Thailand has dominated the medical tourism scene in Southeast Asia for many years, especially in the realm of cosmetic surgery. But how did Thailand become the medical tourism powerhouse that it is today?
Following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, which began in Thailand, there was a push in Asian countries to encourage foreign investment. In many Asian countries, this included a push to draw visitors with world-renowned centers for medical achievement. Thailand, in particular, began to draw attention as a destination to receive medical work and surgery at a lower cost. The Thai government noticed this and worked to expand the country’s influence in the global medical tourism sphere.
The government’s hard work to market Thailand in the medical tourism industry has paid off. To date, Thailand boasts 66 JCI accredited hospitals, a number that puts them fourth globally and first amongst their fellow Southeast Asian countries! This high level of accreditation along with Thailand’s reputation for being welcoming to visitors has made the country quite popular among medical tourists seeking great prices on medical work and great options for recovery vacations.
Thailand’s medical tourism landscape is dominated by major procedures such as cosmetic surgery and dentistry, gender reassignment surgery, and heart surgery as well as preventative care and alternative medicine. Many medical tourists come to Thailand from other Asian countries.
If you are a medical tourist looking to travel to an Asian country known for both its hospitality and its medical standard of care, Thailand could be an excellent option to look into for your trip. For medical tourism insurance, we can take care of you. Learn more and get a quote today.
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