Situation of Consumer Protection for Health Establishments A Case Study of Phetchabun Province, Thailand

Abstract

Thai government has announced a policy to develop Thailand to be Global Medical Hub to promote health business
including spa for health, massage for health and massage for beauty. While Thai health establishments have been
confronted a crucial problem – service quality, Health Establishments Act B.E.2559 was provided to particularly manage
the business. The Act has been recently enforced, so any practices or operations have been not explicit yet which caused
performance of engaged officials was ineffective. Hence, researcher studied situation of consumer protection for health
establishments: a case study of Phetchabun Province, Thailand followed by the Health Establishment Act B.E. 2559. It was
also to investigate problems, obstacles, limitations, and recommendations. In-depth interview with open-ended questions
was used to collect data and participant observation was included. Purposive sampling was performed which informants
were 6 entrepreneur representatives of health massage establishments which were specifically selected from three zones
of Phetchabun - 2 for each, 11 district government officers from 11 districts – 1 for each, and 2 provincial government
officers. The results were found that the Health Establishment Act B.E. 2559 was provided to control the health business
especially people who required to start the health establishment in oversea and domestic. Health Establishment Division,
Department of Health Service Support specified practices, missions, goals, and indicators for achievement followed by the
Act, but guidelines, practices, and operations were not clarified. Besides, the practices were not focused on service quality
which is a main factors affecting safety of service users. However, the officials applied their own experienced to perform.
They required to improve IT system whereas assessment form was needed to develop. Training for staff in the health
establishments could be always arranged. Merchants or managers conducting their establishments have insufficient
cost for site improvement. They required to create a connection of co-workers for sharing and exchanging knowledge
under support and assistant of the officials. In conclusion, stakeholders including government officers, merchants, service
providers, and managers could be developed to raise their competency. While regulations and practices could be also
adjusted to be explicit and covered phases of health establishment affairs, service quality which was a crucial part could
be particularly heightened.