The Government has emphasized the promotion of wellness and medical tourism, which is becoming increasingly popular around the world, following the improvement of the COVID-19 situation. 

Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and Acting Government Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has supported efforts to build on Thailand’s strengths in tourism, as well as promoting its sustainable tourism development. The Prime Minister was pleased to have learned that Thailand earned 9 percent of market share in global medical tourism.

Mr. Anucha pointed out that Thailand has many competitive advantages in the wellness and medical tourism industry. For instance, modern facilities and equipment and relatively inexpensive medical costs have attracted international visitor arrivals for these services in Thailand over the years.

Thailand has 60 medical establishments accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), which is a global driver of quality improvement and patient safety in health care. It is expected that Thailand’s medical tourism market will reach US$24.4 billion (or around 838 billion baht) in 2027, against US$9.1 billion in 2019.

Mr. Anucha said that, in promoting medical and wellness tourism, the Thai government offers the Medical Treatment Visa, which allows foreigners who seek medical treatment to stay in the country for up to one year. The visa permits multiple entries and is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. Another type, “Thailand Elite Visa,” offers a long stay in Thailand for a period between 5 and 20 years.

Thailand is currently one of the top-ranked destinations for travelers, with unique charms and hospitality attractive to those who are interested in wellness tourism. The Government has established a policy to develop Thailand as a medical hub in order to upgrade the country into a world-class “wellness travel destination.”

Apart from generating enormous income for the country, the medical hub and wellness industry will also enable Thailand to reduce its dependence on imports of drugs and medical devices and equipment.