Section:｜Agencies｜Policies & Strategies｜Academic｜Thailand-Taiwan｜International Collaboration｜Table｜

 Related Agencies

• Ministry of Public Health (MoPH)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES)
• National Health Security Office (NHSO)
• Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA)
• WHO Country Office in Thailand​​​​​

  Policies & Strategies

 Futures of Health and Wellness in Thailand 2033

In March 2024, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) collaborated with several government agencies and futurist centers in Thailand to release a research report, “Futures of Health and Wellness in Thailand 2033”. This study aims to maximize positive outcomes by raising awareness of health and well-being, promoting healthcare development, and preparing for related structural changes. The report also provides an ideal framework for Thailand's healthcare system and related industries. Additionally, it offers guidelines for Thailand's health system to adapt to future changes, which emphasize the importance of collaboration and innovation for the future of the country's healthcare. The research findings provide policymakers, healthcare professionals, and innovators with a model for creating a healthier and more prosperous future for Thailand.

National Innovation Agency (NIA) Director Dr. Krisphaka Bunfueang emphasized the national importance of health and wellness. She also pointed out that some Thai startups are already providing innovative digital services to meet various health and wellness needs. These include technologies such as personal health information management systems and telemedicine platforms for mental health that leverage artificial intelligence. Under this research initiative, all participating parties aim to leverage their foresight and digital technologies to help stakeholders better respond to emerging challenges and seize opportunities for innovation and growth. (OpenGov, 2024) (ETDA, 2024)

Thailand Country Cooperation Strategy 2022–2026)
The Thailand Country Cooperation Strategy 2022–2026 is a comprehensive health strategy jointly developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Royal Thai Government, and other public health agencies. This forward-looking initiative outlines a national vision for universal health coverage and establishes a robust framework for public health oversight and evaluation. In order to play an active role in global health initiatives, the strategy incorporates the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.

In the six priority areas of the Thailand Country Cooperation Strategy 2022–2026, the portion outlining digital health is titled “Convergence of Digital Health Platforms and Health Information System”. The focus areas and objectives are as follows:

1. Up-to-date analysis of governance mechanisms for Thailand's digital health and health information systems.
2. Data set standards and interoperability for road traffic injuries, migrant health, and genomics.
3. Framework for health data management and data sharing protection in Thailand.
4. Facilitation of Thailand’s open data programs to support research and policy-making.
5. Virtual Hospitals and Telemedicine in Thailand.

2017-2026 eHealth Strategy

In August 2017, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) launched the 2017-2026 eHealth Strategy to develop Thailand's digital health infrastructure. This strategy aims to enhance collaboration between technology companies and healthcare institutions while leveraging public and private funding to establish a more comprehensive information and communication technology system and healthcare model. These efforts seek to enable local hospitals to connect with the public health service system by providing high-speed internet access to hospitals across Thailand. In turn, this will facilitate the sharing of essential patient information and improve patient treatment outcomes. In addition, the strategy focuses on strengthening telemedicine in rural areas and training local digital health professionals to help eliminate misconceptions about health in rural communities. (MoPH, 2017)

The demand for health technology services has increased along with Thailand's aging population and rising rates of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory illnesses. This growing demand presents significant business opportunities for the health industry as people are encouraged to adopt digital health devices or telecare services to monitor and manage their physical and mental health. (Pattarawan Mai Prasarnphanich Chulalongkor University, 2022)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand adopted several digital health solutions, including:

1. หมอพร้อม (Mor Prom), สมุดสุขภาพประชาชน (H4U), and Primary Care Cluster (PCC) — launched by the Ministry of Public Health to allow Thai citizens to access their health records online.
2. DDD-Care — developed by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC).
3. Telemedicine services — provided by multiple hospitals and clinics in collaboration with the National Health Security Office (NHSO).

