Thailand's burgeoning health tourism industry could earn an impressive 100 billion baht (2.4 billion dollars) over the next three years as the country expands facilities and teams up with neighbour Malaysia, health officials said.

Thai Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said the kingdom could double its earnings in the lucrative sector and serve as Asia's health hub if it put in place measures aimed at boosting Thailand's recognition as one of the world's premier destinations for medical and health tourism.

"Health tourism is to draw foreign tourists and is expected to gain 100 billion baht over the next three years," Sudarat said in a ministry statement seen Sunday.

"Health tours will cover health care and check-ups, Thai massage and spa treatments, including herbal medicine," she said.

Sudarat's statement came at the end of her three-day meeting on the Thai resort island of Phuket with Malaysian counterpart Chua Jui Meng.

The two sides agreed to boost cooperation in five fields over the next three years, including herbal medicine development, health tourism, medical research, surveillance of food and medical standards, and monitoring of communicable diseases.

"Thailand can't pull all the tourists in the world to this country, and similarly, Malaysia would not be able to do the same," Chua said in the Bangkok Post.

"But if we can package health tourism togehter, they may find it more attractive," he said.

Thailand's health ministry meanwhile intends to seek 115 million baht (2.76 million dollars) from the national budget to launch its own medical centres in Bangkok, Phuket and the northern city of Chiang Mai, the minister said.

For years Thailand's booming tourism industry has accommodated visitors seeking sand, sun and surgery -- the medical vacations which see them undergo health treatments or elective surgeries here that would cost several times more in their home countries.

Many come for minor ailments, dental work, or complete physicals, but a growing number of foreigners are electing to undergo complicated procedures in Thailand such as sex-change operations, hip replacement, or heart surgery.

More than 600,000 foreign tourists used health services in Thailand last year, earning the country nearly 20 billion baht, the ministry said.