KUWAIT CITY, Dec 15: A study conducted by the Central Bank of Thailand in cooperation with the Thai Ministry of Health revealed that the volume of spending by tourists who visited the Kingdom last year for treatment in 30 hospitals amounted to 11.9 billion Thai baht (about $344 million), an increase of 47% compared to last year, reports Al-Qabas daily. The Bangkok Post quoted the Director- General of the Health Services Support Department, Dr. Sora Wasitsak, as saying that a majority of the patients come from Kuwait, followed by citizens of Cambodia and Myanmar, then Japan and China, and most of them suffer from bones diseases, joints, heart, blood vessels, teeth and the digestive system.

According to the study, the top five treatments that generated the most revenue for hospitals include cardiovascular problems, metabolic disorders, cancer, bones and joints and the nervous system.

According to the Bank of Thailand, the average expenditure of tourists on treatment last year was 35,000 baht, or about $1,010. The newspaper pointed out that these results are the fruits of the concept of “health for wealth” launched by the Thai Ministry of Health, with the aim of strengthening the country’s economic strength through the promotion of medical tourism.

According to the Medical Tourism Association, last year, Thailand ranked fifth in the world in the list of the most popular medical tourism destinations in the world. Factors that make Thailand a popular destination for tourists include high standards of medical care, quality of treatment, affordable fees and a lower cost of living than other destinations for people who have to stay there for a long time while recovering.