Thailand achieves first cross-border telesurgery with China in 2,000km robot-assisted operation

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has announced what it called a landmark breakthrough after a tele robotic-assisted surgery was successfully performed on a real patient for the first time, linking operating teams in Thailand and China over a distance of more than 2,000 kilometres.

Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat said the ministry is prioritising the upgrade of medical services through advanced technologies such as robotic surgery, aimed at improving efficiency and reducing waiting times. He said Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, under the Department of Medical Services, applied robotic surgery and high-speed telecommunication systems to treat gallstones—a common condition—allowing patients to access world-class specialist expertise without travelling.

The procedure involved a patient receiving treatment at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital in Thailand while a surgeon operated the robotic system remotely from West China Hospital in Chengdu, China, via a real-time, high-speed communications link. The operation was a robotic-assisted cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), which officials said was carried out with precision and safety.

Dr Nutthapong Wongwiwat, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said the success was driven by close cooperation between domestic and international surgical teams. He said the effort was led by Dr Piyawat Laowahutanont, director of Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, with Dr Pattharaporn Phetphosri serving as the remote lead surgeon from West China Hospital, and Dr Noraporn Sunthornchai acting as the bedside assistant surgeon in Thailand.

He said the operation was backed by rigorous preparation, including pre-surgery systems testing, coordinated surgical and anaesthesia teams, close patient monitoring throughout, and emergency contingency plans to ensure safety in line with international standards.

The ministry said telesurgery also has long-term potential to reduce inequality in access to healthcare, particularly for remote areas, and could be expanded into wider forms of international medical collaboration in the future.