Thailand Focuses on Medical Tourism and Smart Hospitals

June 2022

The government of Thailand has announced its strategy to promote the country’s medical tourism and healthcare to attract foreign visitors in the post-Covid-19 era. In this context, the June-to-September period, normally a low season for Thai tourism, will witness an accelerated reduction in restrictions to attract more international patients.

Importantly, from October onwards the Southeast Asian country expects more than triple to around 1 million tourists per month. Although Thailand has removed mandatory Covid-10 testing and quarantine for tourists, it has so far kept pre-arrival registration and insurance requirement.

The Thai government is targeting the tourist island of Phuket to become a medical hub for international tourism. Nationwide, it will build on the success of the Thailand Phuket Sandbox, a pilot project that allows fully vaccinated travelers to enter the island without quarantine.

Another key strategy involves developing smart hospitals, driven by digital healthcare via a technological infrastructure that provides advantages such as energy efficiency, optimized operations and management, and resiliency. A recent study by consulting firm YCP Solidiance analyzing the case of the Samut Prakan public hospital calls for digital technology to optimize facility operations and improve patient accessibility. Samut Prakan used artificial intelligence to develop chatbots and automated machines that lowered healthcare costs and shortened patient queues.

(Sources: Bloomberg; LaingBuisson)

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