Thailand’s health tech industry valuable for the region, says agency
The Thai Health Tech Association (THTA) hopes the new government will help develop Thailand’s health technology industry to match its growth.
The association’s president, Phongchai Petsanghan, said on Saturday that the Thai health tech industry should grow by 15% this year. He also said Thailand’s healthcare data is valuable and the government should work on seeking benefits from it, like selling it, using it to attract investment or developing new technology.
However, he said, the current laws and regulations posed obstacles. For instance, in Thailand, only hospitals can provide telemedicine services, but not pharmacies or clinics, he said.
Similarly, the Thai Food and Drug Administration’s tardiness in granting approvals sees some medical supplies getting outdated before they hit the market.
“The government should take care of these issues as some technologies have not been able to make their way to Thailand,” he said.
He also said the new government should allow startups to work on state projects.
He added that THTA was promoting Thailand’s health tech industry in three areas, namely helping health tech startups to enter the market, promoting the adoption of deep tech in the health industry like artificial intelligence and cooperating with public and private sectors.
