SBC Medical Group Holdings Inc., Japan's leading aesthetic medical clinic operator, has entered into an e-consulting agreement with BLEZ ASIA Co., Ltd. to expand operations into Thailand. The partnership will establish a new dermatological clinic in Bangkok's Asok district, scheduled to open by year-end, representing SBC's second international expansion following its 2024 entry into Singapore. This strategic move positions SBC to capitalize on Thailand's aesthetic medicine market, projected to reach nearly $1.2 billion by 2033 with a compound annual growth rate of 13.5%.
The Thai market presents significant opportunity due to its fragmented landscape of small-scale operators providing inconsistent service quality, combined with a substantial Japanese expatriate population of approximately 60,000 seeking Japanese-quality treatments. BLEZ ASIA operates more than twenty pharmacies and clinics throughout Thailand and maintains strong trust among both Japanese expatriates and local patients, making them an ideal partner for SBC's expansion strategy. Under the agreement, SBC will provide comprehensive management support to the new clinic, advising on clinical protocols aligned with SBC's quality standards and assisting in selecting medical devices and treatment methods optimized for local skin characteristics and environmental conditions.
Yoshiyuki Aikawa, CEO of SBC, emphasized the strategic importance of this expansion, noting that Japanese aesthetic medicine is globally competitive for its precision and high safety standards. Partnering with a trusted local leader like BLEZ in the fast-growing Thai market represents a significant advancement in SBC's Asia strategy. The company aims to create a sustainable model where Japan's advanced medical services can establish local roots and deliver new value, beginning with serving the Japanese expatriate community before expanding to the broader Thai market. This partnership accelerates SBC's regional growth following its Singapore launch through partnership with Aesthetic Healthcare Holdings.
The expansion coincides with SBC's strong domestic performance, where annual patient visits grew 15% year-over-year in the third quarter and the company maintains an impressive 72% return customer rate. Naoki Iida, CEO of BLEZ ASIA, highlighted that the Thai aesthetic medicine market continues to grow rapidly with increasing focus on quality and safety, making the partnership with SBC an invaluable opportunity to establish Japanese-standard, high-quality medical services in Thailand. The new clinic will primarily focus on dermatological treatments such as pigmentation and spot removal, addressing customer demand for high-quality, affordable aesthetic treatments that offer subtle, natural-looking enhancements with minimal downtime.
Both companies aim to build a brand trusted and loved by the community for years to come, combining SBC's medical expertise with BLEZ ASIA's local market knowledge and established reputation. This collaboration represents SBC's continued commitment to providing consistently high-level medical services while establishing new value in international aesthetic medicine markets, demonstrating the company's strategic approach to global expansion through carefully selected partnerships that leverage local expertise while maintaining Japanese quality standards.
