US medical tourism agency eyes Brunei

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei - Planet Hospital - a pioneer in medical tourism - is eyeing oil-rich Brunei as a possible rival destination to Thailand and Singapore for foreign patients seeking first-class medical care, media reports said Thursday. Planet Hospital's president Rudy Rupak has opened talks with the government about the possibility of sending some of their tourists-cum-patients to selected hospitals in Brunei, which has started promoting itself as a medical tourism hub, the Brunei Times reported.

A pioneer organization of medical tourism since 2002, Planet Hospital has sent over 3,000 patients around the world for medical treatment, mostly to Thailand and Singapore.

Brunei Darussalam, a small country whose income is mainly derived from oil-and-gas production, is also well-known for its tax-free policies and free provision of high-standard of education and health services to its people.