Fancy a different face but ca n't afford to go under the knife ? Thailand 's Tourism Authority has launched an Extreme Makeover contest , offering three lucky ladies a chance to win free facial surgery along with a shot at $ 5,000 and a luxury vacation . To enter , you 'll have to submit photos showing your face from various angles , along with a health profile and written explanation of why you so badly covet a makeover . The judging committee , made up of medical experts and surgeons , will then pick the three winners . Finalists will be announced on May 7 . Naturally there 's a catch . You 'll have to let all your insecurities play out online through videos and photos uploaded to the Extreme Makeover website while you 're in Thailand for the surgery . You 'll also be subjected to the scrutiny of public voters , who 'll ultimately decide whether you deserve some cash to go with your new face . The contender with the highest number of votes gets the $ 5,000 and a luxury tour package . The two runners-up will also get their own luxury tour packages . According to the rules , the Extreme Makeover contest is open to non-Thai women between 25 and 45 years of age who are able to stay in Thailand for a month . If the official competition video is anything to go by , the contest is aimed at those looking to become the `` ultimate beauty '' thanks to this `` life changing opportunity '' that will make their `` dreams into a reality . '' All you have to do is `` click and remain forever young . '' The finalists agree to give the Thailand Extreme Makeover project the right to use their names , images , videos and/or audio before and after surgery for display , public relations via online and offline media and domestic and international marketing . Thailand already a medical tourism hotspot . Though the competition was launched to promote medical tourism in Thailand , the country is already considered an industry leader . `` Malaysia , Thailand and South Korea are examples where government support has proved very successful at increasing business year on year , while places like India where governments have done little have seen numbers fall , '' says a new report by the International Medical Tourism Journal . Thailand has 30 healthcare organizations accredited by the U.S.-based Joint Commission International , considered a leading evaluator of global heath care quality and safety . For an international hospital to be accredited , it must meet the same set of standards as U.S. hospitals . Josef Woodman , CEO of U.S.-based medical travel consumer guide Patients Beyond Borders ( PBB ) , tells CNN an estimated 920,000 to 1.2 million medical tourists came to Thailand in 2013 , which represents around 10 % of the worldwide patient flow for international medical travel . However , due to this year 's political and social unrest , current flows are 40 % off , along with the rest of tourism . `` We expect that to bounce back as usual when things clear up , '' he adds . So just how much cheaper is it to get your face lift or hip replacement surgery in Thailand ? Average savings for those visiting from the United States are in the 50-70 % range , if you use U.S. costs across a variety of specialties and procedures as a benchmark , says Woodman . But sometimes that figure can reach 80-85 % for the more expensive procedures such as heart and spine work , he adds .
Thailand Tourism Department sponsored contest offering free facial surgery . Contest only open to non - Thai ##s between 18 and 45 years of age . An estimated up to 1 million medical tourists came to Thailand in 2013 .