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

[unanimosity]

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.

What health and what ailment? Looks like the bologne is being swallowed even by a literate individual as yourself. Just cuz they try to position it as medical tourism, what they actually are selling is elective cosmetic treatments, probably to include some surgeries. Medical treatments are typically covered by insurance whereas elective cosmetic treatments rarely if ever are,

[unanimosity]

"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.

30K baht doesn't go very far when you itemize hotel, F&B, transportation, medical bill.

[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.

30K baht doesn't go very far when you itemize hotel, F&B, transportation, medical bill.

That is why it is so low. Break your arm and get it plastered and xrayed for 25k. That is not medical tourism. That is a drunk tourist falling over. Get the shits, with a saline bag and some antibiotics for 15k. That is eating shellfish in pattya.

I've given up on any tourist related statistic in Thailand. They are all completely unrelated to the issue. Medical tourism is not every falang who went to hospital during his holiday.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[zydeco]

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.

You probably aren't going to believe this, but a Thai friend of mine near Khon Kaen told me the story of someone in her village taken to a hospital in Khon Kaen with the same problem. Massive swelling and blockages in the leg. The villager was told the same thing; he would need a leg amputation. He and his family said, no, returned to their village and went instead to some animistic ghost dancer ceremony. Whatever the heck, the leg swelling stopped and the man kept his leg. I won't say the ghost dancers healed him. But I will say you might be better off going to a ghost dancer than a Thai hospital.

[northernjohn]

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.

Well I understand what you are saying.

But I don't think people outside of Thailand are thinking about them. If they have done any traveling in Asia, Latin America and Africa they are well aware that there will be scams.

Don't know what you mean by create a destination for them and they will come. They have been coming in increasing amounts every year.

What they have to do is improve the beaches and the service. Other Asian countries are starting to put out calls for people to come to visit them and the travelers know the scams will be there also but if Thailand doesn't clean up it's beaches and improve it's service they will remember that and look for it elsewhere.

Edited February 28, 2014 by northernjohn

[ratcatcher]

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.

What health and what ailment? Looks like the bologne is being swallowed even by a literate individual as yourself. Just cuz they try to position it as medical tourism, what they actually are selling is elective cosmetic treatments, probably to include some surgeries. Medical treatments are typically covered by insurance whereas elective cosmetic treatments rarely if ever are,

Do you not think that maybe, just maybe, millwall_fan was being facetious?

[JulesMad]

Since when has TAT said ANYTHING that is true?!?

They live in a different Thailand on a different planet, most likely in a different universe

[ginjag]

Since when has TAT said ANYTHING that is true?!?

They live in a different Thailand on a different planet, most likely in a different universe

You can easily do that when you are allocated a few BILLION per year budget.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Plastic surgery is not a long term trend. It is a blip on the consumerism radar fuelled by baby boomers who control the bulk of global wealth.

A few gen xers are having boob jobs...but unheard of in Y and Z.

The TAT is trying to place a bet on a race that has already finished.

[Melyn]

Send us your uglies. Grass-eaters, mingers, pizza faces, bags, skanks, moose mooshes, brown baggers, two baggers, haridens, dogs minters, Gorgon's and gargoyles.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Melyn]

"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.

Having the shits from Pattaya doesn't really qualify you as a medical tourist

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[smedly]

they got too greedy and now India is taking over the medical business as well as the Rice trade, plus try and sue a hospital or doctor here and see where that goes

[JoeThePoster]

Getting shot in the face is an extreme makeover, yes.

[looping]

As long as the sun shines, and sex is cheap, TAT can do whatever they want, and claim that the tourists are coming because of their campaign.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app