TAT unveils new "Thailand Extreme Makeover" campaign to boost medical tourism

[webfact]

TAT unveils new campaign to boost medical tourism

BANGKOK, 28 February 2014 (NNT) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has introduced the “Thailand Extreme Makeover” campaign, aiming to attract more medical tourists from around the globe via the internet.

TAT Governor Thawatchai Aranyik said as part of the government’s policy to push Thailand to become a hub for medical tourism in Asia, the TAT was targeting to penetrate the beauty market this year, starting with the launch of a new campaign called “Thailand Extreme Makeover”. The campaign will accept online applications from foreigners and three of them will win a trip to Thailand to receive beauty services.

The winners will also get to travel around the country, during which video clips of all activities will be uploaded to social media in accordance with the theme “Happiness You Can Share”. The internet is one of the tools being used to serve the TAT’s goal of drawing more visitors to Thailand and generating up to 2 trillion baht in 2014.

According to reports, the number of foreign visitors in the medical tourism category currently exceeds 1 million persons a year, valued at over 30 billion baht.

The Middle Eastern market is the largest, taking up 32%, followed by the Asian and European markets at 24% and 14% respectively. 67% of the visitors choose to come to Thailand for hospitality and quality services while 45% come for its high medical standard.


-- NNT 2014-02-28

[millwall_fan]

Impeccable timing from TAT!

So you are concerned about your health and prepared to travel to get your ailment sorted out, do you go to a country where people are chucking grenades at kids? ...or not.

[Upnotover]

Millions....Billions....Trillions.....wow!

[taony]

Better to just invite foreigners to the protests, that would be real medical tourism. Offer them a free tuk tuk ride to the hospital when the next bomb goes off. They could even charge extra for VIP service - "be the first to the hospital. Only a two hour wait at the scene!"

[ginjag]

It's Thailands politics that needs an extreme makeover.

Sorry TAT you always avoid the answer-----STOP the scams, from arrival to departure. Get your flag carrier to lower it's prices.

medical -underwater weddings-extreme makeover- cat bags-- honeymoons---your are bleeding crazy. get real. You don't get it do you--all that you seek people will come for them anyway if they want. Who is going to pay 60,000 baht to travel here for what you suggest, most are here for warm sun, clean beaches bar girls and boys, culture etc.

[CiaranO]

The bottom line and what TAT fail to comprehend is that to make Thailand a real destination certain things need to happen. TAT keep thinking some campaign is going to do the trick. Well its not.

Tackle the real problems with Tourism - Taxi and TUk tuk scams / Jet Ski Scams / polluted beaches / unsafe roads and driving etc.....create a destination for people and they will come.

[PatOngo]

Yes...Thailand is going through an "Extreme Makeover" right now....come and experience it....Amazing!

[casindonet]

Extreme makeover? Sounds more like coming to thailand as a man & returning home as a ladyboy.

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rreddin]

The bottom line and what TAT fail to comprehend is that to make Thailand a real destination certain things need to happen. TAT keep thinking some campaign is going to do the trick. Well its not.

Tackle the real problems with Tourism - Taxi and TUk tuk scams / Jet Ski Scams / polluted beaches / unsafe roads and driving etc.....create a destination for people and they will come.

TAT and the other tourist quango seem to be run by marketing people who are out of touch with reality. Ever week a new marketing campaign that has no substance or credibility. Yet nothing is done to tackle the real problems afflicting the tourist industry in this country.

They have not got the wit to understand the irony of their latest gimmick! There are people in Thailand trying to make the country undergo an extreme makeover!

[taony]

Agree with all of your post. Just replace "seem to be" with "are"

[noitom]

Another Thai "lure." They hope to catch many "fish" with this new lure.

[mrtoad]

Come to Thailand, experience the day to day violence, you might even get a chance to be blown up; but don't worry, we can fix you

[ginjag]

This post is true--BUT does not speak for all medical hospitals here.

My friend from London had leg pains 3 days into his holiday, we drove up to Udon to my home and went into AEU at A.E.K. hospital. being there most of the day he had scans and x-rays--his foot started to turn blue, they said they could not operate there, he would have to go to University hospital Khon Khen. I asked if we went will they operate straight away as it was an emergency the said they were not sure.

