Giving a Boost to Thai Herbs in Moving Thailand toward Becoming Medical and Wellness Hub

The Government has continued to focus on upgrading the quality of Thai herbs to international standards in its efforts to develop Thailand into a medical and wellness hub on a full-cycle basis, in accordance with its “IGNITE THAILAND” vision.

Government Spokesperson Chai Wacharonke stated that it was encouraging that the Thai herbal market value now ranks first in the ASEAN region. It comes fourth in Asia and eighth in the world. The Government is ready to give a major boost to Thai herbs as “soft power” products to enable them to be competitive in both local and international markets. 

In 2023, Thai herbal products domestically generated 56.9 billion baht in revenue. It is expected that the amount will rise to 104 billion baht by 2027, since consumers are likely to become more health-conscious and turn to use more herbs and natural products.

In order to expand opportunities for the Thai herbal market to grow further, the Ministry of Public Health will hold the 21st Thailand Herbal Expo 2024 from 3 to 7 July 2024 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi, under the concept of “Traditional Thai Massage, Thai Spa, and Thai Herbs toward the Global Stage.” The expo also includes annual meetings of traditional Thai medicine, folk medicine, and alternative medicine.

Thailand is the home of various herbal plants, and the use of traditional herbal medicine has been a part of Thai life since ancient times. Today, more than 17,300 indigenous herbs have been certified by the Food and Drug Administration, under the Ministry of Public Health. In addition, about 2,000 Thai herbal items have received awards for being products of high quality.

Thai herbs are a popular choice for the treatment of certain ailments. Apart from medicine, indigenous herbs can be developed into such products as herbal tea, cosmetics, and food supplements. Many Thai herbs are also used to spice up a wide variety of dishes.

The growing popularity of natural products has led to the expansion of the Thai herb market. Thailand has also earned a reputation as an excellent location for spa services in Asia.