2004 until now that “The strategic plan has been set the 4 targets; 1) Medical Services 2) Health Support Services 3) Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicines. 4) Health and Herb Products certified by GMP. All plans are accomplishment and Thailand is well-recognition from oversea as the expertise medical service team for foreigners with modern technology at competitive price. As well as, Thai people get much better health and easy to access all medical services.
Mr. Wittaya Buranasiri said that nowadays Thai’s hospitals have been certified by JCI standard (Joint Commission International) up to 22 hospitals which will provide the visa submission service at hospitals too and Thailand contains the most hospitals be certified by JCI in ASIA. Moreover spa and Thai massage are the most famous services and they generate the revenue to the country 12,813 million baht each year. There are 1,436 spas certified by MOPH and ready to expand themselves to 3 international levels; platinum, gold and silver. Now there are certified up to 33 international spas. And there are certified 400 hours healthy massage up to 50,000 masseurs.
This year performance, 2012, there are foreign patients traveling to Thailand 2.5 million person and generate the revenue up to 121,658 million baht. The top 5 foreign patients are Japanese, American, British, Middle East and Australian respectively. The top services are orthopedic, cardiac surgery, cosmetic surgery, dental, gastroenterology and medical health check. The next 5 years is expected that the medical service can bring the revenue to Thailand up to 800,000 million baht.
