Thailand to offer health check-up packages for Nordic tourists

BANGKOK, July 11 (TNA) - The Department of Health Service Support, under the Thai Ministry of Public Health, plans to offer health check-up packages for foreign tourists, beginning with those from five Nordic countries, in line with the government's policy on promoting Thailand to be a world medical hub. The department's Deputy Director-General, Dr. Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn, told journalists on July 10 that Nordic tourists from Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark and Norway like travelling to Thailand for holidays and use of health services, as Thai hospitals are up to interantional standards with more reasonable prices. To promote Thailand as a world medical hub, Dr. Thongchai said, his department is planning to work with local clinics and private hospitals nationwide, which meet the JCI accreditation standard, to join the first health package campaign for the Nordic tourists that has been already approved by a committee on developing Thailand to be a world medical hub and wellness tourism at an earlier meeting, co-chaired by Public Health Minsiter Dr. Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn and Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul. Dr. Thongchai explained that his department will work out service fees, while Nordic tourists can go to any hospital to get the same services at the same costs and the same standard. According to the senior Thai health official, there will be two types of packages, including health check-ups for different aged-groups and dental care and dental treatment services. The senior Thai health official expected that the health campaign should be first launched during August-December 2016. "Medical check-up and dental service are not included in the health insurance system in the Nordic countries; so, this group of tourists like travelling to use the service in Thailand, in which the costs are 3-4 times lower than that in their countries. The campaign is aimed to serve temporary visitors, excluding long-term workers and permanent residents. In 2015, the senior health official pointed out, there were 815,552 Nordic tourist arrivals in Thailand and 435,733 during the first five month of this year. (TNA)