Quality Medical Technologies & Devices Takes Centrestage at MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2013

The stage is set as the 6th edition of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND returns to Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) from 12 to 14 September 2013. Featuring a comprehensive line-up of technology, equipment and solutions for the hospital, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, medical and rehabilitation sectors, MFT 2013 gives decision makers the opportunity to discover the latest developments in their field and network on an international platform with some of the industry’s best suppliers. More than 6000 trade and professional visitors are expected to visit the trade fair to establish new business partnerships, network and engage potential distributing agents with some 400 exhibitors from 30 countries over three days. 

“We are delighted that MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2013 has grown by 30% in size and is sold out two months prior to its staging in September. Over the years, we have endeavored to connect medical and health care professionals from Thailand and Southeast Asia with global industry innovations. We will continue to bring international, regional and local manufacturers and suppliers together to propel the industry further and to showcase quality medical technologies that are relevant to Southeast Asia’s growing medical and healthcare sector,” said Mr. Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia.

The boom in Southeast Asia’s medical and health care industry is mainly due to the increasing awareness of quality healthcare, rising trend in medical tourism, rapidly ageing population, higher life expectancy and economic development. Set against this dynamic backdrop, MFT 2013 will be showcasing equipment for a wide variety of uses ranging from accident and emergency to diagnostics, laboratory rehabilitation, supplies for ophthalmic, pharmaceutical and orthopaedic use, medical consumables as well as communications and information technology equipment that is geared for the burgeoning sectors.

This year’s trade exhibition will see participation from some 12 national pavilions and country groups from Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom – a record increase since the inception of the show and testament to the importance and relevance of the trade fair to the region’s medical and healthcare industry. 

For the first time, France will be participating as a country pavilion and representing the pavilion are seven French companies specializing in healthcare, technology and services. Organized as a joint collaboration between the Trade Commission of the French Embassy in Thailand, the Thai Medical Device Technology Industry Association and ASEAN Federation of Medical Device Industry, these French companies will be exploring business opportunities with their Thai counterparts as they look to expand their markets into Thailand whilst introducing their latest products and innovations.

“It is very encouraging to have such an international line-up of country group participation at MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND. This shows the commitment and global reach that is now part and parcel of the exhibition as it continues to evolve.” added Mr. Ringling.

With the liberalisation of the services sector and as the ASEAN region moves towards the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, healthcare is expected to be a key driver for growth and has been earmarked as a high priority sector to be integrated across the region. According to the Deloitte Centre for Health Solutions, Southeast Asia accounts for 63.1% of total health expenditures, accounting for the highest private health expenditure in the world. Thailand is well poised to benefit from Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing medical tourism sector with an annual growth rate of 16% per annum and a projected $100 billion baht in foreign medical services such as hospital infrastructure and upgrading initiatives for the medical-imaging market by 2015. Since its inception in 2003, the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand has supported MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND as it provides the ideal canvass to accelerate the development of key growth sectors in ASEAN, which are namely medical equipment and technology, medical professional services, facility based health services as well as medical, dental and nursing schools. 

Ms. Jaruwan Suwannasat, Director of Exhibitions and Events Department at the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) as official supporter of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2013 said, “Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or best known as TCEB is the government agency working under Prime Minister‘s office with mission to promote the MICE industries in Thailand, especially develop and uplift Exhibition in Thailand as the platform for ASEAN region. Today Thailand’s exhibition industry has growth steadily. In overview, TCEB supported over 50 international B2B trade shows in 2012, which were accredited as international exhibition standard. TCEB expects that Thai exhibition industry would grow by 15 – 20 per cent in this year and 30 per cent by 2015, with a total number of 545,000 visitors and total revenue of Bt. 46,500 million.”

“TCEB selected MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND as it is one of the best international trade shows under our support scheme through international marketing activities and specific promotions, campaigns through marketing campaign namely “Be My Guest” and “100 A-HEAD” campaigns. Under these programmes, TCEB, in its role as strategic partner, has been helping MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND to attract qualified international buyers and is confident that MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND will be well-received this year by trade visitors. There is strong evidence in previous editions that the trade exhibition has helped to boost quality medical treatments and services along with competitive costs to make Thailand a preferred medical and healthcare destination for foreign patients. This trade exhibition will provide an ideal platform with growing opportunities for exhibitors to showcase latest technologies, solutions and applications in the medical and health care industry in Thailand and the ASEAN region.” added Ms. Jaruwan Suwannasat.

