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Poor villag“at state hospitals,” he said.Treatment at private hospitals cancost over twice as much, however. A knee cap replacement at a state hospital will cost 80,000 to 120,000 baht, although with a waiting period that might take six months to a year. A patient can get the same operation quickly at a private hospital for 300,000 baht.“The difference is convenience, time, décor and attentive service. If people have financial means, they can go to private hospitals.”Although part of Dr Boonruang’s job at the ministry is to improve Thailand’s position as a medical hub, he never forgets the underprivileged. His focus as a doctor has always been how to create a better system for preventing problems before they start.In Thailand, medical services have been concentrated in Bangkok andmajor provinces such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Khon Kaen. “Poor villagers often have to travel long distances just to see a doctor or get medicine. Local villagers sometimes need to rent a car and travel to a big province. Sometimes they even camp out and sleep in hospitals to see doctors.”Given a chance to reengineer Thailland’s public health system, Dr Boonruang would invest more in medical schools to enable more doctors and nurses to work in remote areas. “The cost of medical education for one doctor is around 1 million baht. The budget can create more doctors to work in remote hospitals, so that poor people do not have to travel across provinces just to see a doctor.”ers often have to travel longdistances just to see a doctor or get medicine. Sometimes they even camp out and sleep inhospitals ”to see doctorsElite+ 25