To achieve the target, the hospital, which last year took in Bt918.4 million, plans to expand its outpatient department, which brings in immediate cash payments to the hospital. It also plans to receive around 5-6 per cent more revenue from the special disease diagnostic services it offers at its cardiology centre and renal disease centre.

"Last year we generated 70 per cent of total revenue from patients who paid cash, while 30 per cent came from the Social Security programme," said Pongpat.

After expenses from a business expansion that continued from last year, the hospital posted a Bt10.64-million profit in the first quarter of this year, compared to Bt17.6 million in the same period a year ago. Pongpat said there would be no similar expenses in the second quarter of the year.

The company has four hospital subsidiaries - Mahachai hospital, Mahachai hospital 2, Mae Klong 2 hospital and Petcharat hospital - with 600 beds overall. All hospitals are capable of handling 2,500 outpatient department patients per day.

It has a market share of around 5 per cent of the hospital industry as listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Pongpat said that despite the hospital's stock lacking liquidity, those who invest in the hospital's stock are interest in long-term returns, including the dividend payments of around 5 per cent per year that the hospital offers.

Mahachai hospital owns around 50 per cent of the 16 million shares in circulation. According to Pongpat, the hospital has no plans to raise fresh funds.

He said that the hospital industry generated a 75-per-cent return last year, the highest return in the past five years, and Mahachai ranked fourth among hospital stocks for high returns.

In August last year, the company established a subsidiary, Wealthy Healthcare Co Ltd, of which the company owns 99.9 per cent, to support the hospital's interests in healthcare services.

Siriporn Chanjindamanee

The Nation