Thailand has long been regarded as a top travel destination with its tropical islands, cuisine, historical and cultural treasures, and bustling markets. It has also become known for its world-class holistic wellness and health retreats.
Thailand has become known for its world-class holistic wellness and health retreats. (Photo:globalwellnessinstitute.org)
Bangkok (VNA) 🐻– Thailand has long been regarded asa top travel destination with its tropical islands, cuisine, historical andcultural treasures, and bustling markets. It has also become known for itsworld-class holistic wellness and health retreats.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Thailand welcomed 3.42 millioninternational arrivals to the country for medical treatment and health care,generating 140 billion THB (3.99 billion USD) in revenue. The rapid recovery oftourism after the pandemic has contributed to the growth of wellness tourism. According to the Central Bank of Thailand (BoT) and the Ministryof Health, the country earned 11.9 billion THB from health tourism in 2021, an increaseof 47% compared to 2020. Thailand’s five largest health tourism markets includeKuwait, Cambodia, Myanmar, Japan and China. The sector is expected to earn 25billion THB in 2023. Thailand has introduced a Health for Wealth policy, aimingto improve health care services and wellness tourism in order to strengthen theeconomy. Notably, traditional medicine and herbs are given priorities to createprosperity for the country. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor forMarketing Communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said theauthority is coordinating with partners, airlines, tourism agents, restaurantsand hotels to promote the country’s tourism. He said a series of events to highlight the country’s 5Fsoft-power foundations – Food, Film, Festival, Fight and Fashion - are beingtaking place throughout the year. He emphasiesd that Thailand’s wellness tourism has a huge potentialdue to four factors, including well-trained staff, hospitality of the locals,world-class services, and reasonable prices./.
The Thai Ministry of Public Health said the country spent a total of 444 billion THB (2.8 billion USD) on public health to contain the spread of COVID-19 and vaccinate its population during the three years of the pandemic.
Thailand's Ministry of Health said almost 10% of children in the country are clinically obese, and warned that the situation is expected to get worse if parents and teachers fail to improve nutritional awareness among the young.
Women are an important force in driving Thailand’s development, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declared in a televised speech marking International Women’s Day on March 8.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Thailand has become known for its world-class holistic wellness and health retreats. (Photo:globalwellnessinstitute.org) 
