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Spas still attractive to foreigners despite currency movement
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The baht's appreciation has not resulted in Thai spas losing their competitiveness in the region, and the Kingdom is still one of the world's top five destinations for this service.

Clearly, foreign tourists seeking medical services shrug off higher costs due to fluctuating exchange rates. They need quality and medical professionalism. In fact, medical costs in Thailand are not much different from those of other countries in the region, and doctors' fees are quite a bit cheaper.

Wilaiwan Tawitsri, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the outlook for medical tourism remained optimistic, with a growing number of foreigners using such services. She attributed its growth to the country's medical progress and professionalism and the choices available to patients. However, Thailand has been weak in advertising and public relations to lure medical tourists.

Last year, 2.4 million foreigners arrived for medical services, spending Bt140 billion. In 2015, the number of foreign tourists for this purpose is expected to increase to 3 million, with total spending of Bt300 billion.

Plastic surgery, which takes three to four days, costs about Bt100,000 per trip, while a two-day skin treatment costs Bt500,000 per trip. These costs are for the hospital or clinic charges only and do not include what these visitors spend on accommodation, food, and travel programmes. The TAT this year will hold a "Medical and Wellness Familiarisation Trip" in Bangkok from August 12-18. This is the second such event; last year, it enjoyed a big reception from buyers and sellers, reflecting Thailand as a regional medical and spa destination.

Last year, the TAT polled 22 buyers involved in medical tourism from the United States, Scandinavia, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Australia. The respondents were found to have little knowledge about this service in Thailand and also were not confident in the potential of Thai medical teams. Also, previous campaigns had focused on a low-price strategy, creating worries about service quality.

This year, buyers and sellers are being more selective on service standardisation. There will be buyers from Australia, the Middle East, Russia, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and China. Sellers will be experienced medical and spa operators. The aim of the familiarisation trip is to attract wealthier tourists from overseas.

China is considered an especially big market for medical tourism. A lot of affluent Chinese are seeking treatments overseas. Last year, numerous Chinese travelled to Switzerland and Singapore for anti-ageing and cell therapy, spending an average of Bt2 million per trip.


-- The Nation 2013-05-24

[noitom]

"Service standardization in the Thai spa/massage business" - a euphemism for short time or whole night.

[jalansanitwong]

Spa ? Businessmen who have an unauthorised 'side trip' in Asia end up in Bangkok's famous spa's. Three naked Isan boys with stomach abs splashing around furiously with Gary or Otto. or both !

tourists come here to use spas for medical reasons ?.....absolute rubbish. Every country in the world has inbuilt spas and i bet the best natural spas are much cheaper even free.

that should be enough to get me blacklisted..... truth suppression is the game of lefty moderators.

Edited May 24, 2013 by jalansanitwong

[Thai at Heart]

Indeed, confusing medical tourism, plastic surgery with a spa?

[anon467848]

"Last year, 2.4 million foreigners arrived for medical services, spending Bt140 billion. In 2015, the number of foreign tourists for this purpose is expected to increase to 3 million, with total spending of Bt300 billion."

So the number of people is going to increase by 25% but their spending by more than 100%!!!!!! TAT are just full of sh*te as always...

TAT polled 22 buyers.... now that's what you call an extensive survey.

[LuckyLew]

I like to go for specialize medical treatment once a week

I always get great service and leave with a smile.

The rates are great about 1000 THB per visit plus gratuity

[soi41]

Spa ? Businessmen who have an unauthorised 'side trip' in Asia end up in Bangkok's famous spa's. Three naked Isan boys with stomach abs splashing around furiously with Gary or Otto. or both !

tourists come here to use spas for medical reasons ?.....absolute rubbish. Every country in the world has inbuilt spas and i bet the best natural spas are much cheaper even free.

that should be enough to get me blacklisted..... truth suppression is the game of lefty moderators.

You are right. This should get you blacklisted. Not for telling the "truth", but for stupidity !

[passon]

Am I missing something here? Plastic surgery is Bt100,000.00, which takes three to four days, but a two day skin treatment cost Bt500,000.00. I'll bet the planes with all the tourist will be backed up at the airport for the skin treatment deal!

Edited May 24, 2013 by passon

[JetsetBkk]

I wonder which dictionary the author used that gives the word "Spa" as a translation for "clinic" or "hospital".

[onni4me]

Am I missing something here? Plastic surgery is Bt100,000.00, which takes three to four days, but a two day skin treatment cost Bt500,000.00. I'll bet the planes with all the tourist will be backed up at the airport for the skin treatment deal!

I hail from North Europe and that would be roughly 13000 euros worth of skin treatment...not to mention other costs as the article talks just a bout the treatment. I bet that if I ever come to a need of skin treatment, I rather have in my own country with people that can explain me the procedure and regarding aftercare...it is very humid and hot in Thailand so infections after this kind of treatment (if it really is a medical urgency of some sort) are very likely so rather stay in cool and bacteria free (compared to LOS) environment.

BTW, I have mainly used dentists and lately the price increases and exchange rates being what they are, the actual price of many things is same or more here. I would rather use the services of my native country and get something back from social security but the price of flight ticket makes it more dear, not the actual treatment cost.

The times for milking the foreign cow may be over sooner than later. And quality wise the Thailand has never provided any real value for money. I have personally helped five people after they broke their bones in this country and NOT ONE was treated in a way that they didn't need repair surgery after returning home. Bones were dislocated, there was infection, an open wound that didn't heal due to extensive cleaning etc. And all were treated what here would be considered top quality hospitals. Did not convince me what I saw.

But let's sing...hubba-hubba-hubba-aaa...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPoZeeOuY5s

[onni4me]

And I also ask...what has SPAS got to do with surgical procedures?

Maybe they provide same kind of quality that I have received in some pretty expensive hotels around this country when taking massage? The masseuse didn't know nothing about her practice but slapped me around and I had to actually pay for that few thousand baht. I get much better - no need to talk about it same day - in my local government clinic where is a nice professional lady massaging me for 100 baht an hour. I normally give her similar tip. AND she knows what to do, unlike those "professionals" normally hired to treat foreigners.

Hub of scams and dubious quality, I say.

[asdecas]

The author of this rubbish seems a tad confused, to say the least. Why conflate 'spas', which are nothing more than indulgences of the wealthy, with 'medical services', which as far as I'm aware used to be of good value in the Kingdom before greed entered the picture? It is still possible to find reasonable services, but there are comparable and sometimes more reliable medical services elsewhere in the region.

[how241]

I wonder which dictionary the author used that gives the word "Spa" as a translation for "clinic" or "hospital".

I like to go for specialize medical treatment once a week

I always get great service and leave with a smile.

The rates are great about 1000 THB per visit plus gratuity

+1

[MYKTHEMIN]

I prefer the soapy variety!

[tebee]

There are medical spas at some of the private hospitals - comes as part of the alternative therapy treatment. package. Mostly for people coming in for cosmetic work, but also used to promote general well being. If you can afford to come to Thailand for treatment you can afford to indulge yourself a bit.

How do I know this? - My wife's a TCM doctor at one of the hospitals that caters mostly to medical tourists and the spa comes under her department.

[JSPS]

I presume that medical tourism somehow got translated into "spa".

I know several Thai people in the United States that are gearing up to provide services in booking medical tourism trips. They're expecting a surge in interest as soon as the reality of Obamacare kicks in.

Right now Canadians travel to the U.S. to avoid the Canadian healthcare backlogs. As soon as Americans are subjected to equally long waits they're going to be travelling elsewhere to get their care too. Thailand is expecting to cash in on it as well.

Edited May 24, 2013 by JSPS