Over the last few years Thailand has become a hub for medical tourists from all around Asia and the rest of the world. Medical tourism has existed for centuries – people from less developed countries traveled to more advanced places to see a dentist, for cosmetic or plastic surgery and for general health checks and surgery. Think of all the rich and famous who still travel to the US for their medical needs. While places like the US are still attractive for the mega rich, general traffic patterns have changed. Countries like Thailand have caught up with the development of medical science in the west and have at the same time been able to maintain their higher service levels and their considerably lower prices.
The Thai medical education system is based on the US model. King Bhumipol’s father, Prince Mahidol, had earned a medical degree from Harvard University and made it his life’s work to modernize the healthcare system in Thailand. During his time he convinced the Rockefeller Foundation to fund an American medical education for a group of Thai men and women. These men and women became the nucleus of the Thai healthcare education system.
Key factors contributing to Thailand’s development into a global hub for medical tourism:
Many foreigners have made Thailand their home and began to spread the word about Thai medical services
Early success enabled investment in world-class medical equipment and technology
International accreditation of Thai hospitals
High numbers of internationally trained, English-speaking Thai doctors
Exorbitant healthcare costs in western countries
Long waiting lists for surgery in countries with government regulated healthcare
Low service levels in countries with nationalized health care
Plane tickets to Thailand have become more affordable
Thailand’s reputation as the Land of Smiles: friendly people, superb beaches and fantastic food.