Thailand Aims To Become Medical Hub Within 5 Years

[webfact]

Thailand aims to become medical hub within 5 years

BANGKOK, AUG 31 – Thailand is moving ahead with an ambition to become a world medical centre within the next five years, projecting a mammoth revenue of Bt800 billion from medical and health-related services.

In her keynote speech at the Thailand Medical Hub Export 2012 on Thursday, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to reach the goal thanks to the availability of medical technology and the quality of medical service in conventional and traditional medicine.

Thailand’s hospitals have been internationally accredited as No 1 in Asia while 33 spas are classified as world class, she said.

The premier said the government has given its importance to the people’s health and quality of life as well as equal accessibility to medical and health services.

She said that 48 million Thais, or 75 per cent of the population, are given medical and health services in accord with the government’s policy which has been accepted by the World Health Organisation and UNESCO. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-08-31

related topic:

Medical hub: Thai govt policy "a burden to business"

[Mosha]

Here we go again, this weeks hub story.

[GentlemanJim]

She said that 48 million Thais, or 75 per cent of the population, are given medical and health services in accord with the government’s policy which has been accepted by the World Health Organisation and UNESCO. (MCOT online news)

Ah, that will be why my wife's Aunty is about to be left to die then. She needs Dialysis twice a week and it costs 2500 baht a time. The Doctor has told her that if she does not pay and opts for the 30 baht medical treatment plan, the queue is so big that she will be dead before she starts getting treatment. As a teacher earning 10 K per month the numbers just dont add up for her. I guess that will be another Farang digging into his pockets to put more money in the medical coffers of this Government. Miracle Thailand? Shameful Thailand more like.

[BookMan]

Thailand. Land of Hubs

[maidu]

sex change operations will probably be a major factor in their new campaign, followed by vanity surgery (nose, butts, neck, belly, etc). They can get a photo of Michael Jackson to use as their poster boy.

Thailand is already the hub of jet ski extortions. Perhaps Thai authorities might want to do something about that?

[RicFlair]

I swear all these politicians are having a bet with each other to see who can slip the word 'hub' into every speech they make. Wonder where the centre of this hub is ?

[Om85]

I think that if they really invest in becoming a medical hub this can produce huge ravenues to the Thais, I mean if I must choose between going to Korea or coming to Thailand for medical treatment, I believe that Thailand is by far a better obtion.

[TheWalkingMan]

I thought these private hospitals were awash with cash. They should be able to get together, make a quality marketing plan without the 3bn baht allocation from the government.

[Misterwhisper]

I am getting soooo sick of the word "hub" being blurted out practically on a daily basis and sometimes wonder if those people who use it so deliberately know what it actually means.

It's a bit like the song "Hotel California". It's a nice song, but I've grown so sick of it over the years, because it seems to be the only western song that's in every (and I mean every!) Thai pub band's repertoire and is being played to death over and over and over and over again. I can't listen to it any longer. It makes me nauseous and I usually have to flee the scene as soon as I hear the first few chords.

[fareastguy]

I wonder if Thailand will be able to keep up with the likes of South Korea who are also vying to become the best medical hub in Asia.

They are years ahead of Thailand in terms of research & development into all illnesses & not to mention hospitals, facilities, airports & infrastructure.

Thailand has only 1 inbound international airport & very poor transport links from that point onward.

Thailand maybe the cheapest for a boob job or "snip" but that's all.

Yingluk has quoted that "48 million Thais, or 75 per cent of the population, are given medical and health services in accord with the government’s policy" When you look around Thailand is a nation of walking wounded, a testimony to the governments policy towards the importance of the people’s health and quality of life!!

I don't think there will be much of a queue at "Swampy" to get your life saving treatment even at Thai prices !!!

[crusader79]

Everyone laughs at the overuse of the word 'hub', but does it really originate with government spokes(wo)men, or simply the lazy English language media?

[Payboy]

Hubba Hubba

[technologybytes]

It's quite possible that this could happen. I'm sure that for medical tourism Thailand is already at or near the top.

In my opinion Thailand is probably a great place to go for a operation, perhaps not the best for diagnosis though.

[Pib]

BANGKOK, AUG 31 – Thailand is moving ahead with an ambition to become a world medical centre within the next five years,..

And I've heard this for at least the last five years.

[LuckyLew]

Yup, Thailand where businesses like medical make millions on millions

and let there on people die because they cannot afford simple procedures.

Once again this will be the people at the top showing they do not give

two shites about their own people. The bottom line is all they care about ...

[Wiggy]

Hub of hubs

[ubeturazz]

Yingluck sure looks good!

[MEL1]

Thailand. Land of Hubs

Aye! Lots of old wheels going around and around getting nowhere!

-mel.

[ubeturazz]

Yup, Thailand where businesses like medical make millions on millions

and let there on people die because they cannot afford simple procedures.

Once again this will be the people at the top showing they do not give

two shites about their own people. The bottom line is all they care about ...

and this is different from the west - how?

