Medical Tourism: The Cosmetic Surgery Thailand Boom

There doesn’t seem to be any good reason why people should not have theircosmetic surgery in Thailand. Although we have less disposable income than ever before, the number of plastic surgery procedures being performed around the world is at an all-time high level. Few nations are reaping the reward for humanity’s desire to improve themselves aesthetically than Thailand. The number of tourists who visit Thailand is approaching the 50,000 per day mark and an increasing number of those are arriving on a medical tourism basis. This is essentially the process of traveling abroad specifically for the purpose of surgery. Though some individuals travel to Thailand for serious life-saving procedures, instances of non-essential surgery are increasing rapidly.

Why Thailand?

The question here should be: Why not? Besides the actual journey itself, there is no good reason not to have cosmetic surgery in Thailand. There are a greater range of procedures available, it’s possible to save thousands of dollars compared to surgery in the West, the surgeons and staff is trained in some of the world’s finest universities and hospitals, the clinics use the best possible equipment and Thailand itself is a stunningly beautiful country. Not convinced? How about asking the thousands of people who have cosmetic surgery in Thailand every day? The 97% satisfaction rate would suggest a pretty good reason to go. The fact that a Nepalese Prime Minister chose Bangkok over anywhere else in Asia is another.

Recent Explosion in Popularity

Medical tourism in Thailand was not always this popular. In fact, it’s only in the last 20 years that people have realized the opportunity they have to look great and save a fortune. Slowly but surely, the number of medical tourists grew. To their credit, the Thai government saw what was happening and immediately acted upon it. They pumped billions of baht into the nation’s hospitals and have been rewarded with a handsome return on investment. Indeed, they have given Western governments a sobering reminder about how badly the healthcare systems of ‘wealthy’ countries are ran.

In the United States, you can expect to pay over $5,000 for a simple tummy tuck. Various Thai clinics perform this procedure for less than $2,000. This is the same situation all across the board when it comes to having cosmetic surgery in Thailand. It is standard to pay 30-50% less in Thailand than a clinic in the West and this often includes the cost of accommodation and flights. Many Thai clinics go the extra mile to help clients by helping them find suitable accommodation, picking them up from the airport and giving them advice on enjoying their Thailand experience.

It has got to the stage where you have to ask yourself if you can afford not to have cosmetic surgery in Thailand. Around 15 years ago, you could either afford plastic surgery in your home country or else you would have to do without. Thailand offers a high quality, low cost solution that simply wasn’t available before. This is terrible for cosmetic practices in the West but great news for customers.