Resulting from a well-developed healthcare system, Thailand has had an outstanding history of health development. The country has shown a higher life expectancy compared to other countries in South East Asia, amounting to approximately 70 years. Despite the developments in healthcare, there are still some continuous health issues. Significant infectious diseases in Thailand include dengue fever, malaria, and tuberculosis. In terms of nutrition related topics, obesity is prevalent in the country due to high sugar consumption, with female obesity more common than male obesity compared to other Asian countries. Another pitfall in the Thai healthcare system is the neglected care for mental health. With dementia projected to rise, psychosis, anxiety disorders, depressions and strokes are common and not brought much into concern. With regards to children’s health, Thailand has strongly countered children mortality for those under 5 years old through vaccination policies and medical checkups.
Due to massive funding from the central government, Thailand is well-equipped with health resources and reaches extensively to non-urban regions. The country is also reformed with its range of healthcare technology, showing a large medical device market compared to other South East Asian countries. The Thai pharmaceuticals market is also one of the largest among the South East Asian countries, implying high accessibility and reach for medicine. In addition, Thailand's healthcare system is also greatly supported with medical personnel, with approximately 37,000 doctors and 165,5400 professional nurses on duty in 2018.
Healthcare in Thailand is very well-developed and has shown great success throughout the years. Despite some ongoing health issues in the population, Thailand has still proven to be very progressive in this sector, becoming an important player in global healthcare.
