When your child needs medical care, nothing else matters. Parents want the very best, and now, Thailand has a new facility built entirely with children in mind. 

On March 5, 2025, Samitivej International Children’s Hospital opened its brand-new eight-storey building on the Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital campus, making it the only private, fully dedicated children’s hospital in Thailand and one of the most specialised in Southeast Asia.

A hospital designed for children, not just patients

Samitivej pioneered private paediatric care back in 2003, creating a children’s hospital within its main building. Over the years, it became a leading referral centre for families across Asia. But the demand for a purpose-built space kept growing, leading to this new state-of-the-art facility.

“We’re still the only private hospital in Thailand offering a fully dedicated children’s hospital,” says Nicolas Leloup, Director of International Marketing at Samitivej. “We have the largest paediatric team in the private sector, covering everything from primary to tertiary care.”

Every corner of the hospital is designed for children, from newborns to teenagers. There are child-sized instruments, age-appropriate sedation methods, and treatment protocols tailored to the unique physiology of young patients. 

Operating theatres, recovery rooms, and even the ER feature special touches like music therapy, soothing lighting, and designs that feel more like nurseries than hospital wards.

“We make rooms feel like a baby’s bedroom while still maintaining safety for the patient,” explains Dr Angsana Kityadhiguna, an Emergency Medicine specialist. “We also play music recommended by a music therapist [in the ER], such as children’s songs, white noise, or slow-paced tunes that help soothe them. Our priority is to make sure patients feel comfortable with us.”

Built for safety from the start

 

The hospital layout was created with safety in mind. On arrival, children go through primary screening. If a child shows symptoms of an infectious illness, they’re immediately directed to isolation rooms with separate consultation areas and dedicated air-conditioning systems.

In fact, the entire hospital runs on two separate air flows for infectious and non-infectious zones, ensuring families coming for check-ups never cross paths with contagious cases.

Intensive care with a family focus

The hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) follow international standards through collaborations with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in the US and Takatsuki General Hospital in Japan.

Doctors receive training from both institutions to bring world-class protocols to Bangkok. Each intensive care room is private, with round-the-clock monitoring and a nurse stationed just outside the door.

Unlike many hospitals, Samitivej encourages parental presence in its critical care areas. Its Progressive Paediatric Care Unit (PPCU) allows parents to stay close while medical teams provide care and guidance. Digital systems like SmartIPD connect departments in real time, improving safety and coordination.

Advanced technology for better outcomes

Samitivej International Children’s Hospital offers a full range of surgical procedures using minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. Its Hybrid Operating Room combines surgery and real-time imaging in one space, reducing the need to move patients during complex procedures.

“We use laparoscopes through incisions as small as 2 millimetres,” says Leloup. Surgeons view everything on 3D monitors, magnifying details for precision. Afterwards, children can go straight to intensive care if needed for recovery.

The hospital also treats epilepsy and neurological conditions using advanced therapies like Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), where a small device helps reduce seizures.

For rehabilitation, the centre features robotic-assisted gait training, sensory integration tools, and Redcord NEURAC systems, helping children recover faster in engaging, child-friendly ways.

Fast, specialised emergency care

Emergencies need speed and accuracy. Samitivej’s emergency system uses a central dispatch centre that tracks every ambulance in real time, including traffic conditions and a patient’s vital signs before they arrive.

Each ambulance is staffed with doctors and nurses, not just paramedics, and equipped for full paediatric emergencies. With an average dispatch time of two minutes, care begins the moment a call comes in, with hospital teams ready before the child even reaches the door.

Caring for children across Asia

 

While based in Bangkok, Samitivej International Children’s Hospital treats families from across the Asia-Pacific, especially those without access to advanced paediatric care in their home countries.

“We got patients referred to us from as far as Bangladesh to Indonesia,” notes Leloup. Being just 20 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport undoubtedly makes it easy for international families to visit.

To support families travelling from abroad, the hospital provides medical escort teams, pre-arrival teleconsultations, multilingual staff, and coordinated follow-up appointments.

“Our vision is to serve the local community and beyond,” says Leloup. “We want to demonstrate medical excellence in the Asia Pacific region and offer care to children who don’t always have access to it.”

With its child-focused design, international partnerships, and cutting-edge technology, Samitivej International Children’s Hospital offers families a new standard of paediatric care, where safety, comfort, and medical expertise come together under one roof.

 

 

For more information, visit Samitivej International Children’s Hospital.

 

 

 

 

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Nice commercial. 

The place has focused on children for over 20 years.

So now they built a new building.