Thailand, Saudi Arabia wrap up negotiations on health security, medical tourism
Thailand and Saudi Arabia have finalised their first memorandum of understanding on health security and medical and wellness tourism, a senior Public Health Ministry official said on Saturday.
Dr Sura Wisetsak, director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, said Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew and his Saudi counterpart were expected to sign the MoU within the first quarter of this year.
Sura and his team were in Saudi Arabia to work with relevant Saudi officials in finalising the document.
“It took only 45 minutes to complete the negotiations to prepare the MoU. Both sides agreed to cooperate on health security and medical and wellness tourism, which are areas that both Thailand and Saudi Arabia are especially interested in,” Sura said.
Sura said that both the public health minister and Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Opas Karnkawinpong placed much importance on boosting Thailand’s ties with Saudi Arabia through cooperation on healthcare.
The official said that Thailand has no MoU with Saudi Arabia regarding public health cooperation, adding that both countries simply had an occasional exchange of visits to health services facilities.
“This MoU for public health cooperation would be a historic point in public health cooperation between the two countries. And it will mark the starting point for expanding opportunities for cooperation in other fields,” Sura said.
During their trip to Saudi Arabia, the delegation from the Thai Public Health Ministry also met with representatives from a Saudi public health insurance fund. They gave information to the Saudi officials on the readiness of Thailand’s medical facilities to provide medical care for Saudi citizens. The Thai delegation also took part in a tour of medical care services facilities and an advanced “virtual hospital”.
During their visit, Sura and his team also shared information on disease control and measures in Thailand with representatives of Saudi Arabia’s Public Health Authority to create confidence among prospective Saudi tourists in the Thai healthcare system.
Thailand has become a popular destination for patients from the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, to seek medical treatment.
