Don’t be surprised if your need for a hip replacement or prostrate surgery lands you on a plane to Thailand. The global economic downturn has meant that everyone is searching for the best deals, not only in real estate but also on cars, holidays and medical fees. Governments and health care insurers are feeling the pinch and are consistently looking overseas for more cost effective treatments.

The growth in medical tourism in Thailand has been phenomenal over the past few years. The Kingdom emerged as the largest health and wellness destination globally by welcoming over 1.5 million medical tourists in 2009. And a report published by Marketsmonitor.com (Asian Medical Tourism Analysis 2008-2012) shows that revenue from the medical tourism industry is growing at a double digit rate. Already thousands of private individuals and insurance companies are opting to have treatment in Thailand

It’s not just the lower cost of treatment which attracts people, although for many individuals and insurers this obviously plays a part. Ruben Toral, marketing director at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok explained; "It's not just about the cost, quality is a major issue, the quality of care, the documentation, the delivery."