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Nakornthon Hospital opens 1st medical spa Nakornthon Hospital will today open the country's first medical spa. Patients can choose from a combination of Western medicine and local Eastern herbal treatments, hospital medical director Dr Wiroj Trakarnwijitr said. Specialists will sit down with them to discuss the best course of treatment before therapy begins. The new service will cater to the rising demand for spa treatment from locals and foreigners alike. The medical spa was launched in response to the government's policy of developing the country into the "Medical Hub of Asia". Wiroj said the hospital invested Bt10 million last year to set up its spa centre. The centre plans to work closely with tour companies and major hotels to increase the number of foreign patients it sees. The centre sees 50-60 local customers a day. In three years, the centre expects that 50 per cent of its clients will be from overseas. Wiroj added that the centre focuses on middle-class patients. Costs start from Bt250 up to Bt22,000 for a 10-treatment course. The hospital also provides training courses for spa treatment by working with the Thai Traditional Medical Development Foundation. The foundation's secretary-general, Dr Penapa Subcharoen, said the spa business has been growing for years along with people's awareness of health issues. "Thailand has become a popular destination for spa treatment when compared to neighbouring countries. Many medical package tours are on sale overseas and bring high-end tourists into Thailand. This is because we can provide cheaper prices compared to other countries such as Singapore," she said. However, Thailand's has seen a big drop in tourists since last year's tsunami. Penapa said more than 2,500 massage therapists have lost their jobs since the disaster. Most of them used to work in hotels, resorts and spas in Krabi, Phuket and Phang Nga provinces. The Nation 13 July 2005 www.nationmultimedia.com |