When people hear of Thailand, they usually think of the beautiful tourist destination, as millions of people from around the world visit, touring the country and taking in all it has to offer, from its famous tourist attractions to its unique culture and inimitable landscape and scenery. A second context may also be in order, as people may think of a struggling Asian country that can often seem like a third world country which people constantly try to leave towards western countries.

Unfortunately, the majority of people aren’t familiar with another wonderful side that Thailand has to offer its incoming tourists. In addition to the rich history, magic beaches and islands and a legendary capital to tour, Thailand is also known as a medical destination around the world, offering the highest quality of medical care, also compared to western-world standards.

It may surprise some, but Thailand has become a central medical tourism destination attracting hundreds of thousands of medical tourists every year. There travelers come in and visit its state-of-the-art medical centers to undergo different treatments, along with the regular tourists visiting the amazing capital of Bangkok, touring the islands, relaxing on the beautiful beaches and much more.

Medical Tourism

But before we take a look at the medical services that the Thai medical tourism industry offers incoming patients, we will first answer the more general question of “What is medical tourism”?

The term medical tourism describes a global phenomenon in which patients travel across national borders to receive medical treatment. Although some may think this a new trend that has developed only recently, it has been documented that patients have been traveling for medical care for centuries.

The industry has been rapidly growing in the past couple of decades as more and more patients are traveling around the globe for treatments in hospitals up to par with American medical standards. Thanks to a significant improvement in global transportation means and to the fact that the internet has made our world grow smaller, people who were previously unable to receive proper medical care in their own country are suddenly free to look elsewhere. This can be due to improper medical insurance (or none at all) which leads to patients not being able to afford the surgery, long waiting lists which force patients to wait months and even years to undergo specific procedures or simply patients who have the means and would rather travel to countries with better or more advanced medical technology and research in a specific medical field.

Combine these facts with the Thailand’s state-of-the-art medical centers and low prices and there is no surprise in Thailand’s top medical tourism status.

Medical Tourism in Thailand

Thailand hasn’t become a popular medical tourism destination for nothing. There are many central medical treatments that are popularized for the inbound medical travelers.

Heart Bypass Surgery

One of the most common fields of procedures medical tourists come in to Thailand for is the cardiac surgery field, as one major surgery many patients have is the open heart bypass surgery. As this is a critical operation to undergo, patients may find themselves in a problematic situation in which they cannot afford the treatment. There are many advance hospitals in Thailand that cater to these patients, practicing cardiac surgery in the highest level possible and assure the best cardiac surgeons available.

Joint Replacement Surgery

Another common field of procedures medical tourists come in to Thailand for is the orthopedic joint replacement surgery field. As joint replacement surgery can be very expensive without the proper insurance, as well as being a procedure with relatively long waiting lists, this is a popular treatment patients try to seek elsewhere from their home country. Hip and knee replacements constitute the main joint surgeries but a patient can also have wrist, ankle, shoulder and more. Thai hospitals developed a specialty in these procedures as leading orthopedic surgeons perform these procedures with top of the line replacements.

Plastic Surgery

As plastic surgery isn’t usually covered under medical insurance plans, these kinds of surgeries can cost quite a bit when a patient chooses to have a procedure done. For this reason, people who cannot afford them will look elsewhere, trying to find the highest medical quality available for a lower price. All procedures are available, from breast augmentation, lifts, reductions and enlargement, facelifts and other facial procedures, tummy tucks, liposuction and more.

plastic surgery in thailand

On top of these, all Thai hospitals in the country are kept under the strictest protocols; no less than 14 Thai medical centers have received the prestigious JCI accreditation, which assures American standards in management and medicine practiced.

If you are searching for medical treatment abroad, be sure to check Thai hospitals in your medical tourism query, as medical tourists can visit This country for any medical procedure they require. As a bonus, after one is done recovering from the medical procedure they have come in for, they are free to enjoy any type of vacation in the country.

This Article has been written by Stuart Ben, A professional medical tourism facilitator. You can read more about medical tourism in Thailand here: Hospitals in Thailand : TicketMed

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