BANGKOK — Siriraj Hospital is forging ahead with its major 17-billion-baht ($520 million) “Bangpho Medical Hub” project in Bangkok, which is currently awaiting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval. Construction is expected to be completed within five years, with the aim of attracting international patients.
The fees will be similar to those of Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital. All profits will be ploughed back into the running of the original Siriraj Hospital.
Professor Dr.Apichat Asavamongkolkul, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University, told Prachachat Business that the Siriraj International Medical Institute (Bangpho), which is currently at the EIA approval stage, is progressing.
Once the approval is received, the contractors will be appointed. It is expected that the design work will be completed by 2025 and the entire project will be finalised by 2031.
The new facility will be a large hospital on land donated by two unnamed donors on the Chao Phraya River. Given Siriraj’s medical expertise, the land will be used to build a new hospital to maximise the benefit to the public.
Foreign Patient Influx Is the Key
Prof. Dr. Apichat pointed out that Thailand can only become a real medical centre if it is able to accept foreign patients. Currently, many migrant workers are being treated under various welfare programmes. In addition, there is a growing demand from foreigners, especially from the US, Europe and all over Asia, travelling to Thailand specifically for medical care that cannot currently be provided by any other public hospital in Thailand.
In the initial phase, the institution expects about 10–20% of patients to be foreigners, but Prof. Dr. Apichat emphasised that the institute’s main mission is to serve Thai citizens.
“In the future, international patients will understand that this is a state-run hospital, even if it operates on a private model. They will know that the profits go back into helping many other patients. Siriraj has always served patients from all backgrounds and is currently the largest referral hospital for those using Thailand’s 30-baht health care system,” said Prof. Dr. Apichat.
The institute will not only provide healthcare services, but will also serve as a centre for medical education, research and training of future medical professionals.
Fees will be the same as Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital and every baht of profit will be reinvested in the original Siriraj Hospital.
Siriraj Hospital currently treats around 15,000 patients per day, while Piyamaharajkarun Hospital treats around 2,500 patients. Together with the Golden Jubilee Medical Centre, the Siriraj Centre for Geriatric Medicine in Samut Sakhon and Siriraj H Solutions in the ICS Lifestyle Complex (opposite ICONSIAM), the entire Siriraj system treats around 22,000 patients a day, making it the busiest healthcare network in Thailand.
Projected Timeline and Profitability
Prof. Dr. Apichat explained that the Cabinet has approved a 16.96 billion baht ($518 million) budget for the project. The funding will be split between 11.05 billion baht ($338.6 million) from the state budget – allocated over 2026-2031 – and 5.91 billion baht ($181 million) from Siriraj’s own resources, representing a 65-35 percent split respectively.
The project will require around 3,397 medical staff, who will be gradually recruited through networks with other hospitals across Thailand.
The Siriraj International Medical Institute (Bangpho) will be a large healthcare facility on the Chao Phraya River, accessible by boat and train and located close to the Thai Parliament. The hospital’s high standards are expected to attract both local and international patients and boost the surrounding economy.
The facility will accommodate at least 650,000 outpatient visits and 20,000 inpatient stays per year. It will be a 19-storey building with a total floor space of 150,000 square metres. It will house 442 regular beds, 352 private beds, 90 beds in the intensive care unit, 22 operating theatres and a three-storey underground car park for 800 vehicles.
Although it may take some time for the project to generate strong financial returns, it is expected to be profitable within four to five years of opening if performance follows the current plan.
In comparison, Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital only started to generate profits in its fifth or sixth year of operation and is now in its 14th year of operation. It represents a big leap forward as a large number of patients are being treated there.
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