Academic Initiatives

Mahidol University
In August 2023, Mahidol University, Siriraj Hospital, and True Corporation, a Thai telecommunications company, jointly launched the AI Smart Logistics for 5G Smart Hospital project. The project, which has been led by the Centre of Logistics Management and Healthcare Supply Chain (LogHealth) at Mahidol University's Faculty of Engineering, developed 5G cloud computing and AI technologies to manage smart drug storage and transportation systems. These systems include medical supply inventory management, medication delivery scheduling, 5G autonomous vehicles, and smart payment platforms. The technologies are being implemented at the teaching hospital portion of Siriraj Hospital to enhance the efficiency and quality of services. This aims to establish Siriraj as a model smart hospital and a sustainable healthcare center in Thailand. (Mahidol University - LogHealth, 2023) (The Nation Thailand, 2023) (True Blog, 2023)

Thammasat University Hospital

To support the transformation of Thammasat University Hospital into a smart hospital, former NSTDA President Narong Sirilertworakul and the Thammasat University Hospital Director Pharuhat Tor-Udom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on digital healthcare research and development in February 2021. During the meeting, the former President of NSTDA highlighted several healthcare innovations and solutions developed by the Assistive Technology and Medical Devices Center (A-MED), MTEC, and NECTEC. Some of these innovations were co-developed or tested in collaboration with Thammasat University Hospital, including:

• DentiiScan, a dental scanner

• BodiiRay S, a digital chest radiography system

• A positioning device to provide shoulder surgeries for patients in a beach chair position

• μTherm, a multi-person body temperature screening system

In addition, NSTDA and Thammasat University Hospital are developing a prototype device that leverages an indoor positioning system using Bluetooth Low Energy to track the location of medical equipment within the hospital building and monitor energy consumption. This system is intended to design a management system for medical equipment usage. Both parties plan to expand their collaboration with more projects in the future and aim to bring these innovative solutions to members of the University Hospital Network (UHosNet) and eventually commercialize them. (NSTDA, 2021)

Khon Kaen University

In 2018, the Khon Kaen Smart City, alongside Phuket, was recognized by IDC Thailand as one of the most outstanding smart city initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan). Both cities received IDC Asia-Pacific Smart City Awards in 2018, with Khon Kaen winning in the Public Health and Social Services category and Phuket in the Tourism, Arts, Libraries, Culture, and Open Spaces category. Within the Khon Kaen Smart City, the Khon Kaen University Faculty of Medicine represented a portion of the Khon Kaen Smart Living project. The Khon Kaen Smart City has aimed to enhance healthcare services through digital technology by bringing together local hospitals, businesses, academia, and government agencies.

Participants in this project include:

• Khon Kaen University Faculty of Medicine Srinagarind Hospital
• Khon Kaen Provincial Hospital
• Regional Health Promotion Center, Khon Kaen
• Upper Northeastern Pharmacy Association
• Khon Kaen Provincial Health Office

The project's main areas of development are:

• Smart Ambulances
• Preventive Healthcare Services
• Health Analytics

These efforts aim to provide more accurate and personalized medical services by collecting data from healthcare users involved in the project. (Healthcare IT News, 2018) (HIMSS AsiaPac, 2018)

In February 2021, Khon Kaen University Faculty of Medicine Associate Professor Cholatip Pongskul stated at the Khon Kaen Smart City Expo that Thailand’s aging population is presenting new challenges to the country’s healthcare industry. However, the Khon Kaen Smart City aims to address these challenges through smart monitoring systems that track the lifestyles and health conditions of specific patients. This will allow doctors to stay informed about the status of their patients’ health and respond promptly to any potential incidents. The project also features smart ambulances designed to improve dispatch efficiency and enable medical personnel to perform basic diagnostics. Patient information is transmitted back to the hospital before patients arrive, allowing for better preparedness and faster medical response times. The prototype for this smart ambulance system is currently being tested at Srinagarind Hospital. Upon successful testing, the system will be implemented nationwide. It is expected to improve public health in Thailand and reduce the workload on healthcare professionals. (Kohn Kaen University, 2021)

 
Collaboration: Taiwan and Thailand

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)
Overseas Science and Technology Innovation Centers (STICs)

Under Executive Yuan’s New Southbound Policy, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) (formerly known as the Ministry of Science and Technology) is responsible for expanding international research collaboration and promoting the development of the humanities and social sciences. To achieve this, NSTC provides funding to Taiwanese universities and research institutions to establish Overseas Science and Technology Innovation Centers (STICs) in New Southbound countries. Through diverse and flexible approaches, these centers aim to enhance substantial research cooperation and technological innovation exchanges between Taiwan and New Southbound countries.

