Greater Phuket Splurge In Medical Tourism, Wellness, Stem Cell Projects

Just over the Sarasin Bridge in Natai Beach or Greater Phuket, Thai real estate firm Cissa Group has made public preliminary plans for the Natai Medical Center and Resort. Cissa is teaming up with the Bangkok-based V Plast Medical Group.

Cissa last year acquired the 103-key Natai Beach Resort and plans call for an expansion of the land area to include a Medical Center. Expected offerings would include anti-aging, alternative medicine, physical therapy, and integrative health. Cissa is reportedly in a fund-raising stage for the project.

Making headlines recently is the proposed THB4 billion medical hub in Mai Khao in Northern Phuket. A 141-rai site that falls under Thailand’s Treasury Department and various government departments would be developed in conjunction with the Public Health Ministry.

Plans call for extensive health services including rehabilitation, hospital, and long-term care. While this development was a hot topic during last week’s Cabinet visit, the site has had a number of aborted government projects over the years included a now-shelved international convention center.

Another project which is merging medical tourism and biotech is Thanyapura Sports and Health Resort partnership with SC21 (StemCells 21). The facility is offering premium stem cell treatments, with the key focus on anti-aging, immune disorders, and degenerative diseases.

The Phuket clinic is expected to draw a global audience also addresses various injuries with a regenerative medicine approach and also other medical problems,

On the wellness side Tri Vananda, just North of Talang in Phuket is under development by the Montara Hospitality Group whose most notable project is the ultra-luxury resort Trisara. The former is a planned resort and residential integrated that is focusing on integrative and functional medicine and cognitive wellbeing.

With an overall plan calling for 298 villas, initial construction of the project has already commenced.

Staying on the less is more approach to tourism and the high-end is the Renew You Asia facility. Here the offering is cellular and regenerative medicine along with curated luxury holidays.

Based on an island in Phang Nga Bay, this project aims to appeal to a discreet and elite clientele base.

All of this is resonating with the current economic policy of the country both in incentives though the BOI (Board of Investment) and biotechnology sector promotion.