TMWTA President Presents Thailand’s Medical and Wellness Tourism Strategy at BIMTC 2026 in South Korea

Dr. Anusak Kongmalai highlights Thailand's vision for a science driven wellness economy, lifelong healthcare journeys, and stronger Thailand - Korea cooperation at an international medical tourism convention in Busan.

BUSAN, South Korea – Dr. Anusak Kongmalai, President of the Thai Medical and Wellness Tourism Association (TMWTA), delivered a special presentation at the Busan International Medical Tourism Convention 2026 (BIMTC 2026), held at BEXCO in Busan, South Korea, on November 13, 2026.

Invited as an international guest speaker, Dr. Anusak presented “Thailand’s Medical & Wellness Tourism Strategy and the Future of Healthcare Travel in Asia,” sharing Thailand's strategic direction for medical and wellness tourism and exploring opportunities for regional healthcare cooperation.

The presentation highlighted the changing nature of international healthcare travel, emphasizing a transition from traditional treatment-focused tourism toward more comprehensive, long-term health and wellness experiences.

From Medical Treatment to Lifelong Health Journeys

One of the central themes of the presentation was “From Treatment Destinations to Lifelong Health Journeys,” reflecting a broader vision for the future of healthcare tourism.

Dr. Anusak outlined three interconnected pillars supporting this transition: Medical Excellence, Wellness, and Connected Care.

Medical Excellence focuses on safe and effective clinical services, qualified healthcare professionals, and coordinated treatment and recovery.

Wellness emphasizes prevention, healthy aging, physical and mental well-being, and evidence-informed experiences that incorporate cultural and lifestyle elements.

Connected Care highlights the importance of preparing patients before international travel, maintaining continuity of care across healthcare providers and borders, and providing appropriate follow-up after patients return home.

Together, these pillars illustrate how medical tourism destinations can move beyond individual treatments to offer more integrated healthcare experiences.

Advancing Thailand's Scientific Wellness Economy

The presentation also introduced Thailand's vision for developing a Scientific Wellness Economy, positioning science, research, technology, and innovation as important foundations for the country's future wellness industry.

The strategic framework presented seven pathways for development, including strengthening the wellness ecosystem, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises, encouraging creativity and innovation, developing entrepreneurs, improving government support, building regional wellness clusters, and establishing a continuous implementation roadmap.

The framework also emphasized the role of collaboration among healthcare providers, wellness businesses, entrepreneurs, academic institutions, and government organizations.

Through these approaches, Thailand aims to strengthen its medical and wellness tourism ecosystem while supporting sustainable industry development.

Strengthening Thailand–Korea Healthcare Cooperation

Another key part of the presentation focused on opportunities for cooperation between Thailand and South Korea.

Under the theme “Thailand and Korea: Stronger Through Cooperation,” Dr. Anusak highlighted complementary strengths in clinical expertise, medical technology, international patient services, and wellness development.

The presentation identified several potential areas for collaboration, including professional exchange, joint healthcare service development, research, and coordinated healthcare travel experiences.

These opportunities reflect the growing importance of cross-border cooperation as healthcare destinations seek to improve service quality, continuity of care, and international patient experiences.

TMWTA's Role in Supporting Industry Collaboration

The presentation also outlined TMWTA's role as a collaborative platform connecting entrepreneurs, government agencies, academic institutions, researchers, innovators, and international partners.

By encouraging cooperation across these sectors, the association seeks to support the development of Thailand's medical and wellness tourism industry and strengthen its international connections.

Dr. Anusak's participation at BIMTC 2026 provided an opportunity to share Thailand's experience and strategic vision with healthcare and tourism stakeholders from South Korea and other international markets.

The event highlighted the importance of moving beyond competition among healthcare destinations toward cooperation that can create better experiences for international patients and wellness travelers.

As Asia's healthcare travel industry continues to evolve, Thailand's focus on medical excellence, preventive wellness, and connected care offers a framework for developing more comprehensive and sustainable healthcare tourism services.

 

Source : Dr. Anusak Kongmalai