Taiwan-Thailand Science and Technology Innovation Center (TTSTC)｜Project Duration: 2023/09/01 - 2026/08/31

In September 2023, the NSTC approved funding for the Taiwan-Thailand Science and Technology Innovation Center (TTSTC). The project, which established its center at the Mahidol University Faculty of Dentistry, is a collaboration between National Cheng Kung University and Mahidol University.

The primary objective of this Overseas Science and Technology Innovation Center is to promote Taiwan-Thailand scientific and technological innovation exchange and cooperation. This initiative aligns with the NSTC’s ongoing implementation of technology programs such as the 5+2 Innovative Industries Plan, Smart Taiwan, and Healthcare Cooperation and Industrial Chain Development. It also aims to integrate with Thailand's Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy and Strategy 2023-2027 by facilitating the joint development of innovative technologies and application fields that are in line with the key policies of both countries. Additionally, the center seeks to enhance exchanges and resource utilization with Thai government agencies.

The center will focus on four main areas: Health Technology, Smart Living, Resilient Society, and Sustainable Environment. It aims to promote meaningful international collaboration with local agencies in Thailand while achieving the following objectives:

• Integrating domestic and international resources

• Enhancing international talent networks in New Southbound countries

• Developing innovative technologies and application fields in line with key national policies

• Elevating the level of official exchanges between Taiwan and Thailand 

The center seeks to effectively address political, linguistic, and cultural differences by adopting a model of international industry-academia collaboration. In addition, the center also aims to accelerate the establishment of trusted partnerships through bilateral scientific research cooperation. (NCKU Medical Device Innovation Center, 2024)

Img: Taiwan-Thailand Science and Technology Innovation Center at Mahidol University

Taiwan Center for Smart Healthcare Science and Technology in Thailand (TCSMH)｜Project Duration: 2020/09/01 - 2023/08/31

In September 2020, the Ministry of Science and Technology (now the NSTC) approved funding for the Taiwan Center for Smart Healthcare Science and Technology in Thailand (TCSMH). The project, which established its center at the Mahidol University Faculty of Dentistry, was a collaboration between National Cheng Kung University and Mahidol University. [For more details, please visit the New Southbound Scientific Research Cooperation Website.]

The center focuses on biomedical startups, smart healthcare, and elderly care. It operates under three main objectives:

1. Implementing international talent deployment and cultivation
2. Jointly developing demand-driven innovative medical technology research and application fields for Asia
3. Helping government agencies and businesses in Taiwan connect with healthcare innovation policies and business opportunities throughout Thailand 

Taiwan-Thailand Medical Tech., Science & Humanities Development Center (MTSHDC)｜Project Duration: 2017/10/01 - 2020/09/30

In October 2017, the Ministry of Science and Technology approved funding for the Taiwan-Thailand Medical Tech., Science & Humanities Development Center (MTSHDC). The center was established in Bangkok through a collaboration between Pingtung Christian Hospital and Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health Department of Mental Health.

The primary objective of the center is to expand smart living platforms to communities in Southeast Asia while establishing a mechanism for the preservation and sharing of international health data. By facilitating collaboration between medical professionals, the center aims to foster civil society throughout Asia while building a bioethics governance framework that connects Taiwan and Southeast Asia. The center's operational model focuses on:

• Expanding the coverage of smart living platforms to suitable communities throughout Southeast Asia.
• Establishing a mechanism for the sharing and preservation of international health data to facilitate cross-border partnerships.
• Integrating telemedicine platforms while developing the necessary information infrastructure for partner organizations in Thailand.

The ultimate goal of this center is to create a demonstration model that is strong enough to export Taiwan's experiences to all parts of Southeast Asia.

The center uses Thailand as a regional hub and adopts a collaborative strategy with neighboring countries to promote community-oriented smart technology applications and ethical governance frameworks. Key aspects include:

• Conferences and meetings play a crucial role in shaping hospital-community partnerships and drive the vision of forward-looking “wall-less” smart hospitals.
• Supporting the growth of the biotechnology industry while creating a platform for the necessary exchange of electronic medical records (EMR) and health information.

