Medical Tourism:
A Bright Spot on Thailand's Tourist Agenda

By Michael Moore

Tourists have traditionally associated Thailand with tropical beauty, splendid beaches and a fascinating culture. Although these qualities continue to act as a lure, many of today's visitors see Thailand as a place that is good for their health. Low prices, skilled personnel, modern facilities and easy accessibility to a smorgasbord of health producing attractions are enticing increasing numbers of visitors to the Land of Smiles each year.

The components of the smorgasbord are remarkably diverse: stylish eye glasses; visits to the dentist; thorough physical examinations; and medical procedures and operations, ranging from the mundane as well as ordinary to sexual reassignment surgery, complex kidney transplants plus sophisticated open-heart surgery. This proliferation of health producing goods and services is supported by the Thai tradition of friendly hospitality; increasing confidence by outsiders in Thai technical training with competence; and, most importantly, by prices that are much lower than those found in Europe, America and Japan. Although competition from places like India and Singapore is significant, the package of low prices, quality treatment, gracious hospitality in addition to a place to vacation after visiting the doctor, keep Thailand at the head of the pack.

Several hospitals in Bangkok, most notably Bumrungrad International Hospital on Sukhumvit Soi 1 and Bangkok International Medical Center (Bangkok Hospital) just off Petchaburi Road near Soi Thonglor (Sukhumvit Soi 55), openly court foreign customers, offering a variety of services designed to appeal to patients from abroad. Both hospitals are a far cry from the drab institutions most people have come to associate hospitals with. Visitors entering Bumrungrad Hospital are given a traditional Thai greeting; the marble encrusted lobby is filled with plush sofas and comfortable chairs, while a nearby Starbucks Coffee Shop dishes up a stream of trendy drinks. The private rooms for inpatients at Bangkok Hospital are more like hotel rooms than traditional hospital rooms. They each have 32 inch LCD televisions, Satellite TV connections, Internet connections, microwave ovens, refrigerators, telephones and in room safes. Perhaps even more remarkable is how simple this all seems to foreign visitors used to hospitals bogged down by bureaucracy. At Bumrungrad, for example, a walk-in patient will be talking with a specialist on an average of 17 minutes after walking into the hospital.

Both Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital strive to make travel to Thailand easy with providing information along with advice regarding visas and accommodations. Both of the institutions operate reasonably priced serviced apartments for patients, families and other visitors to their complexes. Credit cards are accepted with a smile as are major health plans which can be used to pay for many of the services offered. Language problems are issues at all international hospitals, but at both Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital, there are translators available for translating Thai into virtually any of the world's major languages.

To say that Bumrungrad Hospital, Bangkok Hospital and other Thai medical facilities have been successful in wooing patients from abroad is an understatement. At Bumrungrad, for example, 430,000 of the approximately one million patients treated at the hospital each year are foreigners. Although the total number treated at Bangkok Hospital is less, the percentage of foreign patients is similar.

Thai medical institutions have to compete with national health plans and state run medical facilities abroad. This means that much of the business they receive is for treatment not covered by these programs. Daphne Pels, an International Coordinator at Bangkok Hospital, once told me that cosmetic surgery is popular with foreigners because the operations are rarely covered by medical insurance and are much less expensive in Thailand than in Western countries or Japan. The all-inclusive price for breast enhancement surgery with silicone implants at Bangkok Hospital is 120,000 baht, including a night at the hospital. A complete facelift is 120,000 baht, including one night in the hospital. When asked if these treatments contribute to good health, Pels was enthusiastically positive. "Mental health is important, and these operations make people feel good about themselves, a condition that promotes good health."

Laser surgery to correct vision problems is frequently considered a cosmetic procedure and not covered in home countries. This makes it a popular procedure in Bangkok's hospitals. At the present time, those who are simply nearsighted or farsighted can expect to pay about 60,000 baht to correct the problem at Bumrungrad Hospital. For those who are both nearsighted and farsighted and/or have astigmatism the charge is about 78,000 baht. Although it is not suitable for everyone, the procedure is now relatively common throughout the world and only takes about 40 minutes to complete.

Don't get the idea that foreign patients only come to Thailand for cosmetic procedures. Many women from the Middle East come to Thailand to have their children. They are comfortable with the facilities in Thailand and appreciate the good service. A recent promotional price at Bumrungrad for a normal birth with two nights in the hospital was 42,900 baht. Not to be outdone, the basic price at Bangkok Hospital was 38,000 baht. Some foreign visitors, especially those not covered by medical insurance at home, even opt for involved and inherently more dangerous procedures including coronary by-pass operations and kidney transplants. Realistic prices for these procedures can only be obtained after diagnosis and consultation, but they are invariably lower than most places in the world.

Dental care is another bargain in Thailand and a compelling reason for many people to visit the country. Medical schemes available in many countries, the United States in particular, often don't include costly dental care. Thai dental schools are excellent and the country's dentists reflect this fact. In addition, a surprisingly large proportion of them have been trained at Western universities. An added plus when dealing with a Thai dentist is the gentleness for which they are famous. Another major discomfort eliminated at Thai dental clinics is cost. Costs are a fraction of what they are in most countries.

Everyone is aware of the importance of frequent medical examinations. The price tag, however, keeps many from having these important periodic check-ups. Both Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital offer a variety of medical check-up plans at attractive prices. A comprehensive examination for patients from 30-45 at Bangkok Hospital runs 9,720 baht. The "ultimate" exam for men over 45 covers virtually everything and runs 15,680 baht. Bumrungrad was offering special promotional prices the last time I checked with a comprehensive exam for a female over 40 priced at 15,300 baht, a remarkable bargain.

Thailand has long been a tropical tourist attraction with waving palms, beautiful beaches and a wealth of cultural richness. In recent years it has also become a destination for those seeking to improve and maintain their health. A holiday combining both of these reasons for visiting the Land of Smiles can create an experience that will never be forgotten.

Medical Tourism:A Bright Spot on Thailand's Tourist Agenda

Medical Tourism:
A Bright Spot on Thailand's Tourist Agenda