Assoc Professor Adisorn Phattharadool, a deputy dean of medicine, said those witnessing the operation in both countries saw high-resolution, moving, three-dimensional pictures.

The enhanced images are valuable in ophthalmologic operations, which require the precise movement of tools, he added.

Ophthalmologist Prin Rojjanaphongphan said the 3D pictures benefited patients, improved training for doctors, were more efficient, would be cheaper in the long term and enable knowledge to be exchanged more freely.

Asst Professor Phornnarong Chotiwan said the broadcast was at 45 million bits per second, or 10,000 times faster than a normal broadband Web connection. That is fast enough to ensure stutter-free, 3D images that can be seen by many people, unlike flat-screen pictures.