Qatar, Japan and England Targeted for Thailand's Medical Tourism

Qatar, Japan and England Targeted for Thailand's Medical Tourism

Bangkok, Thailand (PRWEB) May 19, 2009 -- Earlier this month, H.E. Panich Vikitsreth, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand visited Doha to participate in the 9th Doha Forum on Democracy, Development & Free Trade. During the Forum, Vice Minister has called on Qatar economic prominent figures to establish networking in light of a planned visit of Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva on bilateral cooperation and Thai economy stimulus packages.

Among the key areas of cooperation, Medical tourism and Food security topped the list of Qatar's interest as both are the most well known fields of expertise and advantage to Thailand.

Following the economic crisis caused by political unrest in the recent years, Thailand's current PM Abhisit Vejjajiva is using medical tourism, among many other selling points, to target more visitors to revive Thailand's tourism industry. Personal visits and roadshows at various countries around the world have been made constantly to help gain trust among foreign travellers that Thailand is as safe and fun as ever.

According to Tourism Authority of Thailand's announcement for continuing to revive the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Royal Thai government has agreed to exempt the fee for tourist visa applications for a three month period, effective until June 4, 2009.

"The potential for the tourism industry can be expanded even more with special programs focusing on tourism, such as eco-tourism, medical tourism, and sports tourism," recently said the PM in a keynote speech "Restoring Confidence and Moving Thailand Forward in Trade, Investment and Tourism" in Tokyo, Japan.

"We are also focusing our attention on developing Thailand as a medical tourism hub for high-quality, low cost health and medical services. We are also equipped with many world-class facilities to make us a leading meetings, incentives and conventions centre in the world," the PM was also quoted as saying at the event "Amazing Thailand … Amazing Value" at Royal Lancaster Hotel, London in March this year.

As the country aims at becoming an international medical hub, the quality and the services have improved a great deal, yet the prices remain relatively low compared to other countries. Plastic surgery in Thailand is a third to half the cost it is in the US, Europe or Australia. For example, a breast augmentation procedure in the US will cost you between $3,000 - $8,000, while in Thailand, the website of Bangkok Plastic Surgery Clinic (http://www.bangkokplasticsurgery.com) quotes the price at $2,600 USD. Reassignment surgery in the US can cost between $10,000 and $20,000 but the same website says it costs only $8,500 in Thailand.

In 2005, the number of foreign patients arriving in Thailand, so-called medical tourists, topped one million and reached 1.4 million in 2006. The country has set a target of 2 million medical tourists by the year 2010 and the annual growth rate has been around 14%.

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