Health care district will be spruced up for visitors

Government officials said they will invest in making a central Bangkok district that is home to many hospitals and medical research centers, a more beautiful and innovative area so that it will be friendlier for local and international patients and medical tourists.

Bangkok’s Yothi district, which is near the distinctive Victory Monument landmark, has over a dozen major hospitals, specialized healthcare service providers, medical colleges, and research centers within its borders. More than 11,000 medical personnel and staff work in the district’s facilities.

Many have not received the international publicity that some other Thai hospitals have received because those hospitals are located in areas where more tourists tend to stay. Nonetheless, Yothi district is not far from tourist areas, is a public transport nexus, and its hospitals and medical facilities are top echelon.

Thailand is a leading global destination for medical tourists. The Kingdom’s high quality of health care and services and its affordable prices have been a strong draw for patients from overseas. A U.S. magazine, CEOWORLD, recently rated Thailand’s medical care as the sixth-best in the world.

City officials are rebranding the area as the Yothi Medical Innovation District (YMID). Bangkok Deputy Governor Sakchai Boonma said that the project would see the area’s roads, pavements, and other public areas improved, better street lighting and drainage systems, shuttle bus services, and more parking spaces for visitors.

Sakchai led a team of BMA staff along with a design team from Chulalongkorn University and the National Innovation Agency (NIA), which initiated the YMID as a part of the “Innovation Thailand” project, on an inspection tour of the district to direct future work.

Panit Phujinda, Head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of Chulalongkorn University, said the YMID initiative is intended to tap into the vast resources in the community and showcase Thailand’s healthcare services.

A committee comprising representatives from all medical institutes in the area is administering the project.

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