Thailand's aging population (14.5M elderly now, projected 20M in 15 years) presents an opportunity through "Longevity Economy"—combining tourism and wellness sectors worth ~30% of GDP. Dr. Suphavut argues this is better than competing in manufacturing with stronger economies and could reduce health-care budget strain (top 5% of patients consume 50% of annual health spending). He recommends: (1) quality-focused tourism, (2) tourist safety/anti-fraud initiatives, (3) state agencies as facilitators not just regulators for Thai herbs/traditional medicine, and (4) investment in medical workforce and centralized health data to establish a Medical Hub, with taxation on foreign patients for equity.
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