Thai Tourism Industry Recovering Thanks to Medical Tourism
With Recent Events in Thailand, Is Medical Tourism Safe?
The last few years have been turbulent in Thailand. There was a coup in September 2006, New Year’s Eve was sullied by terrorist bombings, and the country still hasn't fully recovered from the devastating tsunami. These recent events have, of course, had an effect on Thailand’s tourism industry, but the region is determined to push forward and Thai medical tourism is saving the day. With so much ill-fortune in the last few years, some patients may be concerned and wondering, is medical tourism safe in Thailand? The numbers certainly suggest that the Land of Smiles is still stable and thriving. In fact, tourism industry Thailand has continued to fuel the economy and allowed for technological advances and communications systems to help patients easily book their Thai medical tourism trip.
Few Worry about the Dangers of Medical Tourism in Thailand
After the turbulence of previous years, Thailand is now seeing an increased demand for key personnel, and across the board, companies are investing more in training so overseas patients will have less to fear with regards to medical tourism and its perceived dangers.
Through the recent tragic and challenging events in Thailand, the Thai medical tourism industry has been one of the strongest performers. US and Middle Eastern patients are put at ease by the growth and development of the industry and don't seem put off by the reputed dangers surrounding medical tourism in Thailand. Thailand is showing that their medical tourism industry continues to be a safe option for medical procedures. The country attracted more than 400,000 foreign patients in 2006 and that number is expected to increase by 20-30% in 2007.
Source: Punyawan, “Thailand’s Tourist Industry’s Amazing Resilience”, Pattaya Daily News, January 19, 2007
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