Yothi, an area home to many hospitals and medical departments in Bangkok, will be developed into a medical innovation centre within 10 years under the state's plan to make Thailand the medical hub of Southeast Asia.
Stretching from Victory Monument to Rama VI Road, the 170-hectare area is being eyed as a "test bed", or sandbox, for research into medicines and health-related technologies.
The medical hub will also serve as a model for hospitals and universities in other areas, Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said yesterday.
Dr Piyasakol joined hands with the education, science, and technology ministers to kick start the Yothi innovation centre project yesterday, with the aim of raising public awareness of the project similar to the much-touted Eastern Economic Corridor.
The government wants to see Yothi become a catalyst for medical industrial growth, said National Innovation Agency chief Pun-arj Chairatana, referring to the 30,000 rai of land in Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao, which will be grouped together for development into a hub of high-tech industry in eastern Thailand.
Yothi will, in the future, play a key role in promoting tech startups, development of medical businesses, and manufacturing of health products in order to raise Thailand's medical industry to world-class standards.
At present, the area is home to over 10 hospitals and university departments specialising in medical science, dentistry, public health, pharmacy and nursing.
Yothi is home to the Science and Technology and Industry ministries and also houses the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation.
"This will be the largest medical innovation area in the Southeast Asia," Dr Piyasakol said.
Many of the new developments will benefit the public, ranging from "tele-medicine, Hospital 4.0, and precision medicine," he added.