My friend had blockages in the main arteries, and they said he would more than likely lose his leg. we paid the bill got all the x rays etc and went to my travel shop who got a flight change to London the next day--EVA air were brilliant wheelchair-priority on and off the flight and clearance.

He went to Royal Barts hospital Lodon AEU they operated and saved his leg.

The surgeon said it has been YEARS since he has seen such Antiquated x-rays. If it is a hub for Medical you would think that a big hospital like AEK Udon would have up to date equipment.

I understand this could be an isolated incident BUT.

[quagmirefg]

TAT wasting money again on more BS schemes.

Sign up and Pay ahead of time and 3 will win a trip. Please......

They need to get a clue. Right now Thailand is as desirable as Ukraine, Serbia, Venezuela, and many African Countries.

And recently all that mass media blitz by TAT about Valentine's Underwater Weddings that attracted a whole 6 couples.

Or was it 6 people. On a "dry" Buddhist holiday to boot with violence on the streets.

[swifty5x5]

I would not have any elective surgery in a country where the doctor may have to pay you 50,000 for a botched job.After you spending hundreds for surgery and a good lawyer.

Edited February 28, 2014 by swifty5x5

[taony]

This post is true--BUT does not speak for all medical hospitals here.

My friend from London had leg pains 3 days into his holiday, we drove up to Udon to my home and went into AEU at A.E.K. hospital. being there most of the day he had scans and x-rays--his foot started to turn blue, they said they could not operate there, he would have to go to University hospital Khon Khen. I asked if we went will they operate straight away as it was an emergency the said they were not sure.

My friend had blockages in the main arteries, and they said he would more than likely lose his leg. we paid the bill got all the x rays etc and went to my travel shop who got a flight change to London the next day--EVA air were brilliant wheelchair-priority on and off the flight and clearance.

He went to Royal Barts hospital Lodon AEU they operated and saved his leg.

The surgeon said it has been YEARS since he has seen such Antiquated x-rays. If it is a hub for Medical you would think that a big hospital like AEK Udon would have up to date equipment.

I understand this could be an isolated incident BUT.

It's not really a campaign to get foreigners to come and use the Thai medical infrastructure. The campaign is to get foreigners to come and use only a select few hotels, I mean hospitals (not hotels that have a few doctors running around of course), in Bangkok.

The rest of the country, TAT doesn't care.

Edited February 28, 2014 by taony

[bulekee]

does anyone rememeber when new orleans was hit by the big flood and thaksin offered medical assistance,which was declined because the medical insurance companies do not recognise the ability of thai medical training.look at your own country and see how many thai doctors/nurses are employed against other asian countries,i.e filipines.someone prove me wrong

[Hornell]

One rather hopes that TAT has someone in PR who scans the press etc to report on what is being said about tourism here. If so this forum cannot have escaped his/her notice; if not then it is high time TAT took off the blinkers and started doing so. Every time TAT comes up with a new scam/scheme or cunning plan the comments in the media (mainly from farang) are the same; forget the cunning plans clean up your act and the tourists will continue to come. What does cleaning up the act mean? Various measures have already been referred to: taxi/limo scams at the airport, jet ski scams, filthy parks littered with rubbish and with few basic amenities, double pricing, trains that....... - words fail me here, buses and minivans that recklessly break almost every known safe driving code.... the list goes on and on and on........

So TAT, if someone on your staff is reading this, precis the forum and send it to the boss - oh I'm sorry, you can't do that becaause he's senior to you. Hmmmm, so I suppose it's just more of the same then. TIT.

[doctorburt]

Did TAT not see the news about the hospital extension that collapsed lately killing 10 workers and injuring 26 !!! maybe they should put that in their advertising campaign !! IDIOTS

[Thai at Heart]

Anyone and everyone who is in the market for plastic surgery, knows what Thailand has to offer. How is a promo supposed to magically generate all this extra business........Anyone want to receive plastic surgery via lottery?

Extreme makeover? Oh my lord....

[Lupatria]

Will there be even the slightest chance to silence these morons at the TAT once and for all?

