Big Business: Medical tourism in Thailand
Big Business: Medical tourism in Thailand
A majority of the 80,000 plus Omani tourists that arrived in Thailand last year, visited Thailand seeking medical treatment, stated Thailand’s Ambassador to Oman, Jesda Katavetin, while speaking about Medical Tourism in the Kingdom.
Elaborating on the topic of Thailand being a major destination for medical tourism, Jesda Katavetin said that top-of-the-line equipment, affordable hospital care, well trained medical personnel, together with easy access to medical professionals makes Thailand a top destination for people seeking quality healthcare.
Jesda Katavetin also added that Omanis were welcome to obtain a visa-on-arrival, and that Thailand has also offered a multiple-entry visa with six months validity and up to a 60 day period of stay (at a time). China has also made similar changes to its visa regulations in a hope to boost tourist numbers in both countries.
New airlines that offer direct flights between Muskat and Bangkok have been launched to help boost the number of travellers in this sector.
According to Ambassador Jesda Katavetin, Thailand and Oman have enjoyed a healthy bilateral relationship for a considerable period of time and share a lot of things.
In 2015, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Sultanate of Oman celebrated 35 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Jesda Katavetin also noted that in an attempt to diversify the Sultanate of Oman’s economy, Thailand can indeed be a good partner especially during this crisis period. Thailand can lend its professional services in sectors like fisheries, medical services and tourism.
In fields, like fisheries, Thailand has A-grade expertise that it can easily share with its trade partners such as the Sultanate of Oman to help the nation diversify its economy. Thailand can go to the extent of helping Oman become a hub for fisheries in the GCC.
The Kingdom of Thailand believes that it can forge business relations with the Sultanate of Oman successfully. An Omani for instance can easily partner up with a company in Thailand by investing capital and resources in the service sector businesses like hospitals.
Speaking on the Thai community in the Sultanate of Oman, the ambassador stated that Thailand had a small community in Oman that constituted around 500 nationals, 300 out of which were successfully engaged in operating the national carrier of Oman. This indeed shows the level of demand for Thai hospitality he continued.
He concluded his speech by congratulating His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman on behalf of the Thai community in Oman on the auspicious Renaissance Day of the Sultanate and extending their gratitude for his kindness in allowing them to live peaceful and prosperous lives in Oman.
Keywords/phrases – Sultanate Of Oman, Medical tourism, Jesda Katavetin, Thailand, Oman