In summary, the project promotes the development of Asian civil society by leveraging medical professional collaboration as a bridge to create a shared bioethics governance framework between Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Taiwan-Thailand Medical Tech., Science & Humanities Development Center

During the COVID-19 pandemic, MTSHDC assisted Southeast Asian countries in connecting to Taiwan's mechanism that communicated with Western countries by facilitating experience exchanges and resource integration at both the domestic and international level. The center also noticed that global production models and industry development experienced significant changes during the post-pandemic era. Cambodia, as a country with underdeveloped infrastructure, has demonstrated great potential as an emerging market. Therefore, MTSHDC is collaborating with industry, government, and academia in different countries to leverage Taiwan's strengths in ICT and healthcare integration. The aim is to expand a demonstration hub for the nationalization of Taiwan's smart healthcare system into Cambodia. These efforts will help enhance technology and talent training while establishing Cambodia as a new hub for Taiwan's scientific research and healthcare cooperation in New Southbound countries. (NSTC, 2020)

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ChungHwa Telecom

Since 2021, Chunghwa Telecom has partnered with Thailand in smart healthcare. In March 2021, Chunghwa Telecom partnered with medical businesses such as Imedtac Co. of Taiwan and MD Health of Thailand to reduce the workload of medical staff at Thonburi Hospital Group by introducing Taiwan's smart ward solutions. These solutions included:

• Smart Nursing Stations
• All-in-One Vital Sign Measurement Stations
• Smart Medicine Cabinets
• E-paper Bedside Cards
• Patient Behavior Detection Systems

In May 2022, Chunghwa Telecom expanded the foundation of bilateral cooperation on its Smart Ward POC (Proof of Concept) project by signing a smart hospital cooperative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thonburi Hospital in Bangkok. As such, Thonburi Hospital established a medical service network by collaborating with Chunghwa Telecom to integrate the following technologies:

• Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
• 5G Private Network
• Big Data Analytics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cloud Computing

These technologies were integrated to develop smart hospital solutions that aimed to improve hospital operational management and enhance service competitiveness.

(ChungHwa Telecom 2022)

In September 2023, at the 2023 Taiwan-Thailand Industrial Collaboration Summit, Chunghwa Telecom partnered with Changhua Christian Hospital and Overbrook Hospital of Thailand to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at expanding smart healthcare solutions from Bangkok to Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand.

By utilizing Chunghwa Telecom's telemedicine platform (SynDr.), the project will:

• Enable remote consultations by connecting medical sensing devices with hospital medical information systems.
• Provide telemedicine services to residents in Northern Thailand by creating records of patient vital signs and personal information.

In March 2024, at a press conference for the 2024 Kaohsiung Smart City Summit & Expo, Chunghwa Telecom announced that it had been working with hospitals and the smart healthcare industry throughout Taiwan to establish a mutually beneficial ecosystem based on the principle of “Business helping medicine and medicine helping business”. This Taiwan-Thailand collaboration also aims to address the shortage of specialist doctors in rural clinics while alleviating the inconvenience of long-distance travel for patients seeking medical care. (ChongHwa Telecom, 2023) (ChongHwa Telecom, 2024)

International Collaboration

HIMSS
In October 2019, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society of Thailand (HIMSS) launched the Thailand National Digital Healthcare Workforce Development Initiative (WDI), which aimed at enhancing national digital healthcare capabilities while improving access to telemedicine services. This three-year forward-looking initiative involved eight key hospitals in Thailand, including Khon Kaen University Hospital and the Bangpakok Hospital Group. The program focused on training hospital staff to become Certified Professionals in Healthcare Information & Management Systems (CPHIMS).

The initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness of telemedicine in rural areas across eight provinces in Thailand. Additionally, it focuses on integrating high-speed internet, IoT, and AI technologies to address the shortage of local medical professionals. By building a comprehensive digital infrastructure and combining it with digital health devices and mobile applications, the program enables doctors to provide more timely remote care to patients. (APEC, 2022) (HealthcareITNews, 2019) (ARTNeT, 2022)

Singapore
In July 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) launched a joint initiative to streamline the registration process for importing Thai medical devices into Singapore. The Thai FDA uses Singapore's HSA regulations as a reference and relies on HSA's preliminary assessments to determine the compliance of medical devices imported into Thailand. Under this framework, Singaporean importers are required to submit inspection reports issued by the HSA when applying for import approval in Thailand. According to both parties, this collaboration will reduce registration fees and shorten the document review process for medical devices imported into Thailand. (Pharma to Market, 2022)

