By and large, a need exists to train and prepare Thai healthcare professionals having had to use medial English to provide assistance to an increasing number of international patients from different cultural backgrounds and countries seeking medical care or attention in Thailand. This initiative is of great importance as it is one of the strategic plans to turn Thailand into an international medical hub of Asia. With the role of English as an international language at present, the use of English with clarity and accuracy by these healthcare personnel is therefore necessary. The paper addresses a hands-on in-service training approach to learning communicative English for healthcare professionals serving in a private hospital in Thailand and some contextual challenges, upsides and downsides encountered in this ESP (English for Specific Purposes) teaching and learning will be discussed. The contribution and application of such approach is aimed in particular at English teaching scholars who may be approaching ESP initially or whose knowledge of ESP may be relatively bounded.

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