COUNTRY REPORT: THAILAND

during the economic revival in China. In news reports, the Thailand government said it will start issuing one-year visas for people seeking medical treatment. It approved a measure that proposes to lower visa prices to THB5,000 (US$145) from THB6,000 (US$174). Asked if there will be a competitive advantage by offering discounts, Prunratanamala said Chinese tourists are “not price sensitive” for IVF treatments, as long as the success rate is high.

“If you get a lot of discounts, but the treatment fails. You’ve lost your money,” Prunratanamala said.

of fertility screening packages depend on their treatment but range from US$280 (THB9,600) up to US$496 (THB17,000).

Attracting Chinese tourists

The first strategy to attract Chinese tourists, Prunratanamala said, is implementing visa packages and offering hotel services, especially

Another strategy is by leveraging its wellness segment. It can attract more tourists to visit the market, said Kaewmuang.

In 2017, the Thailand National Statistics Office said the number of tourists that visited the market for healthcare and wellness was around 3.3 million. The next strategy to drive up the medical tourist market is a hospital collaboration with Ping An Health Insurance in China, Kaewmuang said.

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