Australia
In February 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) signed an agreement to expand the scope and duration of their cooperation in setting regulatory standards for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. This agreement also extends the Indo-Pacific Regulatory Strengthening Program (RSP) until 2027. This collaboration aims to improve access to essential medicines for people throughout Thailand. Additionally, the TGA aims to simplify the registration process for related industries by supporting the Thailand Integrated Regulatory Information Management System (Thai RIMS). By leveraging the regulatory expertise of both countries, this partnership enhances the regulatory capacity of medical products in terms of quality, safety, efficacy, and risk communication. These efforts will ensure that patients receive high-quality and safe medical essentials in a timely manner. (FDA, 2024)

Vietnam
In March 2024, a delegation of representatives from Vietnam Social Security (VSS), the Vietnam Ministry of Health, and World Bank Vietnam visited the National Health Security Office (NHSO) in Thailand for a four-day training and study tour on Thailand’s Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) Payment Reforms. VSS and the Vietnam Ministry of Health have been working closely with Thailand's CaseMix Center (TCMC) and the NHSO to develop Vietnam's DRG system. Vietnam stated that the goal of the DRG payment system is to create a transparent payment system that allows patients and insurance companies to understand medical costs and pay fairer prices. (NHSO, 2024)

Thailand's Policy on Digital Healthcare

Keywords: #Thailand  #Healthcare

Reference/Sources:

Thai Sources

• ETDA (2024.04) 4 องค์กรชั้นนำเปิดตัวงานวิจัย “อนาคตสุขภาพและสุขภาวะสังคมไทย พ.ศ. 2576 (Futures of Health and Wellness in Thailand 2033)”
• FDA (2024.02) Thai FDA and Australian TGA Extend Cooperation to Strengthen Medicine and Medical Devices Regulation
• The Nation Thailand (2023.09) Siriraj Hospital becomes ‘smart model’ with AI-powered innovation
• True Corporation Blog (2023.09) The Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University and Its Partners Shows the Success of AI Smart Logistics for 5G Smart Hospital System
• LogHealth, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University (2023.08) คณะแพทยศาสตร์ศิริราชฯ – วิศวะมหิดล โดย LogHealth โชว์ความสำเร็จ เปิดตัว “ระบบบริหารจัดการคลังยาและการขนส่งอัจฉริยะภายในโรงพยาบาล”
• FDA (2023.02) Thai FDA and Malaysia collaborate to promote the export of health products
• Pattarawan Mai Prasarnphanich, Chulalongkorn University / Asian Development Bank (2022.09) Thailand’s Digital Entrepreneurship and Digital Health and Wellness
• FDA (2022.07) Thailand FDA and Singapore HSA Collaborate on Expedited Medical Device Registration Program
• NSTDA (2021.02) NSTDA and Thammasat University Hospital to work on digital healthcare 
• Khon Kaen University (2021.02) Khon Kaen Smart Living
• Jirawutkornkul, N., Patikorn, C., Anantachoti, P. (2020.07) Access to precision medicine in Thailand: a comparative Study
• Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. (2017.08) eHealth Strategy
• Digital Health. (n.d.). Precision Medicine.
• FDA. (n.d.). What Is Digital Health?

Foreign Sources

• APEC (2023.03) Empowering the Health Workforce through Digital Upskilling

Other Sources

• OpenGov (2024.04) Digital Horizons: Pioneering Thailand’s Healthcare Futurem2033
• Future Tales (2024.03) Futures of Health and Wellness in Thailand 2033
• Pharma to Market (2022. 07) Thailand FDA and Singapore HSA Collaborate on Expedited Medical Device Registration Program
• ECONSTOR (2022) Trade, investment and cooperation in health product and services in the Asia-Pacific Region
• Global Data (2020.05) Thailand’s focus to promote use of technology in healthcare will have significant impact
• HealthcareITNews (2019.10) HIMSS Thailand National Digital Healthcare Workforce Development Initiative launched
• Himss AsiaPac (2018.11) Spearheading digital health initiatives in Thailand with the Khon Kaen Smart Health project
• HealthcareITNews (2018.11) Spearheading digital health initiatives in Thailand with the Khon Kaen Smart Health project

Domestic Sources