Thai Medical Tourism Part 2

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Promoting the Cheapest Cosmetic Surgery on the Planet: Tracking the Growth of Thai Medical Tourism - Part 2 
 

“Visit Thailand for the Surf, Sand, and Cosmetic Surgery!”

In 1997, Thai tourism authorities issued directives to travel agents suggesting they could offer their clients “medical tourism” packages that would combine the Buddhas, beaches, and brothels circuit with say, an affordable spot of liposuction or even something as simple as laser hair removal.  Tour operators began to pitch the country’s fantastic bargains in cosmetic surgery, and television channels started beaming messages broadcasting that they were available at some of the best “hospitals in Thailand.”  Hospitals and clinics too began to tout their affordable range of medical and cosmetic services specifically aimed at foreign tourists.  Web sites advertising everything from high end surgeries at specialty centers to laser hair removal at smaller salons began to appear online, and tons of Thai tourism sites introduced special sections on medical tourism.  

The Emergence of Bumrungrad International as a Medical Tourism Mecca

It was Bumrungrad Hospital, however, that effectively shifted the regional medical hub from Singapore to Bangkok.  Founded in 1980, this massive 500+ bed facility was already equipped with the most sophisticated medical equipment and staffed by Western qualified doctors.  Blurring the lines between healthcare and tourism, Bumrungrad’s American CEO, Curtis Schroeder, set about accessorizing the property with all those little personal details that Americans love – plus accomodations, baskets of toiletries, and Internet connectivity in all rooms. A complimentary limousine pick-up service at the airport and a personal escort to accompany the patient around the hospital were also added to the list.   

And it wasn’t just Americans who were targeted by the hospital’s aggressive marketing strategy – Arab guests (who had begun to stream in after 9/11 made the US a hostile environment) could look forward to halal meat and complimentary prayer rugs, while Japanese cuisine was on hand for those who missed their sushi.  Overseas offices were opened and brochures lured foreign patients to Thailand with the promise of a soothing and caring Buddhist environment coupled with the best of Western infrastructure.  Price cards offered an a la carte menu of cosmetic surgery procedures.  All this investment began to pay off and in 2000, Bumrungrad received close to 165,000 visitors.  Today, the number crosses 400,000 from over 150 countries. 

Affordable Care - From Cardiac Bypass Surgery to Laser Hair Removal

The Bumrungrad effect soon trickled down to other hospitals and clinics in Thailand.  From big bad Bangkok to swinging Phuket, “cosmetic surgery” holidays became all the rage.  These days, the country hosts more than a million such tourists who in turn pump in millions of dollars into the country’s coffers.  Although other tropical sun and sand destinations like Mexico and Costa Rica soon joined in, Thailand is still the leader when it comes to the medical tourism trade.  And to think that the booming plastic surgery industry all began with a “lady boy” dressed as Carmen at a Bangkok cabaret!