Demand for longevity courses soars as health sector booms

Over the past five years, both public and private universities have been setting up new faculties and launching courses linked to health, driven by the rapidly growing health economy from the trend of people paying more attention to health (Wellness) to achieve Longevity—living longer in good health.

The Department of Business Development from the Ministry of Commerce reports that the Wellness business is one of the fastest-growing industries in Thailand, covering everything from health products and services, beauty, food, spa, fitness, and even health tourism.

As of January 31, 2026, there were 30,712 registered businesses in the Wellness sector, with a circulating investment of nearly 400 billion baht and a total revenue of 1.23 trillion baht, growing 7.9% from 2024. This shows that Thai entrepreneurs are well-prepared and highly capable, but they need to keep up with technology and build strong partnerships.

Furthermore, preparing for the health business requires looking at every angle—from understanding consumer behaviour, brand development, digital marketing, improving management efficiency, to using artificial intelligence (AI) as a key tool to add value, reduce costs, and expand commercial opportunities to meet the needs of today’s market.

Meanwhile, the government’s policy to make Thailand a Medical and Wellness Hub is another factor driving the need for more health professionals. The government aims to increase the value of health goods and services as a percentage of GDP from 1.33% (2.3 trillion baht) in 2025 to 1.7% (3.8 trillion baht) by 2030. Additionally, the declining birth rate has led to a decrease in the number of students applying to other faculties, while demand for medical professions remains high.

The Ministry of Public Health has set out a 10-year strategic plan (2025–2035) to produce more Thai health professionals to support the country’s healthy living goals, reduce major diseases, increase access to medical services, and further develop the Medical and Wellness Hub.

The plan includes an investment of 380 billion baht, with 260,000 new professionals to be trained in nine key professions, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, traditional medicine practitioners, radiology technicians, public health workers, and medical technicians.

Opening of new medical and nursing faculties

Since 2024, the Medical Council has reported the establishment of seven new medical schools, divided into two categories:

Public universities:

• Rajvithayalai Chulabhorn,
• Praboromrajchanok Institute,
• Kasetsart University,
• Chulabhorn International Medical College at Thammasat University.

Private universities:

• Bangkok Thonburi University,
• Western University,
• Wongchawalitkul University.

Meanwhile, the Nursing Council has revealed 14 new nursing institutions. These are split into two categories:

Public universities (11 institutions):

• Ramkhamhaeng University,
• Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University,
• Maejo University,
• Mahidol University (Nakhon Sawan campus),
• And seven Rajabhat Universities: Nakhon Ratchasima, Sisaket, Lampang, Chiang Rai, Uttaradit, Phetchabun, and Chiang Mai (Mae Hong Son campus).

Private institutions (3 institutions):

• Panyapiwat Institute of Management,
• Northern College,
• Northeastern University.

 

Rising demand for health business courses

On the other hand, several universities are shifting towards offering health business courses that focus not just on medical treatment but on healthcare business management as well. Notable course groups include:

• Ageing medicine and health innovations, such as Ageing and Health Restoration at Mae Fah Luang University and Business Administration at Business Administration at DPU University.
• Health business management and management skills, such as the Wellness & Healthcare Business Opportunity Program (WHB) at Mahidol University, and MPH (Global Health) at Thammasat University.
• Health tech and innovation, such as Health Tech Innovation at Chiang Mai University.
• Preventive health care and senior citizen care, such as Elderly Health Care and Longevity at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan.

New challenge for health workforce management

Supakit Sirilak, Director of the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), told Krungthep Turakij that the definition of modern health workers must extend beyond just doctors or nurses, but must include the entire human resource for health (HRH).

For medical professionals, the government faces the challenge of balancing the push for Thailand to become a Medical Hub to attract foreign revenue, while also maintaining a strong public health system for the local population. If the focus is too much on the private sector and foreign patients, it could lead to an imbalance, where healthcare professionals shift from the public to the private sector.

Therefore, management must operate as a “Team Thailand”, integrating data and standards across all sectors. It's not just about the number of workers needed but also about creating an efficient, high-quality system to improve the overall health and wellbeing of Thai people while promoting a sustainable health economy.

Health faculties remain full—no job shortage

For both public and private universities that have set up new faculties in medicine and nursing, Dr Supakit noted the macro issue of declining birth rates in Thailand. This is impacting the number of students, but faculties for health professionals like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists remain full every year, as they ensure 100% employment post-graduation.

“Assuming a 20% decline in overall student numbers, the faculties for health professionals are still full because they ensure jobs for graduates. Meanwhile, other faculties could see a 40–50% decline in student numbers. Universities need to adapt and offer courses in areas that the job market demands and that students are interested in pursuing,” Dr Supakit said.

High demand for health business courses

Dr Supakit added that universities are actively opening more health business courses because of the high demand driven by the growing health economy. As businesses in health and wellness become more competitive, both domestically and internationally, universities must develop skilled workers with expertise in healthcare business management to maintain trust in Thailand’s long-standing reputation for quality health services.

The courses are designed for three main target groups:

• Business owners (owners),
• Executives (managers),
• Practitioners (workers) who need upskilling and reskilling to stay globally competitive, helping drive Thailand’s health economy to global standards.

There is also an increasing trend for universities to offer short courses (six-month programs) in a modular format, allowing students to select specialised skills like spa management or herbal product management, catering to specific career needs.

Ensuring quality standards

Dr Supakit stressed that while short courses help workers enter the health market quickly, it is critical that they meet international standards to be globally recognised. This ensures that Thailand’s healthcare services remain trustworthy and avoid misleading advertising.

“Courses focusing only on connections or lacking research backing will not create real value, and care should be taken to avoid conflict of interest,” Dr Supakit said.

Enhancing health business management skills

Assoc Prof Dr Prattana Punnakitikashem, Dean of the College of Management at Mahidol University (CMMU), said that more doctors, healthcare professionals, and entrepreneurs are now increasingly interested in the health business. Many of them are already running hospitals or clinics at a young age.

While they may have medical knowledge and expertise in healthcare management and prevention, they still lack management skills, team leadership abilities, financial understanding, and strategic planning to drive hospitals or public health systems to maximum efficiency.

“Health business leaders should not focus on profit alone but must create sustainable value for both the service recipients and society, as it is a business that deals with people’s lives,” said Assoc Prof Dr Prattana.

Longevity courses as a Blue Ocean

Dr Peerayut Mungkung, Assistant Vice President for Business Development at DPU University (DPU), said that the Longevity Science industry is a Blue Ocean for the Thai economy.

The shift from reactive treatment to proactive prevention presents a significant business opportunity. As a result, universities are increasingly offering courses, lessons, and training in the health business sector, particularly in ageing science, wellness, longevity, beauty care, and creating long-lasting health.

“The success of DPU is not measured by theory but by market demand. Currently, we have up to 700 master’s and doctoral students per cohort, and importantly, they are 100% employed even before graduation, whether in fields such as medical technology, health food, or wellness centre management,” said Dr Peerayut.