October 2009
Thailand
is one of the world’s centers for medical
Private hospitals consistently record healthy growth, which
services, with over 1,000 public hospitals and 400 private
then leads to increased demand for imported drugs.
hospitals operating at international standards, offering the
Moreover, additional imported drugs were placed on the
perfect climate for investment in healthcare, medical
National
devices and pharmacy. It has world-class technology
chemicals
infrastructure, and offers the most advanced treatments by
pharmaceutical manufacturing, Thailand imported US$1
overseas-trained doctors and a multilingual staff to ensure
billion in pharmaceutical products in 2008 – an increase of
that there are no communication barriers. Doctors are
18% over the previous year. The major sources of these
experts in their felds and nurses are registered and well
imports
trained.
Switzerland and the United Kingdom. These countries
List
of
Essential
Medicines.
With
a
robust
industry and great biodiversity to support
were
France,
the
United
States,
Germany,
accounted for more than 45% of the total pharmaceutical Recognizing the available market and the ability to deliver
products imported into Thailand.
medical treatment at a fraction of the cost as most countries, in 2004 Thailand’s government adopted a 5-year
In 2008, the export value of medication was US$164
strategic plan to develop the country’s capacity into the
million – a rise of 9% over the previous year. Thailand’s
“Center of Excellent Health of Asia”. This plan, advanced by
primary
the Ministry of Public Health, focuses on three main areas
Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, which
of
services,
together
including spas & traditional massage, and Thai herbal
exports.
healthcare:
medical
services,
healthcare
export
destinations
accounted
for
70%
are of
Vietnam, total
Myanmar,
pharmaceutical
products. Thailand has taken on groundbreaking research. For In the course of those fve years, opportunities have grown
example, researchers are experimenting with rice starch
exponentially as Thailand has in fact become a medical hub
that is extracted from broken rice by pulling out proteins to
in Asia, with state-of-the-art facilities. Today, nearly 2
get pure carbohydrate four, which can be used as fller in
million foreign patients visit Thailand each year for a range
drug tablets helping them hold their shape and release
of healthcare services, including cutting edge procedures
drugs more effectively. Demand is high as the cost is
like stem cell treatment. And, the domestic drugs and
roughly 20% of other fller materials. Thailand is also
medical market has grown to over US$1 billion. As the
investing in research and development for tropical diseases
health care infrastructure expands and investment in high-
such as dengue fever and malaria, among others, and
technology equipment soars, the medical device sector and
invites
pharmaceutical sector are also experiencing signifcant
example, BIOTECH-Novartis International Pharmaceutical
investment
investments
into
biotechnology
research.
For
excellent
medical
Drug Discovery Partnership (A 3-year partnership) was
service
beftting
initiated in 2005 with the goal of identifying potential uses
Thailand’s reputation for care with wait-times kept to a
of micro-organisms and natural compounds as sources for
minimum. Some of the leading hospitals catering to foreign
innovative medicine. The research partnership has recently
medical-tourists assign patients a personal assistant who
been extended for another 3 years to May 2011. Safety
will walk them through the entire process from the front
and
services,
potential. patients
Beyond
receive
the
personal
quality
are
the
guiding
principles,
as
local