[ginjag]

Will there be even the slightest chance to silence these morons at the TAT once and for all?

If there is going to be the biggest shake up in Thai history and a new government formed what departments would you abolish/ REVAMP for starters.

1 TAT

2 Tourism authority

3 Thai Airways

4 Transport Authority-re regulations

5 Police force

6 Airport Authority/King power--Swampy review

7 Tourist Minister

8 Highways department

9 Vehicle Licensing Authority

So much more ------justice system--transparent - impartial

All the above TAT should have muscle to argue that to get more tourists these are departments than can-if run correctly-bring them back.

Edited February 28, 2014 by ginjag

[wileycoyote]

Be canny ,as this could back-fire ,if operations go badly

[ginjag]

Be canny ,as this could back-fire ,if operations go badly

I understand, but this is from a promote tourist position. I am siding with Thailand and giving my opinion on how these departments can be bettered to help the cause.

If the said government returned to power I would suggest the same. Better though TAT is given an "extreme makeover"

[samjaidee]

"According to reports, the number of foreign visitors in the medical tourism category currently exceeds 1 million persons a year, valued at over 30 billion baht."

Let's assume there are exactly 1,000,000 visitors spending exactly 30 billion baht. That means these big spenders are spending 30,000 baht each. That's less than US$1,000 per head. Hardly something to write home about.

Why do Thai news sources have such problems with numbers, especially, but not in this case, statistics?

Can you imagine the impact investigative journalism would have on Thailand if they introduced it to the pantheon of skills being adopted by media outlets here?

[Thai at Heart]

"According to reports, the number of foreign visitors in the medical tourism category currently exceeds 1 million persons a year, valued at over 30 billion baht."

Let's assume there are exactly 1,000,000 visitors spending exactly 30 billion baht. That means these big spenders are spending 30,000 baht each. That's less than US$1,000 per head. Hardly something to write home about.

Why do Thai news sources have such problems with numbers, especially, but not in this case, statistics?

Can you imagine the impact investigative journalism would have on Thailand if they introduced it to the pantheon of skills being adopted by media outlets here?

How many of them are caused by minor ailments and visits for medicine?

I guess for example half the visits in pattaya are for having the shi*s from food poisoning. Does this count as medical tourism also? What about accidents? Does that count?

These people haven't got a clue what they are measuring.

[mrtoad]

I wonder if all new medical tourists get a visit from The Thai Rouge?

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[VINCENT2012]

medical tourism inTHAILAND!it is not me who is going to make publicity for them.

personal experience:

Myself i had a very very bad experience, i spend more than 400 000 baths in medical care in thailand last year

i went to all hospital of ubon ratchathani included thai military hospital.

I have been to the bangkok hospital and 3 more famous one.....it has been a big waist of time and money.

they have no idea....they only tell you to do expensive MRI or whatever and at the end..sorry....i had to leave thailand and go back to my country (france) where they find out right away my probleme, i got operated and now i am ok.

i explain the worst of my experience at this address:

http://www.muscleandnerveclinicbangkok.sitew.org

i hope i never get sick in thailand again.....and i am not talking about the government hospital where all thais go...that's even worse.. i went to , so i know..the beds matress are made with coconut shells, all families sleeping on the floor, for the staff it doesn't matter if you have a broken leg or a cancer they scheck your bloud pressure, hart and temperature every 2 hours ...so you can't sleep.it is ridiculous.

it is another desaster, ok it is cheap but it is not worth it....poor thais!

the paying hospital in thailand are made only for business to make money.....lots of bla bla bla, plenty people talking to you , around of you but at the end ...misery.if you have something serious you better go where health is a serious matter, where doctors and professors have knowledges.but not in thailand where most do, like reading the book.

good day and good night

[bigbamboo]

What exactly is Thailand's idea of an 'extreme makeover' in a country where there seem to be more plastic surgeons than teachers?

It's a scary thought.

[Arjay]

Great idea TAT! Tourists can witness a civil war in the making along with violent protests and be treated for injuries at the same time. I'm sure some adrenalin junkies with death wishes would pay ridiculous amounts of money for this privilege.