Thailand Financial News

Vision Care Company Limited, a subsidiary of Pacific Healthcare (Thailand) Limited, a leading importer, distributor and marketer of healthcare and related products in Thailand, announced its plan to enter into a new business.  Most recently, it has established Thammasat Lasik Center by Vision Care equipped with the latest Lasik technology from Bausch & Lomb.  The new center with over 100 million baht investment will be officially launched on November 1, 2006 and is expected to serve over 1,000 patients per annum and generate over 30 million Baht at the end of 2007.

Cyrille Frederik Buhrman, Vision Care’s Managing Director said that on November 1, the company in cooperation with Thammsat Hospital will officially introduce “Thammasat Lasik Center by Vision Care” located in Thammasat Eye Center, Thammasat Hospital with over 100 million baht investment with the aims of expanding the service to medium-end customers who are looking for vision correction with Lasik technology, which is gaining more demand and popularity. Primarily, the new center targets the patients in the Rangsit vicinity and nearby provinces. Thammasat Lasik Center by Vision Care is the partnership between the private sector and the specialist team in the government-run hospital.  The cooperation model is that Vision Care provides investment as well as management whereas Thammasat Hospital is responsible for the center premise, medical personnel and treatment, with the objectives of penetrating the medium-end market.  Thammasat Hospital is also a strategic location with a large group of prospects within the nearby community. Thammasat Lasik Center by Vision Care did a soft launch last month with quite a positive response from the target group both in the form of enquiries and consultation booking.  The center currently has 15 people on staff, 5 of whom are medical personnel. Mr. Buhrman said the decision to expand into Lasik center business stemmed from the company’s continuous success, and its objective in providing high quality products, supplies and services to improve and promote health of Thai people.  At the same time, the company realized the increasing consumer awareness and need for an alternative eye surgery whether for health, cosmetic or a more dynamic lifestyle. In the beginning, Lasik technology was only available in a limited number of hospitals and private clinics in the city center area.  On top of that, the cost of operation was rather high and could only be afforded by very well-to-do patients.  With recent improvements and the commercialization of eye laser technology, the treatment is now more affordable.  Thus, there is an untapped opportunity to expand the business and bring the services to the outer vicinities of Bangkok.The highlight of this partnership is the installation of state-of-the-art technology and laser equipment by Bausch and Lomb, the reputable manufacturer from U.S.A. “In addition, the long term benefit for Thammasat, as our partner, is that the center will provide the medical school with the latest technology in vision corrective system that would be incorporated in the teaching curriculum and dedicate significant hours and access of the equipment to the ophthalmology department for teaching, demonstration, case study and pro-bono works”, added Mr. Buhrman. The company expects to have over 1,000 patients per year and generate over 30 million baht by the end of 2007.  As for its future business plan, the company is planning to set up another center in cooperation with another government-run hospital within the first half of next year. For media enquiry, please contact Mind Touch Company Limited – PR Consultant Savitree Peungcharoenkun Tel. 02 6892334-5 or 01 8164598