The recent staging of the MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2023 trade fair exceeded expectations and concluded on a high note, attracting over 10,000 trade visitors from 74 countries and regions during the in-person edition (Sept. 13 -15) and more than 94,600 online engagements during the digital extension which ran for seven days until September 22. The region’s leading medical and healthcare exhibition once again impressively continued the positive results of the last edition in 2019.

Due to a significant increase in exhibitor space bookings, the show floor was sold out three months before the start of the event and extended into the foyer outside of Halls 98 and 99 at BITEC in Bangkok. A total of 800 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions showcased their innovations. MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2023 featured the largest number of national and group pavilions (22) in its 20-year history, including first-time participation from Latvia, Poland and Portugal. The share of international trade visitors also increased – with 40% coming mainly from neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, as well as Japan, Korea, China, and Hong Kong.

The internationality of the exhibition and the global showcase of healthcare solutions further improved Thailand’s standing as a choice location and health hub in the region, with MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND offering the ideal platform for international healthcare businesses looking to expand their business in Southeast Asia. Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia, stated: “The vibrant energy and high engagement levels throughout the three-days and ahead of the exhibition with the pre-event webinars, was testament to the region’s demand and readiness to procure medical solutions and healthcare technology and keen interest to do business in Southeast Asia. Seeing exhibitors and trade visitors rekindling in-person face interactions after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, underscored the irreplaceable value of face-to-face connections in the MICE industry. With some 40% of visitors coming from outside of Thailand, this further highlights the relevance of the exhibition and the significance of Thailand as a healthcare destination.”

First-time visitor Nicholas Tham, Director of Ethos Healthcare (Malaysia), was impressed by the wide range of products in one place and the diverse internationality: “Of particular interest was a line of products and technology from a US-based company with their wearable smart patches for healthcare monitoring.”

For French exhibitor SIDAS (Podiatech Medical Foot Solutions), Thailand proved to be “a great location to target the rest of Southeast Asia and to look for relevant partners. It is one of the leading medical markets in the region, and with its strong tourist market also looking for medical treatments here - we found some very good leads,” said Laurent Vinter, Director, International Sales, Medical.

According to Sahin Aziz, Head of Global Business Development at ZKR Intelligent Healthcare Communication Solutions (who presented their nurse calling systems), MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND was the ideal platform to establish industry contacts in the region: “Thailand holds a unique strategic importance. It isn’t just a thriving medical hub, but it is also a gateway to the Southeast Asian markets. Given its significance in the regional medical landscape, MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND was the perfect venue for us to showcase our leading innovations and expand our reach further.”

Japanese pavilion organizer Shimane, Japan, who brought five exhibiting companies, was impressed with the quality and quantity of visitors at their booths: “Our companies are very happy and we are positively optimistic of our return to the next edition in 2025,” said Yoko Morihiro from the Overseas Expansion Support Office, Shimane Prefectural Government.

The positive local visitor numbers can also be attributed to the increase in hospital and group visits from various public and private hospitals, medical facilities and related establishments from Bangkok and the surrounding provinces. Bangkok Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebadindra Hospital, Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, Sirindhorn Hospital, and Ramkhamkhaeng Hospital were among the 54 hospital and healthcare organizations who sent groups of representatives to MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2023.

The heightened interest from the local medical and healthcare sector in promoting Thailand’s expertise and capabilities was also reflected on the show floor by the three Thai pavilion organizers: the National Innovation Agency (NIA) of Thailand, Medical and Health Device Manufacturers Industry Club (MEDIC) under the auspices of The Federation of Thai Industries, and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).

The collaborative representation was also indicative of the country’s commitment to further strengthen its position as a leading hub for medical devices and a world-class provider of medical care under the Thailand 4.0 initiative. According to Srithip Utchin, Senior Consultant, NSTDA: “This year the collaboration and team up by three partner organizations under one strong Thai pavilion was to create impact and showcase the best of Thai medical devices and what the Thai medical device industry has to offer.”

Special highlights at MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2023 were the Community Care Pavilion, the Start-Up Park and the introduction of the Medical Manufacturing Pavilion - addressing a range of needs for the elderly, smart and emerging technologies and high quality medical technology components.

According to Dr Kanat Khrutakul, President, Health and Elderly Establishment Confederation (HEC), who conducted the half-day seminar “Innovation in healthcare devices for elderly care” during the exhibition: “As we witness the rising age in Thai society, events like MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND become essential. They bridge the gap between our healthcare needs and the latest medical innovations relevant for elder care.” Following the seminar, key procurement officers from various elderly care facilities were given a guided tour of the show floor. Apple Lee, Manager, International Trade Department, HSAP - Huisianpu Medical Systems Inc, one of the featured stops for the tour, stated: “Being able to meet and demonstrate our products to this very targeted visitor group particularly our Alzheimer’s disease training system has been one of the highlights of our participation.”

The Start-Up Park, one of the characteristics of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND, featured 14 participating companies. In addition to networking, the Start-Up Park provided start-ups with insights from leading experts including market-penetration strategies and an exclusive closed-door session with industry thought leaders. Panel expert, Professor Dr Chagriya Kitiyakara, Nephrologist and Director of Medical Innovations Development (MIND) Center, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, remarked: “It was a very good experience and I was generally very impressed with all the presentations (from the start-up companies).”

Other concurrently held events included the 45th WT | Wearable Technologies Conference 2023 ASIA jointly organized by Wearable Technologies AG and Messe Düsseldorf Asia. “The confluence of leading minds from institutions like Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and Siriraj Hospital highlighted the limitless possibilities of wearable technologies in modern healthcare. Hosting the Wearable Technologies Conference in Thailand not only showcased the region's eagerness to embrace these advancements but also underlined our commitment to fostering innovation in Asia,” stated Christian Stammel, Founder and CEO of WT Wearable Technologies Group.

The next staging of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND will take place from September 10 – 12, 2025 at BITEC in Bangkok. For further information on visiting or exhibiting, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit www.medicalfair-thailand.com and www.mdna.com; Follow us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/mdnachicago/