Patients coming from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and China to Thailand for medical purposes now have permission to stay in the country for up to 90 days, according to local media reports. The government increased this total up from 30 days as it looks to build the country into a medical hub.
The government plan also allows for up to 4 companions per patient to be eligible for the 90-day extended stay. The plan went into effect immediately and this collection of 5 countries is the second group to be granted permission to stay in Thailand for 90 days for medical purposes. The Gulf Cooperation Council was the first group to receive 90-day medical stays.
In addition to this, the Thai government also approved long-stay visa extensions for citizens of 14 countries that now allows them to stay in the country for up to 10 years, reports the Bangkok Post. Citizens from Australia, Japan, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States who are in Thailand for medical treatment are eligible for the visa programme.
It will also be possible for spouses and children of those staying with the patient to also apply to receive the visa. Those from eligible countries are offered a permit to stay in the Kingdom for 5 years with the possibility to extend the visa for a further 5 years.
While Thailand is a growing hub for medical tourism, foreign patients needing to stay for long periods of time faced issues extending their stay. In order to make the process easier, the government opted to grant these groups more time in the country to complete treatment.
The goal of the government is to develop capacity at all levels to improve medical facilities and ensure quality, says Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister, to the Bangkok Post. It also wants to encourage foreigners to travel to Thailand for medical treatment and hopes the new long-term stay extensions will do this.
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