Dr Sanguan Kunaporn

"I got inspiration from Khun Anurak Thansiriroj, the managing director of the Phuket International Hospital," Dr Sanguan recalls. "He said to me, 'Why don't we let the outside world know what we are capable of, here in Phuket?'"

Khun Anurak was referring to the skills of the medical community in Phuket in general. Dr Sanguan admits that, at that time, he had no idea how to start marketing or spreading the word out about his own work. How could a lone surgeon from a nowhere place like Phuket in a developing country like Thailand break through into the wide world? He struggled for a long time to find answers until his "true hero", the Internet, caught his attention. On January 1, 1998, when Internet use was still in its infancy on Phuket, Dr Sanguan launched his own website, www.phuket-plasticsurgery.com. He considers it the best investment he has ever made; the cost was minimal but the feedback has been huge. Demand for his sex reassignment skills took off like a rocket. To date he has done more than 600 such operations.

Unexpected

the Phuket Laser Center

Dr Sanguan's success paved the way for other medical services, including cosmetic surgery and dental treatment. Now, high-standard private clinics can be found almost everywhere. In Patong, for example, there is the Phuket Laser Center. Its public relations manager, Pipat Pokiaw, says the clinic opened just last November. It has done very little advertising, he says, yet the place is full of patients. The clinic has three main areas of expertise: LASIK eye surgery; laser tooth whitening; and skin rejuvenation using techniques such as Thermage, Botox and Intense Pulsed Light.

Khun Pipat Pokiaw

Khun Pipat says, "Ninety-nine percent of our customers are from abroad. Most are walk-ins. Some know of us from our website (www.phuketlaser.com) and come to us when they arrive in Phuket. Even though we have invested a lot in opening this center - more than 55 million baht - we didn't expect business would reach this level so fast. It may be because we opened at the beginning of the tourism high season; we may have to wait to see how good it will be in the low season," he says. But he doesn't seem concerned.

The price advantage

Dr Sanguan says his fee for a sex-change operation is around 30% to 40% of the price for the same procedure in the US. Khun Pipat agrees. Prices at Phuket Laser Center, he says, are about a third of those in the US.

The prices below demonstrate why Phuket has developed a reputation as a good-value destination for plastic and cosmetic surgery and associated procedures.

The more the merrier

Dr Sanguan used to be the only plastic surgeon on Phuket. But things have changed; now there are more than five such surgeons in full-time practice on the island. In addition, there are several surgical and dental specialists from Bangkok who fly down regularly. Medical services, especially plastic and cosmetic surgery, have ushered in a new kind of tourism for Phuket.

Next month, Phuket.Com magazine will feature a close-up-and-personal chat with Dr Sanguan about his unique work. Don't miss it.