At the crossroads: challenges for Thailand's health development

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, Thailand has undergone rapid economic and health (demographic, epidemiological) transitions. While on the one hand the economic outlook is bright, even to the extent of Thailand's emerging status as a Newly Industrialized Country, persisting health development challenges remain as targets for future research and international support. This paper documents Thailand's current economic and health development situations, their transitions and challenges. Special reference is made towards emerging post-transitional health/epidemiological problems, reorientation of health services and the referral system, community participation, health care financing, public-private health care partnerships, decentralization of the health service system and essential national health research.