Thailand Eyes Wellness Tourism Pact with Indonesia

1 jam yang lalu

Illustration of wellness tourism. Doc. Pegipegi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thailand is looking forward to partnering with the Indonesian government in advancing wellness tourism, according to Thai Ambassador to Indonesia Prapan Distayat.

Speaking in an interview with the media at the Thai Embassy in Jakarta on Tuesday, Ambassador Prapan says he met with Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana to discuss the matter, but it has yet to reach the level of bilateral cooperation yet.

"We briefly discussed collaboration opportunities. However, it was a broad discussion and did not yet reach a specific agreement," he says, adding that wellness tourism has "potential for collaboration."

He calls for more detailed talks that move towards mutual partnership about the matter with the Indonesian government.

Ambassador Prapan remarks that Thailand is well-known for its wellness industry, even ranked as the first in the world. He also cites Bali as one of the destinations renowned for its wellness tourism.

Despite sharing the same leading tourism sector, Ambassador Prapan believes Indonesia and Thailand must not compete for superiority, but instead create more space for mutually beneficial collaboration.

"Both Thailand and Indonesia have abundant natural resources, especially herbal plants and spices, which can be utilized for wellness treatments. This is a potential area for us to develop together," he says, as quoted from Antara.

Ambassador Prapan stresses the importance of establishing supporting infrastructure to boost visits to wellness destinations. This, he says, can be achieved through government support in improving connectivity between Indonesia, especially Bali, and Thailand, as well as facilitating visa requirements.

"I believe the tourism industry will continue to find ways to compete while simultaneously collaborating," he explains.

Furthermore, Ambassador Prapan says the wellness tourism sector in Thailand has expanded beyond medical treatment to include beauty treatments, cosmetic surgery, and even anti-aging programs.

He underscores that Thailand is hoping to emerge as a leading destination for the wellness tourism industry, with high-quality and reliable services.

"And of course, we are open to cooperation with other countries. I believe that if Thailand benefits, the entire region will ultimately benefit as well," says Ambassador Prapan.

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22 November 2025