The hospital will open an ophthalmology centre at the end of this year, and several more specialist centres later. The hospital launched a neuroscience centre and an advanced neurodiagnostic centre last month after spending more than Bt100 million. It opened a cardiac institute last year and a bone and joint institute two years ago.

Boon said all these centres were expected to be listed as world specialist centres soon due to the cheaper medical treatment in Thailand and the international standard of service.

The company targets revenue of Bt700 million this year, up from Bt415 million last year, or an increase of 70 per cent, according to Boon.

Sixty per cent of its patients are foreigners, he added, mainly from the Middle East. However, the United States is another interesting market to consider.

He has sent negotiators to talk to the public sector and insurance companies about transferring patients to Piyavate Hospital.

"If patients in the US come for treatment in Thailand, they will pay only 20 per cent of what they pay there," said Boon.

Thailand welcomes about 1.2 million patients annually from other countries and this segment is estimated to be worth Bt60 billion this year, up from Bt40 billion last year.

Chalida

Ekvitthayavechnukul

The Nation