Thais urged to conduct health businesses in Hong Kong

BANGKOK, April 7 (TNA) - Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion has encouraged Thai operators to conduct health businesses in Hong Kong as demand for health care there is expected to increasing due to rising number of elderly. Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the department, told reporters on Monday that Hong Kong is working to improve its health services and hospitals as one-third of its population will be 65 years old or older within 2041. This is a good opportunity for Thai operators to open nursing homes in Hong Kong as Thailand’s standard of medical and care services are internationally recognized, while prices for the services are much cheaper than in Hong Kong, Nuntawan said. She encouraged establishments of mutual recognition arrangements (MRA) in medical, nursing and health service sectors to help Thai professionals in these fields to work in Hong Kong. The fertility rate in Hong Kong is at 1.2 per woman, while many Hong Kong couples prefer pets to having their own child, according to Nuntawan. The median age of the Hong Kong population will rise to 56.3 years within 2040 and the dependency ratio will increase from 355 to 712 per 1000 persons. (End)