[MEL1]

Yingluck sure looks good!

Desperate Sicko!

-mel

[BookMan]

Thailand. Land of Hubs

Aye! Lots of old wheels going around and around getting nowhere!

-mel.

They forget to put in the spokes

[LindsayBKK]

Hub Yes , The Land Of Gender Reassignment Surgery

http://www.transgend...al-feminization

[Payboy]

Thailand’s hospitals have been internationally accredited as No 1 in Asia

Need a definition of Asia here.

[Khunjon]

Having had treatment at a Hopsital in Pattaya, I was astounded that the charge was 50% more than I would have expected to pay in New Zealand.

From expats I have heard instances where these "tourist hopitals" check if you have insurance but still insist on being paid by cash or credit card.

I guess there are exceptions and when I see adds for cosmetic surgery it does look cheap. Like anything word of mouth will have an effect on its success as the number 1 destination for medical treatment

[Buchholz]

Thailand is moving ahead with an ambition to become a world medical centre within the next five years

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to reach the goal

Like nearly every other scheme, goal, pledge, etc. that Yingluck trumpets in 2012.... it all harkens back to a time when they all began with her brother... in this instance, 9 years ago...

In 2003, the government led by Thaksin Shinawatra launched a project to turn Thailand into a regional medical hub.

http://www.nationmul...s-30064468.html

and was promptly seized upon and manipulated for the benefit of Shinawatra clan members... like Yingluck... 8 years ago...

Started by george, 2004-01-28 23:33

PM Thaksin Buys Thai Hospitals En Masse

As the government attempts to promote the country as a regional medical hub, the business empire of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family is wasting no time in acquiring as many hospitals as it can.

http://www.thaivisa....itals-en-masse/

Thaksin, Ver. 4.0 .... the new updated version of Thaksin, Ver. 1.0

.

[Buchholz]

BANGKOK, AUG 31 – Thailand is moving ahead with an ambition to become a world medical centre within the next five years,..

And I've heard this for at least the last five years.

and even longer.

.

[otissp]

Yup, Thailand where businesses like medical make millions on millions

and let there on people die because they cannot afford simple procedures.

Once again this will be the people at the top showing they do not give

two shites about their own people. The bottom line is all they care about ...

and this is different from the west - how?

Not "the west". Just America. The US is the only country in "the west" where there is not universal health care.

Americans often refer to universal health care as "the Canadian system". This is because Americans are aware of the fact that Canada exists. If Americans were aware of other nations as well, universal health care could just as well be referred to as "the French system" or "The Australian system" or "The Japanese system".

[how241]

It's quite possible that this could happen. I'm sure that for medical tourism Thailand is already at or near the top.

In my opinion Thailand is probably a great place to go for a operation, perhaps not the best for diagnosis though.

Yes, go for a vaction and some small operation at a cheaper price then in the west.

[Arkady]

Last time I went to Samitivej main hospital I had real problems communicating with everyone but the doctors. Starting with the receptionist I encountered people who could not speak English well enough to deal with foreigners and, although my Thai is fairly fluent they don't want to speak Thai because it is dangerous for them to let colleagues hear them speaking Thai with a foreigner, as it implies their English is not good enough, i.e. the truth. I ended up nearly losing my rag with a bossy middle aged nurse who made me wait around for about 40 minutes because she hadn't understood I was waiting for an additional test and thought I was waiting for the results of an earlier test.

Three times in the last 10 years I have been misdiagnosed over quite serious issues in expensive private Thai hospitals - two issues that actually required surgery and in the other case I was told I was effectively going blind and there was nothing they could do about it. All the three of this issues were resolved at lightening speed when I bit the bullet and decided to go and see top notch Harley Street consultants in London. I got very successful surgery on two counts ("I am operating tomorrow. Are you available?") and the eyesight issue turned out to be a total misdiagnosis. I had had countless tests on expensive equipment for all these things at BNH over one to two years and put up with the discomfort of the untreated conditions but the doctors could see what was staring them in the face,despite the expensive equipment which was not needed by the English professionals for their accurate diagnoses. So I gave up BNH.

If I have anything seriously wrong with me, I am getting on a plane to London. I may be missing something but from my own experience I don't see Thai healthcare as something internationally competitive. To make things worse they are unwilling to allow foreign medical staff in to treat foreign patients, even though they could potentially raise the low average standards of their own medical professionals as well as make communication easier. You can be sure that the Thais will do everything they can to block Filipino medical staff from coming to work even after 2015 when the AEC obliges them to let them in. Medics from the more developed ASEAN countries obviously have no interest in working for low Thai wages and hospitals in other ASEAN countries will have no interest in employing most Thai medics with their low medical standards and poor English.

[sunshine51]

Thailand’s hospitals have been internationally accredited as No 1 in Asia

Need a definition of Asia here.

Official definition...Anywhere East of the Bosphorous.

Thai Politico's definition...Thailand.