Thailand Sets Sights on Becoming World's Medical and Dental Hub

The Ministry of Public Health's Department of Health Service Support plans to push Thailand as an international dental hub, as announced by Government Spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana in a press release on June 12.

According to him, this initiative follows Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha's order "to stimulate national economy and generate revenue through promoting Thailand as world's medical and dental hub" in a bid to attract foreign tourists with these services.

Wangboonkongchana added that the promotion of the medical industry is not only for generating revenue, but also to create more employment opportunities and boost related industries in the country. Medical hub is among Thailand's five new S-Curve industries, along with robotics, digital, aviation and logistics, and biofuels and biochemicals, whose promotion shall help grow the economy.

"Under the policy to promote Thailand as dental hub, cosmetic dentistry will be highlighted, and service rates will be set as one-price policy," the release read. "In preparation for the implementation, a central database and an application will be developed, as well as the interpretation center, payment mechanism, dispute resolution system, and related facilitation system...”

The pilot program is expected to launch in Phuket province and interested dental clinics who want to apply may do so in the third to fourth quarter of 2022.