The Physical Therapy Association of Thailand (PTAT) recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and hosted a conference as part of the celebration.
The conference took place on 25 and 26 November 2023 in Nonthaburi, adjacent to Bangkok, Thailand, and was attended by World Physiotherapy vice president Suh-Fang Jeng and chief executive officer Jonathon Kruger.
The conference theme, health promotion and disability prevention: PT evolving roles and guidance of professional developments, gave physiotherapists in the Asia Western Pacific region an opportunity to network and share.
The theme highlighted the crucial role physiotherapists play in promoting health and welfare of people and society. It was clear that the physiotherapy profession has a key role in the health promotion team as demonstrated by a number of speakers who presented on research projects in areas as diverse as community based mental health and falls prevention in the elderly.
Suh-Fang Jeng, World Physiotherapy vice president, said: “PTAT has made great accomplishments in community care that can be attributed to the vision and passion of national leaders such as Kanda Chaipinyo, Roongtiwa Vach, and the current president Mantana Vongsirinavarat in the long-term advocacy of direct access to physiotherapy services in the community, and the hard work of many Thai physiotherapists to gain the trust and recognition of the public and government.
“We are also very proud that facing the increasing global needs of health promotion and disability prevention, member organisations in the region have initiated strategies and actions to bring about change to legislation, education curriculum, service models, regulation, and insurance programmes to prepare our profession for the future.”
The Physical Therapy Association of Thailand was founded in 1973 and became a World Physiotherapy member organisation in 1978. PTAT is part of the Asia Western Pacific region and has over 1,700 members of an estimated 15,000 physiotherapists in Thailand.
