February 4th, 2006, 06:16
Foreign patients make Thai hospitals healthy
(dpa) - Thailand's private hospitals served 1.28 million foreigners in 2005, earning 33 billion baht ($846 million), and can look forward to an even better performance this year, an economic think tank reported on Friday. The Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC) predicted that Thailand's private hospitals are likely to serve around 1.4 million foreign patients this year with revenue of around 36.4 billion baht ($933 million).
Kasikorn, in a survey on Thailand's hospital sector, concluded that the health care business catering to foreigners would improve in 2006 because of an expected recovery in the tourism industry following the slowdown in 2005 caused by the December 26, 2004, tsunami. The survey noted that the opening of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport, scheduled for June, 2006, would also boost Thailand's efforts to become a medical hub for the region.
KRC warned, however, that Thailand's hospitals are facing higher operating costs in terms of personnel wages, electricity bills and interest rates while at the same time facing tougher competition for foreign patients from hospitals in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.
Bangkok Post
(dpa) - Thailand's private hospitals served 1.28 million foreigners in 2005, earning 33 billion baht ($846 million), and can look forward to an even better performance this year, an economic think tank reported on Friday. The Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC) predicted that Thailand's private hospitals are likely to serve around 1.4 million foreign patients this year with revenue of around 36.4 billion baht ($933 million).
Kasikorn, in a survey on Thailand's hospital sector, concluded that the health care business catering to foreigners would improve in 2006 because of an expected recovery in the tourism industry following the slowdown in 2005 caused by the December 26, 2004, tsunami. The survey noted that the opening of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport, scheduled for June, 2006, would also boost Thailand's efforts to become a medical hub for the region.
KRC warned, however, that Thailand's hospitals are facing higher operating costs in terms of personnel wages, electricity bills and interest rates while at the same time facing tougher competition for foreign patients from hospitals in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.
Bangkok Post