foreigners

People from the UK, USA, Middle Eastearn countries (UAE, Kuwait, Oman), Germany, Australia, Japan continue to choose Thailand for medical assistance again and again. To develop the tendency, the country has announced the goal of becoming a global health and wellness center by 2024 and attract 1M international medical travelers to the kingdom. According to a STORAGECafé study on best places for digital nomads, Thailand tops the list with not just one but four hot spots for digital nomads - Koh Phangan, Chiang Mai, Phuket and the bustling capital city of Bangkok.

Why is Thailand so popular with foreigners? Read on to find out.

Low cost of medical care

The cost of medical services in Thailand is much lower than in North America and in EU countries. The difference can reach up to 70%. Therefore, a patient for the same money can recover, have a rehabilitation course, and a good rest outside the clinic. To compare, a dental implant in the kingdom is around $1,000 while in the USA it is $4,000 and in the UK — $3,500. The coronary artery bypass grafting price is about $12,000 and in the United States the same operation will cost over $130,000.

The quality of treatments provided by private medical centers

Medicine in Thailand is divided approximately equally between municipal and private medical facilities — there are more than a thousand large medical centers in the country with 470 privately owned. The largest private hospital in Southeast Asia — Bumrungrad International — is based in Thailand.

The growth of medical tourism in Thailand is boosted by the best private hospitals, which are mainly international and have foreign capital. These medical centers employ doctors certified abroad. Many of them have received prestigious medical awards for their work and research, and have completed extensive practice in Western countries, including the United States and Great Britain.

Among the most strongest specialties are orthopedics, dental treatments, plastic surgery, and...delivery. 

Interesting fact: a specialist monitoring the condition of the future mom from the pregnancy beginning also takes delivery. In Thailand, doctors consider this way the best one as the obstetrician-gynecologist knows everything about a particular patient and can foresee and solve various issues during childbirth.

High level of development of the tourism industry

The country is one of the leaders among the countries of Southeast Asia in the field of tourism. The residents are friendly and hospitable, the traveller feels comfortable and welcomed with no barriers.

Moreover, the government is going to encourage local hotels to develop on-site health services by partnering with accredited hospitals to provide certain types of medical procedures that may not take place in hospitals, such as general check-ups, ozone therapy, immune boosting or chelation therapy.

Vacations & treatments

Clinics located in the most attractive resorts of the country — Phuket Island, Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai — are the most popular with international patients. Just imagine — after treatment you may enjoy a tropical island with white sand, palm groves, and sea, or a nightlife full of Thai charm, spicy food and all kinds of entertainment.

Wellness spa programs

Numerous spa resorts are the paradise to improve patients' health with Yoga classes, Thai hot stones or herbal bags massages, acupuncture, and traditional wellness treatments.

In 2015, the World SPA Awards ranked Thailand as the best spa destination.

Wellness hotels develop programs right for your needs with the right nutrition, sports activities, spa treatments, work with your inner world and meditation. Here, before arrival, you will be asked to fill out a client card with a detailed survey on your preferences, needs, body characteristics.

Sources: Bookimed