THE STUDY OF THAILAND’S COSMETIC SURGERY MARKET AND ATTITUDES OF SURGEONS AND FOREIGN PATIENTS TOWARDS COSMETIC SURGERY IN THAILAND

Abstract

Medical tourism in Thailand is a potentially valuable market, promoted and developed for national advantages. Today, Thai medical services, particularly cosmetic surgery gains foreigners’ reputation, and acquires international attention in world market. The objectives of this research were: 1) to identify factors that foreigners undergoing aesthetic plastic surgery in Thailand for promoting medical tourism market; 2) to study the perspectives of the leading surgeons in aesthetic plastic surgery in Thailand; 3) to study the perceptions of foreigners who had undergone aesthetic plastic surgery in Thailand and; 4) to examine the conditions and practice of aesthetic plastic surgery market in Thailand in relation to medical tourism in Thailand. This research is an exploratory descriptive study, using qualitative research method. Study population, which were obtained though snowballing technique, consists of five actual Thai cosmetics surgeons in the five leading cosmetic surgery hospitals, including Bumrungrad Hospital, Yunhee Hospital, Samitivej Hospital, Bangkok Hospital and Lorlak Hospital, and 10 foreigners who had done cosmetic surgery in Thailand from the five leading cosmetic surgery hospitals. In this research, three theories were applied as the theoretical model, including theory of diamond national advantage, marketing mix for service business (7Ps), and total perceived quality model. Research findings showed that Thailand still earned its place as the first mover in medical tourism, with strengths in factor and demand conditions. Nevertheless Thailand should improve in terms of firm’s rivalry and competition as well as make the related and supporting industry stronger. In terms of factors influencing foreigners to undergo cosmetic surgery in Thailand were mainly price and quality of cosmetic surgery and related services. Most of the leading surgeons perceived that cosmetic surgery in Thailand is currently growing among both the Thai and foreign patients. In addition, the majority of former foreign patients who had undergone cosmetic surgery in Thailand perceived that prices are relative cheap while they are able to receive good outcome after the surgery. Most of them were very satisfied with the surgery outcome and overall service of the hospitals where they had cosmetic surgery done. Overall situation of cosmetic surgery market in Thailand is currently in a growth period and has become a well-known destination for undergoing cosmetic surgery overseas. With competitive pricing comparing to other countries, there are still many rooms for growth and development as long as the hospitals are still focusing on improving their equipment, technologies, services and facilities while receiving good support from the government in terms of advertising and promotion and providing subsidiaries to the hospitals to ensure sustainable growth of the medical tourism industry.