The deputy governor of Bangkok participated in a seminar on Thursday that aimed to unlocking the city’s potential in medical innovation.

The seminar “Bangkok City Innovation: YMID Medical Innovation Sandbox” was launched on Thursday at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Deputy city governor Tavida Kamolvej was one of the speakers.

Tavida said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) gave the highest priority to policies on healthcare and medical development. In this regard, the capital has launched several projects to improve the quality of public health services at community level and ensure equal access to all Bangkokians.

She said campaigns, such as Bangkok Health Zoning, aimed to promote equality in healthcare as well as medical innovation to make Bangkok a hub of medical and wellness tourism in the region. Tavida added that the BMA was willing to work with event organiser, Yothi Medical Innovation District (YMID) in exchanging ideas and research knowledge regarding medical development in the city.

The seminar on Thursday was organised by YMID, a medical arm of the National Innovation Agency established through cooperation of the ministries of Public Health, Education, and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation as a model medical innovation district located on Yothi Road in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district.

Operated under the policy of “innovation sharing”, the YMID harnesses government subsidies to attract investors and startups in medical innovation to make the district Asia’s medical hub under the Thai brand.

YMID’s medical innovation sandbox will provide a platform for businesses and researchers to exchange ideas, products, innovations, as well as test them out in real-life markets under the government’s supervision to minimise legal concerns.