Makes ready to become a world-class health and wellness hub after salt hot spring discovery Klongtom Heritage is making its selling point more unique and meaningful by showing the world how valuable its underground treasure can really be. Klongtom Salt Hot Spring, a one-of-a-kind natural wonder found in Thailand’s Krabi province, contains large amounts of dissolved minerals and is believed to have plenty of healing benefits in fighting against ailments. To build on such significant advantages, the company has determined to develop a natural health rejuvenation program backed by the knowledge of modern medicine and services of global standards, especially for health lovers and those with health-related problems. The company is also welcoming domestic and foreign investors to be part of this large-scale project worth 13.7 billion baht, which is expected to become a new world health destination.

Mr. Wichai Poolworaluk, Chairman of Klongtom Heritage Co., Ltd., unveiled that Krabi province is often known for its beautiful seas and beaches. The province becomes more famous for having Klongtom Salt Hot Spring, considered the world’s one-and-only natural underground asset. The salt hot spring, found in Krabi’s Klongtom district, is unique for having plenty of naturally dissolved minerals and comfortable water temperatures. The seawater seeps into the basement of the hot spring through the rock layers full of natural minerals. The water of the hot spring is special for having the least smell of sulphur, while unveiling only the light taste salt unlike the strong salty taste of seawater. The major mineral contained in the hot spring is sodium chloride while silica, potassium, and magnesium carbonate also exist in high amounts. The level of total dissolved solids (TDS) is maintained at 11,690, which is higher than the average levels of only 1,000-2,000 possessed by other hot springs. The minerals found in Klongtom Salt Hot Spring have distinctive properties, efficient in stimulating blood circulation, lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation of the joints, treating diabetes and skin diseases, and nourishing the nervous and digestive systems. At present, the alternative medicine industry has started to rely more on the salt hot springs as the rich sources of natural minerals to enhance the efficiency of modern medicine, backed by the knowledge and desire of physiotherapists and regenerative medicine specialists in introducing new treatment programs for patients with various types of ailments. The Klongtom Heritage project unveils the first-ever health treatment program using a salt hot spring for medical rehabilitation and healthcare, together with a comprehensive range of health and wellness services certified with globally accepted standards.

“For people in Klongtom district, using the salt hot spring was originally a traditional way of life. They soaked themselves in the water of the therapeutic hot spring whenever they became ill. Currently, a massive number of more than 100,000 people have visited the salt hot spring each year, following people’s word-of-mouth belief that the amazing underground wonder can prevent and cure diseases. Another factor is the government’s approval for the salt hot spring to be open for public services, where both local and foreign visitors can often indulge themselves in a more private and comfortable atmosphere with standardised and well-managed services. This has led to the development of the Klongtom Heritage project, located on an approximate area of 300 rai, where a massive number of benefits derived from the salt hot spring will be used and applied in line with modern medicine, together with services of world-class standards, to introduce appropriate health rehabilitation and treatment programs for patients and those who yearn to have excellent health and balanced living as well as greater privacy and convenience in obtaining high-quality health and wellness services. Other facilities in the project are designed with attention to detail aiming for environmental sustainability, particularly in land use, to be in harmony with the community and its people. The Klongtom Heritage project is expected to make Krabi’s Klongtom district a globally renowned health city for both Thais and foreigners, paving the way for the province to become one of the world’s must-visit health and wellness destinations.”

The project has been initiated from the ‘Health Community’ and ‘Sustainability’ concepts, highlighted by the intention to sustainably foster good health and wellbeing of society. The company is currently working on project planning and zoning, including in the patient zone, the dependency and non-dependency zone, and the retirement and pre-retirement zone. The project will be divided into ten different zones including:

1. Community market
2. Hotel
3. Town centre
4. Sports enhancement
5. Spa medical
6. Agriculture
7. Branded residences
8. Resort residences
9. Amataya residence
10. Amataya Rehabilitation Hospital

All ten zones will be divided into six major phases of operations. The first phase, to be implemented under the name of Amataya Wellness, consists of three minor parts, including Amataya Rehabilitation Hospital, Amataya Holistic Treatment, and Amataya Residence, expected to be open for services in June 2022.

The second phase includes Community Market, Hotel, and Town Centre, which will be open in 2024. The third phase, or Spa Medical, is expected to be completed in 2025. The fourth phase or Branded Residences will officially make its public debut in 2026. The fifth phase or Sports Enhancement and the sixth phase or Resort Residences will be completed in 2027 and 2028, respectively. In addition, Thailand has been named the host of Specialised Expo 2028 Phuket Thailand which will be held in Phuket province in 2028. This grand health and wellness event is expected to be joined by a large number of participants from all over the world.

As the project consists of ten zones, with six phases to be completed, Klongtom Heritage is seeking potential investors and operators of both Thai and foreign nationalities who specialise in health and wellness and have similar visions to help generate greater development for the project, paving the way for this wonderland to become one of the world’s best health and wellness hubs with several interesting and fun-filled activities for everyone to explore.

“Amataya Wellness in the first phase, expected to be open by mid-2022, is considered a significant pioneering part of the Klongtom Heritage project that allows everyone to fully experience the magic of the Salt hot spring to be followed by other parts in different phases. The project will announce the opening of a new physical therapy hospital for rehabilitation and treatment of stroke patients and other health lovers, with a comprehensive range of high-quality services related to the salt hot spring. The project also unveils nature-inspired residences developed based on the natural living concept, with a private salt hot spring pool in every unit. We are lucky to have strategic partners, such as TRPH Hospital, Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho) Traditional Medicine and Massage School, Ishii Stroke Rehabilitation Centre, and Bangkok Healthcare Service (BHS). After the project’s official opening, we believe a revolutionary image of Krabi province will help accelerate the development of the Andaman Wellness Economic Corridor (AWC) project in a more distinctive way.”

“Thailand is currently recognised as one of the world’s top five health tourism destinations and the market value of wellness tourism in the country tends to increase continuously,” concludes Mr. Wichai. “As the pandemic situations of COVID-19 are lessened, the government is setting its sight to focus more on promoting the expensive market, where the medical tourism and health and wellness tourism businesses have been expected to become more popular among tourists. The expenses of the two tourism groups have been estimated at around 80,000-100,000 baht per trip. Therefore, promoting and expanding the two tourism groups will generate more stable incomes as Thailand is poised to become one of the world’s most renowned international health and wellness hubs.”