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A DELEGATION of Thai tourism chiefs and medical experts will be coming to Bahrain in a bid to woo more of the island's residents into trying out treatments at its 'cutting-edge' health centres.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand will visit the kingdom as part of its inaugural regional 'Medical Health and Wellness Road Show' next month.
The initiative will see representatives from Thailand's leading hospitals and wellness centres visit five Gulf States to provide 'first hand information'. The road show will include a series of presentations and round-table discussions in Manama, Muscat, Doha and Abu Dhabi and include the group's participation in a three-day conference and exhibition in Kuwait.
Pramoth Supyen, director of the tourism authority's Middle East office, said: "Thailand has become a favoured destination for Arab travellers whether seeking medical care or leisure pursuits.
"We will showcase Thailand's medical products and services to regional government agencies and officials, as well as to the private sector such as insurance companies and travel agents, providing a unique opportunity for them to meet directly with our leading practitioners, and learn more about the specialisations and expertise we can offer to provide visitors with the best care needed to lead a healthier and fuller life."
Thailand currently holds 38 per cent of the world's market share of patients travelling internationally for health reasons resulting in more than 920,000 annual visitors.
The scope of procedures conducted in Thailand is wide, covering many medical fields and areas of expertise including joint replacement, open heart surgery, cancer treatment, health check-ups, plastic surgery and dental care.
Additionally, many visit Thailand to seek advice for a better quality of life through the many alternative medical centres and hospitals set up to help control and reduce the threat of diabetes, cholesterol, obesity and high blood pressure.
"Especially when compared to other benchmark overseas medical centres in the West, Thailand's medical industry has proven itself with compatible expertise and skill with the added advantage of providing far superior nursing care both through its higher ratio of nurses vis-ˆ-vis patients, as well as through its unique 'Thai' approach and attention to personal care," a tourism spokesman added.
"Furthermore, and without compromising international medical and hygiene standards, the cost effectiveness of Thailand's medical institutions have made it not only an Asian leader in this field, but an international medical hub of repute among the top echelons of medical circles globally."
In each of the cities to be visited a general presentation on Thailand's medical acumen and edge as a health destination, including various facts and statistics, will be provided as well as a presentation by Thailand's internationally-renowned Dr Surapong Ambhanwong, president of the Thai Private Hospital Association and Chief Medical and International Business Officer at Phyathai 2 Hospital.
Round table meetings between Thai representatives and invitees will follow to showcase individual facilities with each event closing with a networking lunch. Participating institutions will include Phayathai 2 Hospital, Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital among others.
The road show will be staged in Bahrain at the Gulf Hotel on October 6 between 11am and 2.30pm.
