16-Feb-17 Thailand's universal healthcare scheme will not be closed down, Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn has said, after rumours of its planned cancellation. His remarks came after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha toyed with the idea of the public paying more for the scheme to reduce the government's healthcare burden. [image: Bangkok Post]

01-Feb-17 Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016. The country is a key destination for medical tourism. In neighboring Thailand, tourism officials said the US ban could lift visitor numbers. "The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector," said Tourism Authority Governor Yuthasak Supasorn. [image: Reuters]

01-Feb-17 The Middle East region, which includes some countries that are a target of Trump's ban, is the top source of patients who travel to the US for medical care. The travel ban could prompt international patients to skip the US and take their dollars elsewhere, such as to Germany or Thailand. [image: Wikimedia Commons]

27-Jan-17 Phyathai 2 International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, is developing a centre of excellence to enhance its medical services and serve a growing number of medical tourists. the hospital is aiming to increase its foreign clientele to 40 to 50 per cent of overall patients. [image: Phyathai Hospital / IHMT]

11-Jan-17 Under pressure Thailand is seeking new markets and promoting health checks. Thailand is under pressure from competition and weaker economies in key source regions - Russia and Middle East. The government is beginning to move promotional efforts to newer markets of China and Indochina. [image: IMTJ]