Page 27 - FoodFocusThailand No.170 May 2020

SCOOP

Learning from COVID-19 situation,
Thailand requires an alarm system
of health. Together with the advance
of AI system, our doctors can
manage the pandemic situation
much more effectively. It also helps
to gain a competitive advantage
on health care business for the
country.

The World after COVID-19 Remedy:

The Era of AI Doctor

Favipiravir, Chloroquine, or Andrographis paniculata (Cr: The opportunity to produce drugs against COVID-19, or various disease
Government Pharmaceutical Organization). such as cancer. However, there is no essential support to make them
7. Ramathibodi Hospital has now been supported by Huawei on successful.
AI technology through the mobile phone system. This technology
allows doctors to access their patients across the continent, enabling Comments/Suggestions
a faster monitoring, and much more accuracy on diagnosis. 1. By looking at China as example, many experts think COVID-19
pandemic will be controlled by this year. However, there is no guarantee
Weaknesses that the pandemic will never return. In the past, we believed that Polio
1. The competitor like South Korea is able to advertise their was once disappeared forever, but yet it has unfortunately come back.
medical service while Thailand has restricted by some regulations. Therefore, the trend of health care will be much more important than
2. The production of doctors in Thailand is still limited. In ever. This is a good opportunity for a health care business for the country.
comparable to Malaysia and Singapore, their governments have fully 2. There should be a center of ownership for a health care business
supported to expedite the growth number of medical teams, enabling development in Thailand, so that many functions can support one
them to become a medical hub. another productively. For instance, the development of Thai herbs shall
3. The visa applications of patients and their relatives to Thailand focus on a disease treatment. Then, these herbs shall be promoted to
are too complicated, and time consumed. use in hospitals in compatible with the modern medicine. Furthermore,
the health tourism can be related to many business groups such as
Opportunities spa, herbs, medicine, tourism, beauty/anti-aging business (supporting
1. In lesson of COVID-19 outbreak, the people around the world the elderly society), recovery hub, hotel, and transportation. The bundle
are urged to take good care of their health now with a consistent development program will greatly help to recover the country economic
keep-up. after COVID-19 recession. Thus, it shall be actively planned in this
2. Thai government can promote the health tourism industry; for period. Ministry of Commerce may act as the marketing frontier for
examples, 1) Expanding a remedy stay for health tourism from CLMV hospitals to promote Thai health tourism thru the fairs around the world.
and China to 90 days 2) Special expansion of 10 year long stay visa There shall be a development program on the quality standards of
granted to the people from 14 countries including Japan, Australia, products and services in health business. Furthermore, there should
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, be a plan to increase doctors, or to migrate them from ASEAN countries
Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United in order to meet such a quick growth.
States (Cr: Dr.Sittipol Wiboonthanakul). 3. The development program across several relevant functions are
3. In many countries such as Italy, Iran, Lao PDR, the Philippines, necessary such as Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Commerce,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, India, and Software Park to develop a long-distance AI medical service
Egypt, Chile, Peru, South Africa, and Bangladesh, the inability of program. The technology via mobile phone can be used for a quick
public health responsiveness against COVID-19 will push their people diagnosis for an urgent medical assistance. This advance of technology
to look for a good quality health service overseas (Cr: Dr.Paisan will surely gain Thailand a competitive advantage on health tourism. It
Maraprygsavan). also can be used as an alarm monitoring for NCDs disease such as
diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart disease, obesity, alcoholism,
Obstacle high blood pressure, cancer, etc.
1. There is no ownership to lead an overall health care business 4. Visa application for an emergency case including their following
development in Thailand. Its business development program is relatives shall be quickly facilitated.
currently disorganized. This can cause the brain drain problem of 5. Thai food is a natural healthy food. It should not be forgetful to
medical personals from public to private sectors. In addition to the promote them concurrently.
knowledges of Chinese and Thai traditional medicine, there is a great

MAY 2020 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 27

20/4/2563 BE 14:51
25-27_Scoop_2 �����.indd 27 20/4/2563 BE 14:51
25-27_Scoop_2 �����.indd 27