TAGE has been continuously growing, while the members including surgeons and physicians from all over the country. The association annually holds 3 academic events in Thailand, namely Live Demonstration, Endoscopy Challenge, and Therapeutic Days. Also, TAGE cooperates with international organization in organizing various events and activities every month. Furthermore, the Executive Board has always been delivering lectures, spreading knowledge, and attending many academic activities. There have been major changes this year, namely the outbreak of COVID-19; TAGE fortunately held an academic seminar in February just before the pandemic and cooperated with China in giving lectures on the disease. Later on, we provided national advice about COVID-19 and also had articles about the virus published in international journals.
In Thailand, doctors in each provincial hospital can presently provide international standard endoscopy services; and quite a large number of hospitals competent to perform advanced endoscopic procedures including Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (ERCP) and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) are located in each region of the country to provide patients with medical services, knowledge, and trainings constantly. During the outbreak, knowledge and information on endoscopy are shared and exchanged through media and social media. Next year, TAGE is going to intentionally pursue the same policies; yet our methods to spread knowledge are mainly dependent upon the COVID-19 situation. Nonetheless, TAGE determines to achieve our ambition to spread and broaden our knowledge of gastrointestinal endoscopy, as well as to be a national and regional medical hub abidingly.