I just noticed that lately many people have been asking about buying hospital stocks—so which stocks are good in 2569? That’s why I’d like to share my thoughts on this.

In fact, hospital businesses are considered defensive stocks because healthcare is a necessity. Whether the economy is good or bad, these stock groups still provide steady income. If you’re thinking about buying hospital stocks, you need to understand that each hospital has different policies. Some focus on international customers, while others focus on Thai people and social security patients.

Let’s look at which hospital stocks might be interesting this year.

The first one I want to mention is BDMS (Bangkok Dusit Medical Services), which is a top player in the industry. Its market cap is 319,430 million baht, its stock price is 20 baht, its P/E is 19.5x, and its ROE is 16.8%. This company has affiliated hospitals both in Thailand and abroad, and it also has plans to continuously expand branches and add beds. It’s expected that profits will grow steadily.

Another one to watch is BH (Bumrungrad Hospital). Its market cap is 135,060 million baht, and its price is 167.50 baht. This one mainly focuses on international customers. Its ROE is as high as 31.9%, which indicates the company uses its capital extremely efficiently. The trend of medical tourism is also steadily increasing, which is an opportunity for BH to keep expanding.

If you’re looking for hospital stocks that aren’t too expensive, BCH (Bangkok Chain Hospital), with a price of 10.20 baht and a market cap of 25,190 million baht, is a good option. The company has 15 hospitals under its umbrella, offering services at various levels. Its P/E is 19.7x, which isn’t expensive compared with others. Some analysts have upgraded their recommendation to “Buy,” expecting profits to grow by 23%.

For hospital stocks with specialized expertise, RAM (Ramkhamhaeng Hospital) is also worth considering. It’s known for treating specific conditions such as heart and brain diseases. Its price is 18.20 baht. This company has a strong base of cash-paying patients and health-insurance patients.

Now, if you’re thinking about buying hospital stocks, you should understand a bit about why P/E and ROE are important. P/E tells you how much you have to pay for each unit of profit the company can generate. ROE tells you how well the company uses shareholders’ capital. A higher ROE means the company can generate more profit from its capital.

Another thing you should look at is each hospital’s growth strategy. Some grow through mergers and acquisitions, some expand into new branches in areas with potential, and some focus on specialized groups—for example, some offer end-to-end packages from treatment to health rehabilitation.

Why are hospital stocks so interesting? Because the population is increasing, society is moving into an aging era, and new diseases are emerging. All of these drive higher demand for medical services. At the same time, this stock group is getting more attention from investors because it’s viewed as a stable business with relatively low risk.

The key thing to remember is: if you want to buy hospital stocks, you need to study the fundamentals thoroughly. Check what customer groups the hospital mainly serves, what kind of expansion plans it has, and compare its P/E and ROE with the industry. If you have time, you can also ask for recommendations from analysts with expertise.

Personally, I think all 7 of the stocks I mentioned have potential. But you should choose what fits your own investment goals. If you want stocks with steady income and long-term stability, hospital stocks are a good option for building wealth in your investment portfolio.