Prachin Buri to be promoted as ‘Wellness City’

BANGKOK, May 13 (TNA) -- The Public Health Ministry’s Health Services Support Department will put effort in making Prachin Buri province as pilot model for “Wellness City” in Thailand, said Dr Visit Tangnapakorn, director-general of the department. He said his department is now cooperating with the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine in making Thailand the medical hub in this region. According to the first five-year Thai Herbal Development Plan, being implemented from 2017, four provinces including Surat Thani, Chiang Rai, Sakon Nakhon and Prachin Buri have been chosen to develop Thai herbs. Prachin Buri will become the pilot model for “Wellness City” and the province will be equipped with spa, Thai traditional massage, medical treatment in both Thai traditional and modern methods, long-term home stay, food products for health, and convention venue, he said. Cooperation has been made with the renowned Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in creating safety under the development plan. The plan to create “Wellness City” in those four provinces comes after an official statistics released by Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital said about 117,270 foreign patients received treatment in Thailand in 2014 and the number increased to 255,456 the following year. (TNA)