Who is Dr PYONG?

Kantaphong Thongrong, MD, known as "Dr PYONG", is a specialist physician in the field of rehabilitation medicine (Rehabilitation Medicine)

whose interest lies in caring for and restoring the capacity of patients with problems of movement, pain, injury from sport, and abnormality of the nervous system and the muscles.

Biography and qualifications

Ajarn Kantaphong Thongrong, MD (Dr PYONG) graduated Doctor of Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, in 2016.

After that he added knowledge and expertise in the field of rehabilitation medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and received the Diploma of the Thai Board certifying expertise in the practice of medicine, field of rehabilitation medicine, from the Royal College of Physiatrists of Thailand in 2023.

At present he holds the position of lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, and specialist physician in the field of rehabilitation medicine at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Institute of Technology Hospital.

A summary of his background and the goal of his work

A specialist physician in the field of rehabilitation medicine whose goal is to combine clinical leadership with medical innovation. He has expertise in applying medical robotic technology, innovations that need no surgery, and Design Thinking, in order to raise the result of treatment in the groups of patients with stroke, older adults, and those with chronic pain.

He has experience as head of a hospital department of rehabilitation medicine and as chief executive officer and founder of a premium private centre of rehabilitation medicine, and is committed to developing the field of rehabilitation medicine through teaching, research, and giving knowledge to society.

Core abilities and expertise

• Neurological rehabilitation medicine and the rehabilitation of patients with stroke
• Rehabilitation medicine for older adults and strategies for promoting the health of older adults
• The management of chronic pain
• Rehabilitation with robots (Robotic & Wearable Exoskeleton Training)
• Carrying out procedures with ultrasound guidance (Ultrasound-Guided Interventions)
• Advanced laser and radiofrequency technology in medicine
• Design Thinking to create medical innovation (Design Thinking in Healthcare)

Working experience and executive positions

Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

King Chulalongkorn Memorial Institute of Technology Hospital, Bangkok (2023 – present)

• Leading the clinical direction and managing the hospital's rehabilitation medicine services
• Pioneering the introduction of advanced technology and best practice to raise the standard of patient care
• Developing and overseeing rehabilitation programmes for a wide range of patient groups, such as patients after surgery, patients with conditions of the nervous system, and older adults

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

PYONG Rehabilitation Group, Bangkok (2023 – present)

• Founding and running a premium centre of rehabilitation medicine with expertise in treating chronic pain, neurological rehabilitation, and the care of older adults
• Driving business strategy, clinical excellence, and the experience of those receiving the service
• Selecting cutting-edge treatment technology in order to give medical services that need no surgery and are as effective as possible

Academic and teaching positions

Lecturer

Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (2023 – present)

• Course director: the musculoskeletal system and the movement of the body; design thinking in medicine –
• Co-teacher: clinical anatomy, clinical neurology, geriatric medicine and rehabilitation medicine, and other clinical courses

Education and certification

• Diploma of the Thai Board certifying knowledge and expertise in the practice of medicine, field of rehabilitation medicine, Medical Council
• Resident physician, field of rehabilitation medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
• Doctor of Medicine, 2017, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

Research and presentations

• Principal investigator: 'The effect of gait training with a wearable gait-training robot in patients with subacute stroke: a randomised controlled pilot study', presented to the Royal College of Physiatrists of Thailand

Specialist training

• Overground Wearable Exoskeleton Clinical Use Workshop, UANGO Headquarters, Firenzuola, Italy (April 2025)
• MSK Ultrasound Guided Hydrodissection and Injection Workshop, Siriraj Hospital (March 2025)
• Botulinum toxin injection for cervical dystonia and hemifacial spasm, Neurological Institute
• Robotic Neurorehabilitation, Thai Society of Neurorehabilitation and the Royal College of Physiatrists of Thailand (March 2024)
• Laser Therapy Master Training Course, International Laser Therapy Academy (April 2024)
• Sports Medicine Update for Team Physician, Thai Society of Sports Medicine (July 2024)
• Thai Interventional and Multidisciplinary Pain Management (TIMPs) Symposium, 2024
• Cognitive-Perception Rehabilitation, Thai Society of Neurorehabilitation (May 2025)
• Hand Rehabilitation in Neurological Diseases, Thai Society of Neurorehabilitation (Jun 2025)

Study visits abroad

• ASIA University, Taiwan (March 2025): a study visit on the clinical application of robots in the department of rehabilitation medicine
• Singapore Geriatric Care Tour, Singapore (August 2025): a study visit on models of care for older adults and advanced rehabilitation medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Ren Ci Community Hospital, and NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre
• HIWIN Technologies Corp., Taiwan (March 2025): a study visit on the process of manufacturing advanced medical robots

Invited speaker and organisational adviser

• Founder and organiser, PYONG SUMMIT: the annual academic conference on rehabilitation medicine and wellbeing for the public, which had over 200 participants in its first year (2024)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs (DVIFA): speaker in the "DVIFA Knowledge Sharing" programme on "Smart Working: knowing and preventing Office Syndrome"
• Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA): speaker in the Leadership Development Program
• Thailand Management Association (TMA): speaker on wellbeing in the workplace for executives
• Forbes Thailand: expert speaker at the Forbes CEO Golf Tournament 2025 on "Caring for yourself as a golfer"

Special projects and creative work

• Photographic artist | the exhibition "Children Who Live with Diabetes," Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC): a solo photographic exhibition as part of the event "World Diabetes Day", the first time in Thailand that a work of art inspired by type 1 diabetes had been exhibited (2020)
• Photographic artist | the exhibition "Rehabilitation Medicine," King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital: a solo photographic exhibition telling the story of the field of rehabilitation medicine, at the event "Rehabilitation Medicine Week" (2020)

Honours and awards

• Received the award "Business Model Person of the Year 2025", the Foundation of Science and Technology Council of Thailand (FSTT), the "Business Model Person of the Year" project

Treatment that does not compromise on pain

Kantaphong Thongrong, MD, or Dr PYONG, founder and chief executive officer of PYONG Rehabilitation Group and a specialist physician in rehabilitation medicine, has spoken of the important thinking and philosophy in caring for patients, particularly those with chronic pain, and of seeing the potential of technology to come and change the quality of life of Thai people in the future, with quality of life and happiness as the highest goal.

"Treatment must not compromise on the patient's pain" — Dr PYONG

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