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‘I don’t care what my title is’: MedPark’s Proud Patanavanich runs a hospital where patients, physicians precede profits

The Thai private hospital expects to break even this year

Goh Ruoxue
Published Mon, Aug 17, 2026 · 03:00 PM
    • The real marketing for a hospital is the trust it builds and what is passed on by word of mouth, says Proud Patanavanich, assistant CEO at MedPark Hospital.
    • The real marketing for a hospital is the trust it builds and what is passed on by word of mouth, says Proud Patanavanich, assistant CEO at MedPark Hospital. PHOTO: TAY CHU YI, BT

    The strategies and stories that shape today’s leaders.

    [SINGAPORE] The year before Proud Patanavanich was born, her physician father banded together with several doctor friends to set up the first private hospital in Samut Sakhon, a coastal province in Thailand roughly 1.2 times the size of Singapore.

    The province was, in 1989, growing into its shoes as a major industrial hub. Factory injuries were a common occurrence, but workers often found themselves strapped for cash. Against this backdrop, Mahachai Hospital adopted a treat-first-pay-later policy.