Swedes look at tourism for the elderly
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| Mr Levin (blue shirt)
and his party |
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Tage Levin, the President of the Swedish-Thai Chamber of Commerce
(STCC), which is based in Östersund, Sweden, recently led a
group of colleagues to Phuket to look at facilities for the elderly
on the island, along with health services in general. The aim of
the visit was to promote health tourism, with an emphasis on elderly
Swedes.
Mr Levin and his party visited Vachira Phuket Hospital, Patong
Hospital, the Bangkok Hospital, Phuket, and the Centre for the Elderly
in Pa Khlok.
He said afterwards that he was very impressed with overall health
care services in Phuket, especially the programme for the treatment
of elderly people at Patong Hospital. There is a possibility, he
noted, that elderly Swedes coming to Phuket might be able to join
this programme.
He added that promoting the idea of elderly and health tourism
from Sweden to Phuket would require cooperation among three groups
of people – travel agencies in both Sweden and Phuket, property
owners in Phuket and the STCC. “We can come up with packages
– three months, perhaps, or six months – and try to find
good properties or hotels that are suitable for accommodating elderly
Swedish tourists,” Mr Levin explained.
Runjuan Tongrut, Assistant Director of the TAT in Phuket, told
Phuket.com, “If this idea becomes a reality, it will help to
bring more income to the people of Phuket and will also confirm
the island’s status as Asia’s premier health tourism destination.”
Mr Levin received a Friend of Thailand Award in 2004. Awards are
made every two years by the TAT to recognise good work by foreigners
that benefits Thailand.
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