Bangkok: The government is advancing its efforts to integrate the BTS Skytrain system with healthcare services by developing a "Health Station" on Rama 9 Road, aimed at providing cancer screening services closer to urban residents and serving approximately 60,000 people annually.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced the government's initiative to enhance preventive healthcare accessibility. The Mass Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), in collaboration with the Department of Medical Services and the National Cancer Institute, is setting up the 'NCI Wellness and Cancer Prevention Center @MRT' at an Orange Line MRT station on Rama 9 Road. This center is part of a broader strategy to integrate healthcare with daily life, facilitating health promotion, risk assessment, and proactive cancer screening.
The project, which formalized a lease agreement on August 21, 2026, envisions transforming a 1,357.78 square meter building and an additional 682 square meters of land, totaling over 2,000 square meters, into a comprehensive healthcare center. Currently under development, the facility is not yet open to the public.
The Deputy Spokesperson highlighted that the "Health Station" concept aims to bring preventive healthcare closer to public transportation, addressing the challenges faced by urban and working-age residents in accessing medical assessments. This initiative is designed to facilitate quicker access to risk assessments and early detection of health issues, particularly cancer.
Ms. Lalida emphasized that the project's goal is to embed preventive services into everyday life, enhancing accessibility for the public. Planned services include health consultations, risk assessments for cancer and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), risk-based screening, disease prevention education, and outpatient and referral services for further testing. The use of advanced medical equipment such as AI-powered digital mammography, CT scans, ultrasound, and laboratory facilities will support these offerings, with more details to be announced later.
The project also aims to optimize state assets for public benefit, following a Cabinet resolution from June 10, 2026, which permits the MRTA to lease or grant rights to 56 properties. This allows the transformation of areas associated with the electric train system into public service venues, enhancing both public benefit and state asset value.
Ms. Lalida stated that repurposing transport support areas into public service locations could significantly improve access to healthcare for busy working adults. "If the Health Station model can facilitate easier access to screenings, it represents a significant advancement in making government services more accessible to the people," she concluded.