The ninth edition of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2019 was opened by Dr. Prapon Tangsrikeartikul, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, at BITEC, with a clear focus on addressing the region’s healthcare challenges and objectives as outlined by the Thai government and industry experts. The leading sourcing and networking exhibition is set against a dynamic healthcare industry as Thailand continues to strengthen its status as a medical hub of ASEAN and Asia in line with its Thailand 4.0 policy, which considers the healthcare industry to be a priority sector for investment and further development.

Reflecting the growth in Thailand’s healthcare industry in recent years, this edition of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND will see the largest showing ever of Thai companies – with over 60 companies. Opening the exhibition as guest of honour, Dr. Prapon said he was impressed with the increase [60 percent increase from the 2017 edition] in the number of Thai companies this year covering a range of sectors from hospital equipment to diagnostics and medica technology: “The growing participation from Thai companies underlines the exhibition’s importance as a stepping stone for them to reach local and regional markets, as well as to showcase Thai capabilities,” he said.Echoing this sentiment and on the back of the National Innovation Agency(NIA) of Thailand’s repeat participation at MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND, Dr. Pun-Arj Chairatana, Executive Director, NIA said: “We are very pleased to be back, because we share the same values and objectives. Just like MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND, the NIA is focusing on promoting innovation in Thailand. We have helped a large number of innovative business developers to reach their goals with our services such as the incubation and accelerate programmes, as well as funding. Also, we help Thai innovators to get the international exposure to build strategic partnerships and flourish in both domestic and the wider regional markets.”

NIA will be showcasing some of the hottest trends in medical science such as the 3D printing of prosthetics, wearable technology and telemedicine. Together with the NIA, two other Thai government agencies and industry organizations have national pavilions at this year’s exhibition including the Thailand Center of Excellence of Life Sciences (TCELS) representing the life sciences sector which is experiencing particularly strong growth, and the Medical and Health Device Manufacturers Industry Club (MEDIC) which will include Thailand’s largest latex manufacturer, Sri Trang Gloves.
MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2019 meets industry challenges

Community Care Pavilion

Tackling Thailand’s two most urgent healthcare challenges of a rapidly ageing population and a steep rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), this edition will for the first time introduce the Community Care Pavilion. Conceptualized to bring together stakeholders from various healthcare sectors as they present the latest technological advances, particularly in the areas of diagnostics, artificial intelligence (AI), telemedicine and wearable devices which will be needed to cope with the increasing demands put on the healthcare system by an older population and higher rates of NCDs.

Like many other countries, Thailand is heading towards an ageing society; in relation to other countries in ASEAN, the proportion of citizens aged over 60 is one of the highest in the region. It is also forecast that, by 2045, the proportion of the population over 60 will exceed that of other regions such as Europe and the United States1 Thailand’s ageing society is expected to further drive domestic healthcare demands in the decades ahead, and the Ministry of Public Health estimates that spending on healthcare for the elderly is expected to rise to THB 228 billion in 2022 or 2.8 percent of GDP2

Start-Up Park
The Start-Up Park at MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND is intended to play a
significant role as an enabler of the entrepreneurial ecosystem that encourages life sciences and medical and health innovation in Thailand and the region. As a dedicated platform for innovative, late-stage and maturing healthcare and medical start-up companies, 11 companies from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand will be on show. Here to meet potential investors, industry influencers and buyers, they will exhibit innovations and solutions that include best-in-class thermal disinfectant solutions for bone grafting, AI software systems to reduce diagnosis delay and improve treatment time for sleep disorders, and a one-stop e-platform to search and book appointments with medical and healthcare professionals.

Thailand’s medical and healthcare sectors have been growing in sophistication and size for more than two decades and today they are booming. “Messe Dῡsseldorf Asia is proud to have played a small part in that development as MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND has grown along with Thailand’s healthcare industry since our first exhibition back in 2003. Sixteen years on, from only 177 exhibitors, we have grown to 1,000 exhibitors making this the largest edition of the exhibition since we began,” said Mr Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of
Messe Düsseldorf Asia, organizer of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND.
“Over the next three days, we look forward to welcoming some 12,000 trade visitors from various medical and healthcare sectors of which 40 percent will come from outside Thailand – a testament yet again to the international appeal and relevance of the exhibition,” he added. The exhibition will also host international delegations including those from Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar,Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as local visiting groups from various local public and private hospitals, healthcare establishments and institutions.

Commenting on the relevance of the exhibition to Thailand’s MICE (Meetings,Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry in the welcome speech from the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Ms Kanokporn Damrongkul, Director of the Exhibition Department, said: “After nine editions, it is today a highlight on Thailand’s events calendar, and a must-attend trade show for the region’s medical trade. Our support for MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND is an expression of how TCEB uses trade shows such as these as a tool to drive the “Thailand 4.0” policy.” The MICE sector is an economic driver for Thailand, attracting a total of 1.25 million overseas MICE travelers in 2018,and generating around 95 thousand million baht in revenue.
MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2019 welcomes 1,000 exhibitors from 60
countries, presenting more than 10,000 products; the most comprehensive range of medical and healthcare innovations spanning state-of-the-art imaging and diagnostic equipment, patient monitoring systems, cost-effective consumables and digital healthcare solutions. The exhibition will also see its widest representation of national pavilions and country/regional groups – 21 in total including five newcomers; Brazil, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Israel.

Conferences and concurrent events
MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND’s success has not just been built on the exhibition,and in its bid to be a sourcing and knowledge platform of choice, in collaboration with local and international partners, a wide range of other events and conferences are held concurrently. This year’s line-up includes the 4th Advanced Rehab Technology Conference (ARTeC), WT l Wearable Technologies Conference 2019 ASIA, Hospital CIO Forum, Nursing and Health Literacy for NCD Management, Healthcare Innovation for Ageing Society Conference, and many more.

Strong industry support from the region

MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND is well supported by close to 20 regional and national trade associations from India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam including the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association
(APACMed), the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry, Association of Private Hospitals Of Malaysia, the Philippine Medical and Laboratory
Equipment and Supply Group Inc., and the Vietnam Medical Equipment
Association, among others. The line-up also includes movers and shakers of
the Thai medical and healthcare scene such as; the Private Hospital
Association, Thai Rehabilitation Medicine Association, the Thai Medical Device Technology Industry Association (THAIMED), the Thai Medical and Wellness Tourism Association, and the Thai Elderly Promotion & Healthcare Association (TEPHCA) and more.