Siriraj Hospital is advancing plans to establish a 17-billion-baht ($520 million) international medical hub in Bangkok, aiming to position Thailand as a regional center for global healthcare. Construction of the Siriraj International Medical Institute (Bangpho) is pending Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval, with full completion projected by 2031.
The facility, part of Thailand’s broader strategy to grow its medical tourism sector, will be located on donated land along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok’s Bang Sue district. Designed as a 19-storey hospital with 442 regular beds, 352 private beds, 90 intensive care beds, and 22 operating theatres, the hospital will also feature a three-storey underground parking garage for 800 vehicles. It is expected to accommodate 650,000 outpatient visits and 20,000 inpatient stays annually.
Construction is anticipated to begin once EIA approval is secured, with design work expected to finish in 2025. According to Professor Dr. Apichat Asavamongkolkul, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, the project is structured under a public-private model, with 65% of the funding (11.05 billion baht) coming from the national budget between 2026 and 2031, and the remaining 35% (5.91 billion baht) from the hospital’s internal resources.
Dr. Apichat stated that international patients will play a significant role in the project’s sustainability. The new facility will initially target 10–20% of its patient base from abroad, particularly from the United States, Europe, and other parts of Asia. However, he emphasized that the primary mission remains serving Thai citizens, in line with Siriraj’s history of public healthcare provision under the 30-baht universal healthcare scheme.
Similar to Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, the new institution will charge private-sector fees, but all profits will be reinvested into Siriraj Hospital’s operations. The project is also envisioned as a center for medical education, research, and professional training.
The initiative aligns with Thailand’s push to enhance its reputation as a medical destination. Once operational, the facility is expected to become a key component of the Siriraj healthcare network, which already treats more than 22,000 patients daily across several affiliated centers including Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, the Golden Jubilee Medical Centre, and Siriraj H Solutions.
Siriraj anticipates the new facility will become financially self-sufficient within four to five years of opening, following the model of Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, which took around six years to reach profitability. The new hospital’s accessibility—by boat and rail and proximity to the Thai Parliament—is expected to further boost the area’s economy.
Siriraj officials acknowledged the crucial contributions of various public agencies, private donors, and healthcare staff in supporting the long-term vision for the project.
