According to PM Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand is ready to become the medical centre of Asia. Not only do the hospitals of Thailand and the medical equipment meet international standards, but also Thai wisdom rooted in the Buddhist tradition of Thailand offers alternative medical treatments including Thai traditional massage and herbal medicines.
Thailand is ready to be the best medical centre in Asia and our hospital services are gaining popularity among many foreigners, Prime Minister Thaksin told a group of Japanese business leaders at a special event in Tokyo Japan to promote the Thailand Elite Card.
More than 600,000 foreign patients a year come to Thailand's hospitals for medical treatment, generating yearly over 15 billion baht (1 US$ = 39 baht) in revenue, the premier added.
Last year alone, 131,549 Japanese, the highest number of our overseas patients, were treated in hospitals in Thailand, followed by American and British visitors.
PM Thaksin Shinawatra said medical treatment in Thailand could be tied with tourism as travellers could obtain cosmetic surgery, dental care and traditional Thai massage in all tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Samui.
Thaksin stressed that the Kingdom of Thailand had very advanced medical technologies including gamma knife, CT scanner equipment and Lasik eye surgery medical services.
The Thai PM also said that Thailand's plan to attract more affluent tourists through programmes such as the Thailand Elite Card, a lifetime membership card costing US$25,000 (1,000,000 baht) and offering tourism and health-related discounts to the card members.
