Actual statistics from "The World Health Report 2000 - Health systems: Improving performance." The U. S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks #37 out of 191 countries according to its performance. However, the US ranks #1 in health expenditure per capita, while Thailand ranks 47th in the overall health system performance and 64th in the health expenditure per capita. Thailand has a long history of what is known as modern medicine. Western medicine was introduced to the Kingdom of Siam in 1686. The first hospital was built in 1878 in Petchaburi province and in 1887 the first hospital was built by the Thai Government (Siriaj Hospital). Chulalongkorn University was established with the Faculty of Medicine in 1916, and the Ministry of Public Health was established in 1942 to regulate medical services and public health for the people of Thailand. Prince Mahidol of Songla (Father of King Rama VIII and King Rama IX of Thailand) earned an MD degree from Harvard Medical School in the early 20th Century. He and another family member of the Thai Royal Family paid for an American medical education for a group of Thai men and women who in turn became the first educators for what is now the modern Thai medical system. Many Thai doctors hold US or UK professional certification and several Thai hospitals have relationships with medical schools in the United States and the United Kingdom. Thailand offers everything from cardiac surgery to organ transplants at a price much lower than the US or Europe, in a safe, clean environment. Thai medicine features a higher, more personalized level of nursing care than westerners are used to receiving in hospitals at home. Other Asians also find Thailand Hospitals favorable to attend, for example, when Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala needed medical attention in 2006, he went to Bangkok to receive it. Thailand currently has four major hospitals holding JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation. The Joint Commission is a private sector United States based non-profit organization, whose mission is "to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public". Once known as Siam , Thailand was the only Southeast Asian country to escape domination by European colonial powers. Because of this, Thailand remains fiercely independent, a bridge between East and West. The country is thoroughly modern in that it openly embraces technology, consumerism, and capitalism, yet quaint in that it is still very culturally conservative. The King of Thailand is still seen as almost being a demigod. The Buddhist calendar, which is 543 years ahead of its contemporary western counterpart, is still used. Tradition is very important. | 
