Cheap, But Reliable Pharmacy Needed In Bangkok

[bruce3404]

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, inexpensive pharmacy in Bangkok? Many moons ago, someone recommended some wholesale pharmacies opposite Future Park Rangsit. I'm staying on Sukhumvit Soi 11 and can't find Future Park Rangsit on any of my (admittedly) meager maps. Is it near a BTS or Subway station? Would also appreciate any other recommendations.

Edited January 16, 2007 by bruce3404

[percy2]

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, inexpensive pharmacy in Bangkok? Many moons ago, someone recommended some wholesale pharmacies opposite Future Park Rangsit. I'm staying on Sukhumvit Soi 11 and can't find Future Park Rangsit on any of my (admittedly) meager maps. Is it near a BTS or Subway station? Would also appreciate any other recommendations.

Future Park is past Don Muang.

What do you need?

PM if you prefer

Cheers

[lopburi3]

I have found Save Drug chain in Carrefour malls to be very inexpensive and the air conditioned malls and high turnover should help to insure good conditions.

[John K]

On Sukhumvit next to Bullies just up from Soi 4. Always a good price and walking distance for you.

[Spaniel]

There is a pharmacy on Sukumvit betweeen Soi's 13 & 15 that has been there for many years and i have always found to have reasonable prices.

[bruce3404]

Here's what I found and I post this as sort of a public service announcement. I've gotten some great advice from this forum, so wanted to share my pharmacy experiences. After doing a lot of shopping around town, I found the best prices BY FAR along Rajavitec Road, near the Victory Monument; there are three pharmacies within 100 meters of one another that offer very competitive pricing. The best is the Sunee Pharmacy. Their sign is only in Thai, but they are directly across the street from the Institute of Dermatology. There is another pharmacy on one side and a 7-11 on the other. The owner speaks superb English and understands that everyone is looking for a good price. She was kind enough to check all expiration dates (even though I would have) and even go back to the storeroom to get me the most up to date drugs. Check 'em out! She'll happily quote over the phone: 02-3549291-3.

A footnote on Bumrungrad drug pricing: Cost of my drugs was 550 ThB at Bumrungrad. Had I purchased them at Sunee, cost would have been 340 ThB. Not worth running across town for, but if my experience is any indication, it appears that Bumrungrad marks up their drugs in excess of 50%.

[tangoll]

At Bumrungrad, a Seretide Accuhaler costs baht 1450, but at the pharmacy on Sukhumvit between soi 13 and 15 cost is baht 900; same product, same dosage (250/50). But in Hong Kong, same product costs equiv to baht 1900. Singulair and clarityn costs about 70% of cost in Bangkok. So one needs to compare prices product by product both within Bangkok and with other places outside Thailand.

[think_too_mut]

I found the best prices BY FAR along Rajavitec Road, near the Victory Monument; there are three pharmacies within 100 meters of one another that offer very competitive pricing.

If in doubt, above advice would do.

Pharmacies near 7-11s like to round their prices but it's still nothing. Bayer aspirins would be 30 baht instead of 28 baht.

Prescription drugs, in my modest experience, I found the prices are even. Propecia, well priced and unnecessary drug but under prescription regime, cost exactly the same at Lotus pharmacy (no prescription needed but no refund from health insurance), Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and at Bumrungrad.

A 6 months pack (168 tablets) is 12,400B in all of the 3 places. Not a baht difference.

[Farma]

This is a bit of inside information I have gleaned from some pharmacist friends.

Generally pharmacies mark up medicines 35-45% on their wholesale cost. Obviously this depends on the amount of competition and other factors.

Medicines manufactured by the government factory are only allowed a 5% markup by law. The retail price is printed on the packaging and cannot be sold at a higher price. Government hospitals are required to order 80% of their medicines from the government factory.

Dietary aids and other cosmetic type products like Blink etc can have a recommended retail price 500% higher than the wholesale cost. Some pharmacies sell these products at greatly reduced prices.

Hopefully this will partly explain why some medicine costs vary and others are priced the same.