More medical tourists to head to Thailand

Up to two million medical tourists are expected to flock to Thailand for health care services in 2010, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecast this week.

In recent years, thousands of medical tourists have headed to Thailand for health checks, dental and cosmetic surgery or other medical treatments as prices are approximately half of prices in the United States or Europe.

The surge in medical visitors saw foreign patients generate an estimated US$6 billion for Thailand in 2008 according to the TAT and Department of Export Promotion (DEP).

And that number continues to grow, the medical sector in the country possessing an annual growth rate of 14 percent, surpassing its GDP.

TAT said the growth of the medical sector was helping growth in the medical device sector as well boosting the country’s research and clinical trials of advanced medicine and stem cell treatments.

Research and Markets reported in 2008 that Thailand welcomed more international medical tourists than any other country in Asia.

Globally, it was estimated by Deloitte that 1.5 million Americans travelled abroad for health care services during the year with an annual global market expansion of more than 20% going forward to 2012.