The Public Health Ministry is aiming to promote wellness and medical tourism in Saudi Arabia, while the Labour Ministry expects to send more skilled workers to the Middle Eastern country.
Thai health officials, including Minister Somsak Thepsuthin and permanent secretary Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, yesterday welcomed Saudi Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah al-Kassabi as he visited the Public Health Ministry to discuss plans to strengthen their public health partnership.
Mr Somsak said the discussion would benefit both countries, adding that the Thai government's policy and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's official visit to Saudi Arabia in October showed there are opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs and Saudi Arabia's private sector to form medical partnerships.
He said that he used this occasion to promote Thailand as an international medical hub and announce that the government would allow Saudi citizens to travel to Thailand, along with a maximum of four followers, to receive medical treatment.
Mr Somsak invited Saudis to get treatment and spend holidays in Thailand, touting the country's medical services' comprehensiveness, affordability, and global standards.
He also said that Thailand recently sent 42 doctors to provide medical care to over 7,000 Thai Muslims who travelled to Saudi Arabia to make the Hajj pilgrimage.
Mr al-Kassabi said the Saudi government views Thailand as an important ally, and it is looking to jointly develop each other's economies and form more partnerships in the future.
He added that his country is currently focusing on advancements in the field of public health, which is essential to human lives, and it is studying Thailand's evolution in the field.
Saudi Arabia is also looking to allow Thai investors to invest in its public health sector, he said.
The Saudi minister also met Labour Minster Pipat Ratchakitprakarn on Wednesday to discuss ways to foster economic partnerships between the two countries.
Mr Pipat said he is hoping to send Saudi Arabia more skilled Thai workers to different industries, especially the tourism and healthcare industries, with Mr al-Kassabi praising Thai workers for being internationally recognised.