Wellness: A State Preceding Health
“Wellness encompasses eight dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, financial, and spiritual. Nowadays in Thailand, the focus remains largely on the physical dimension. However, several other dimensions remain underdeveloped, particularly emotional, spiritual, environmental, and financial aspects. These areas represent key opportunities to build a more comprehensive and sustainable wellness system.”
Despite having highly skilled healthcare professionals and a globally recognized health system, Thailand’s healthcare services mainly prioritize treatment over health promotion and disease prevention.
Dr. Chamaree believes that Thailand can develop a holistic healthcare system, establishing a foundation for wellness that supports individuals from the first day of life to the last. Such an approach could dramatically reduce healthcare costs over the long term, particularly those associated with treatment. Importantly, Thailand’s strengths in culture, service, and natural resources offer significant potential for developing wellness-related products and services.
“Today, the concept of wellness is generally interpreted along the lines of something that occurs long before health. While many view health as something that springs to action only once disease has arisen, wellness exists well upstream of health. Nurturing wellness from the start naturally leads to good health.”
