Thai govt to make Thailand medical hub of Asia

Thai government is making Thailand the medical hub of Asia as it is confident that Thailand has outstanding fundamental structure in the medical field and the human resources are recognized to be of international standard.

Thai Medical services are renowned worldwide and results in growth in industries such as spa, Thai massage, Thai herbs, serviced apartments and health tourism.

According to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the government has set a policy, in which will to be implemented from 2012 to 2016, to turn Thailand into a medical hub in 4 areas including medical treatment , health promotion, traditional Thai medicine and alternative medicine and health products specially Thai herbs.  

To strengthen the position of Thailand as the medical hub of Asia, BOI has granted exemptions to healthcare providers such as rehabilitation centers, hospitals, health food producers and medical tool manufacturers.

These industries are granted corporate income tax exemptions for three to eight years, and the BOI has also extended additional benefits to pharmaceutical businesses, as well as tariff reduction on imported medicine ingredients and medicine.

Mr. Udom Wongviwatchai, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment, stated that the new Promotional Privilege Framework for the Health Industry which jointly done by BOI and the National Health Commission Office has been completed and the framework will support medical hub policy and as well as strengthen Thai public health systems.

It specifies four categories of promotional privileges for health services and products: 1) promotional privileges for private hospitals; 2) promotional privileges for the medicine and active ingredients in medicine; 3) promotional privileges for the development of medical equipment; and 4) promotional privileges for medical food.