About the Medical Hub Policy

Thailand is currently in period of transition in many ways. Economic structure of the country is now entering an era of change and economic development in the new model, called Thailand 4.0 managed by innovation (Value- Based Economy), an economic reform that aims to develop into a stable, prosperous and sustainable country including government’s policy to develop the country to be medical hub in new engine of growth in term of new S- curve. This is an important mechanism to increase revenue for the country.

Department of Health Service Support, Ministry of Public Health has been assigned as the main organization for administer the engine of strategic plans of the country’s development as the medical hub (Medical Hub’s policy) since 2003. The main productions are divided into 4 categories as follows: 1) Wellness Hub 2) Medical Service Hub 3) Academic Hub 4) Product Hub.

The government is promoting medical tourism policy. The Ministry of Public Health together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has appointed a committee to develop and promote medical and wellness tourism and to push the country to be a medical hub. A Strategic Plan to Develop Thailand as an International Medical Hub (2016 - 2025) which have been approved by the cabinet since 13 September 2016. It was created to manage flagship projects and quick- win projects to be done in specific period of time, In order to support government’s policy to increase revenue of the country and raise standard of medical services and facilities.

According to foreign tourist travelling to Thailand (Department of Tourism, 2016) on August over the same period in 2559, mainly from East Asia such as China, Malaysia, Japan and korea etc., There are two purposes of medical tourism: (1) for receiving medical treatment and (2) for rehabilitation. The market value is very high, about 1}604 billion baht which Thailand is one of top destination.