Maw Si Project Deploys 62 Specialists to 15 Provinces
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Bangkok — The Ministry of Public Health, together with the Health Workforce Development Office (HWDO), held the Forum MOH 4 under the theme "MOH 4: Decentralizing Expertise, Bringing Care Closer to Home." The forum aims to drive the "One Health Region, One Province, One Hospital" model to raise treatment standards, distribute resources, and reduce disparities so people can access specialist medical services equitably and comprehensively. The meeting took place on October 28–29, 2026, at the Don Mueang 1 and Don Mueang 2 meeting rooms, Amari Don Mueang Airport Hotel, Bangkok, chaired by Dr. Sophon Iamsirithavorn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health.
Dr. Sophon delivered a keynote on driving the "One Region One Province One Hospital" concept, calling it central to reforming the country's health service system. It focuses on creating unified treatment standards, fair allocation of resources and specialists, and reducing inequality between health facilities so the Thai public health system can meet people's needs efficiently and patients receive quality care near home without traveling far.
"In 2027, the Ministry of Public Health plans to give a New Year gift to the public: outpatient department (OPD) visits at hospitals must not exceed 120 minutes, aligning with the One Region One Province One Hospital policy through an advance appointment system. This aims to make services accessible and close to home while reducing overcrowding," the Deputy Permanent Secretary added, citing the WHO's Dili Declaration on equity and equal access to specialized health services, including distributing medical services to both urban and rural areas. He noted that the Prototype Specialist Doctor Development Project for Health Promotion to Create Seamless Care Networks (the Maw Si Project) is a correct and highly beneficial approach, as Thailand pioneered this concept before international organizations emphasized deploying specialist doctors to underserved areas.
Dr. Thinakorn Noree, Director of HWDO, said the ministry's "One Region One Province One Hospital" policy acts like an "open sky" supporting specialists and multidisciplinary teams nationwide to develop seamless health service systems more easily.
"The Prototype Specialist Doctor Development Project, funded by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), is entering its third year. It currently covers at least 15 pilot provinces with 62 prototype specialist doctors — or Maw Si doctors — across approximately 20 specialties," he said.
Dr. Sarat Leomanuwat, former Director of the Clinical Science Center at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, added that since 2020 the Ministry of Public Health has strengthened the Thai health service system using the concept of interconnected network care through the "Three Doctors" policy: Doctor 1 is Village Health Volunteers, Doctor 2 is hospital staff...