Industry sources indicate that healthcare expenditure in Asia-Pacific countries is expected to reach US$2.93 trillion by 2020. As brand-conscious Asian consumers become increasingly aware of their access to healthcare services and products in the next decade, demand for medical devices will continue to register an upward trend. The medical devices and equipment sector has been among those earmarked as one of the top ten focus industries by Thailand’s Board of Investment. There are over 12 JCI-accredited hospitals boasting state-of-the-art facilities to cope with the region’s rapidly growing medical tourism sector.

MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2013 is set to showcase a wide array of medical devices and a broad spectrum of cost-effective and high-performance solutions. They range from surgical lasers, orthopaedic pins, to diagnostic products such as vitro diagnostic reagents, all-in-one designed endoscope systems, vestibular diagnostic systems, electro-surgical cutting and coagulation devices further highlighting robust market interest and a growing presence in the region. 

This year, there will be more medical suppliers from Europe, in particular, Germany and Belgium, as well as South Korea and Taiwan. Trade visitors can expect greater networking opportunities from these suppliers as they eye the attractive opportunities in the regional market. 

Apart from the main exhibition, MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND 2013 will also present a line-up of concurrent events which include two conferences connecting hospital management best practices and advanced rehabilitation technology. Over three-days, exhibitors, delegates and visitors will benefit from this expanded platform of strong synergistic activities in rehabilitation medicine and hospital management and a comprehensive showcase of the world’s most innovative hospital, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, medical and rehabilitation equipment and supplies from an impressive line-up of exhibitors and leading industry brand names. Visitors are encouraged to maximise their onsite engagements with exhibitors for industry insights and concurrent events to augment critical thinking.

ARTeC 2013 will be held from 12 to 13 September 2013, and is jointly organized by the Royal College of Physiatrists of Thailand, Thai Rehabilitation Medicine Association and Messe Düsseldorf Asia. 

The two-day conference anticipates some 200 delegates, and will feature keynote speaker Professor Marta Imamura, The President of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM), and distinguished speakers from Germany, Taiwan and Thailand. Targeted at resident trainees, junior and experienced physiatrists as well as allied professionals involved in the field of medical rehabilitation.

Highlights from ARTeC 2013 include a series of lectures and workshops on advanced technology and emerging trends in modern rehabilitation medicine such as segmental neuromyotherapy, musculoskeletal ultrasound, advanced management in swallowing difficulty after stroke, and robotics and brain stimulation technology in neurological rehabilitation. 

From 12 to 13 September, HMA 2013 presents “how to” tools and thought-leading topics for senior executives, through a combination of plenary sessions, workshops and demonstrations on the latest hospital management best practices. Some 1000 delegates are expected at the conference as they learn and network with world-class practitioners and experts to share their insights, skills and practical tips.

MDA is a subsidiary of Messe Düsseldorf in Germany, one of the world’s leading trade fair organizers, responsible for organizing more than 20 global No. 1 exhibitions in industries including plastics, printing and packaging, and medical and health care – specifically K, drupa, interpack, MEDICA, COMPAMED and A+A held in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since 1995, MDA’s portfolio of trade fairs in Southeast Asia includes: for the plastics and rubber sectors in Thailand (TIPREX), Vietnam (PLASTICS & RUBBER VIETNAM) and Indonesia (INDOPLAS), the printing and packaging sectors in Thailand (PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL) and Indonesia (INDOPACK and INDOPRINT), the wire, cable, tube and pipe sectors in Thailand (wire Southeast ASIA and Tube Southeast ASIA), the medical and health care industries in Thailand and Singapore (MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND, MEDICAL FAIR ASIA, MEDICAL MANUFACTURING ASIA) the Workplace Safety & Health sectors in Singapore(OS+H ASIA) and the metal and steel trade industries in Indonesia (indometal). 

MFT is Thailand’s 6th biennial trade fair in the series of “Medical Trade Shows” presented across the globe by the Messe Düsseldorf Group of Companies which includes world’s leading number one medical and health care trade fairs held annually in Düsseldorf, Germany: MEDICA – World Forum for Medicine, REHACARE INTERNATIONAL – International Trade Fair and Congress “Self-determined living”. MFT2013 has garnered impressive support from various associations, including: Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, Asian Hospital Federation, The Private Hospital Association, Thai Medical Device Technology Industry Association, The Nurses’ Association of Thailand, Thai Rehabilitation Medicine Association, Thai Cosmetics Manufacturers’ Association, The Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage, Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia, Indonesian Hospital Association, MTEC (a member of NSTDA), Technology Promotion Association (Thailand-Japan), The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association, and Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau.