New clinic aims to ride wrinkle-free tourism boom
Tourists seeking tummy tucks, buttock implants and skin rejuvenation will have another option in Bangkok when Rattinan Medical Centre opens its new hospital by the end of this year, its founder and chairwoman, Rattinan Treeratana, told a press conference on Wednesday.
Rattinan Medical Centre – which specialises in cosmetic surgery and laser treatments – has limited space and some patients have to be transferred to other hospitals for recovery after surgery, Rattinan said.
This is “extremely inconvenient” for both the centre and its patients, she said.
"Most aesthetic patients do not want to be treated in the same manner as normal, sick patients," she said.
“So, we see an urgent need to construct our new hospital, which will provide completely comprehensive and integrated care while maintaining the highest quality of standards.”
The new centre will be a four-floor building with 120 beds within Town Hall Sukhumvit 49, which is located in the Thonglor neighbourhood of Bangkok.
The new medical centre is scheduled to open at the end of 2023, during peak tourism season.
The new centre is the result of a collaboration with FICO Group, a major player in the hotel and commercial real estate sectors, Rattinan Medical Centre CEO Suthipong Treeratana said.
FICO is responsible for building the facilities, while Rattinan will be a long-term tenant, Suthipong said.
The goal is to increase the number of foreign clients to one-third by the end of this year, Suthipong said.
The partnership with FICO is a “watershed moment” for Rattinan, as fusing cosmetic surgery with travel is becoming increasingly popular, he said, adding that the cosmetic-surgery market is rapidly expanding in Thailand and globally.
Rattinan Medical Centre has averaged annual growth of 15% since 2012, Suthipong said. Despite the impact of Covid-19, the centre's revenue increased by 60% in 2022, he said.
It plans to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand within five years.
The Town Hall project, with an investment of over 3 billion baht, is a large mixed-use development located just a short distance from the Thonglor BTS station, said Sithi Srichawla, vice chairman of FICO Group.
It includes a residential building, office space, a mall, and Rattinan Medical Centre.
He said that the Marriott-operated residential area will open in June, while the community mall will open in October, followed by Rattinan Medical Centre at the end of the year.
"This collaboration between Rattinan Medical Centre and FICO Group is viewed as a new option for Thai and foreign customers alike, catering to the high-end to mid-range market," he said.
The government recently said it wants to promote Thailand as a medical tourism hub.
Thailand's medical tourism industry was ranked among the top five in the world by the Medical Tourism Association in 2021.
This recognition demonstrates the country's readiness to accommodate all aspects of wellness tourism, including cosmetic surgery, which has the potential to drive the economy and generate significant revenue, the association said.
