Detour
As cars pull up to the entrance, friendly staff welcome each new arrival. Inside the high-ceilinged lobby, plush sofas and chairs upholstered in elegant blues and mauves are scattered around massive teak columns. A Starbuck's coffee shop in the corner dispenses lattes and Frappucinos to a steady stream of customers. Only the appearance of the occasional white-clad orderly pushing a wheelchair seems out of place in this five-star atmosphere. But this is Bangkok's Bumrungrad Hospital, a 554-bed private facility headed by Curtis Schroeder, who formerly ran a private hospital in California. Like many others, he sees Thailand as a regional healthcare hub in the making. "I know of no other country that can provide this level of international quality at this price," he says.
Schroeder claims Bumrungrad's prices are as little as one-third of those found in Singapore, one-fifth Taipei's and Hong Kong's, and about one-tenth costs in the U.S. Add the traditionally high standard of Thai service to the mix, and he believes he has a winner on his hands. The Thai government agrees. The Department of Export Promotions showcased eight Thai hospitals, Bumrungrad included, on a four-city Asian roadshow in March. The Tourism Authority of Thailand recently released a healthcare directory for the travel trade, highlighting the country's holistic treatments like herbal medicine and massage.
Bumrungrad is no slouch at promoting itself. Schroeder began looking overseas for patients after the Thai baht crashed in 1997. He sent sales representatives around Asia and marketed Bumrungrad's medical services online at www.bumrungrad.com. Today, he runs the only hospital in Thailand with a helipad, serviced apartments for overseas patients' families, $150-a-night deluxe private suites and an inhouse McDonald's. Almost makes you want to be sick, doesn't it?
By Jennifer Gampell
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June 21, 1999
Hot Tip For ease of access, disabled travelers are well-served at many Asian hotels
Web Crawling A handy guide explaining how to avoid common air travelers' complaints and a website posting country updates on vaccines and medical requirements
Detour Thailand becomes a regional healthcare hub, highlighting holistic treatments like herbal medicine and massage
Main Feature There is now a recognized medical condition linked to long periods of immobility in cramped airline seats
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