3M N95 Face Masks for Pollution

[bbi1]

Does anyone know where to purchase the 3M brand N95 face masks in a pharmacy or anywhere else in BKK? I've tried all over Pattaya but there's none for sale anywhere in the pharmacies or Homepro. I've been told the same thing, they have no N95 masks of any brands and they've ordered it but expect at least 1 month before they arrive and no pharmacies have them now. It's surprising considered that nobody really wears any N95 type of masks here, except maybe one or two older foreigners you see while walking around.

Edited January 28, 2019 by bbi1

[shadowofacloud]

I remember an article in Bangkok Post about a shortage. I've ordered mine from Lazada, arrived within 3 working days.

 

[edit] https://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/family-and-health/1617142/the-desolation-of-smog

Edited January 28, 2019 by shadowofacloud

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, shadowofacloud said:

I remember an article in Bangkok Post about a shortage. I've ordered mine from Lazada, arrived within 3 working days.

 

[edit] https://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/family-and-health/1617142/the-desolation-of-smog

A lot on Lazada could very well be fakes so I'm cautious of ordering from there unless it was from 3M directly. Seems the prices are a lot cheaper than what 3M sells on their site.

[shadowofacloud]

According to the official 3M store on Lazada, a 50 piece box costs 1000 THB. Or did cost, because they are out of stock as well... So 20 THB per piece.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/3m-particulate-respirator-9010-n95-i263484073-s407260805.html?spm=a2o4m.seller.list.3.6a8b46b883fqG6&mp=1

 

The shop I've bought it from sold 10 pcs for 390 THB! Nice margin and not really cheaper. Anyway, they are out of stock as well.

 

I've inspected the package and it does not look like a cheap fake. However, I have no way of knowing for sure.

[jackdd]

Probably they just didn't know what you wanted, so they gave the standard "no have" answer ????

Instead of "N95" you can also look for "FFP2" or "FFP3" masks, that's just another standard, and from what i've read FFP2 is about equivalent to N95 and FFP3 is better

[dcnx]

Stock up because the government is putting a new tax on them. Greedy scumbags that they are.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

19 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Probably they just didn't know what you wanted, so they gave the standard "no have" answer ????

Instead of "N95" you can also look for "FFP2" or "FFP3" masks, that's just another standard, and from what i've read FFP2 is about equivalent to N95 and FFP3 is better

 

N95 is a U.S. certification, meaning it's supposed to capture up to 95% of the tiny particles. The FFP ratings are a European certification. But yes, FFP2 is a bit less than N95 at 94%, I believe, while FFP3 is more, closer to the 99% capture standard (but that also means it's a bit harder to breath thru).

 

Either rating would be fine here, assuming the masks in question are legit and not fakes/knock offs.

 

 

[bbi1]

6 hours ago, jackdd said:

Probably they just didn't know what you wanted, so they gave the standard "no have" answer ????

Instead of "N95" you can also look for "FFP2" or "FFP3" masks, that's just another standard, and from what i've read FFP2 is about equivalent to N95 and FFP3 is better

No, they did know what I wanted and the ones that had any masks showed that they only have surgical masks available when they told me they don't have N95 masks.

[bbi1]

6 hours ago, dcnx said:

Stock up because the government is putting a new tax on them. Greedy scumbags that they are.

Source of where you saw this new tax?

[bbi1]

6 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

N95 is a U.S. certification, meaning it's supposed to capture up to 95% of the tiny particles. The FFP ratings are a European certification. But yes, FFP2 is a bit less than N95 at 94%, I believe, while FFP3 is more, closer to the 99% capture standard (but that also means it's a bit harder to breath thru).

 

Either rating would be fine here, assuming the masks in question are legit and not fakes/knock offs.

 

 

How to tell if a mask is legit and not a fake? Especially on Lazada when they're not sold on the 3M official store?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

19 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

How to tell if a mask is legit and not a fake? Especially on Lazada when they're not sold on the 3M official store?

 

Outside of dealing with their 3M official store or other well-established retailers, no good answer for that, except to look for any obvious signs like anomalies in packaging or text/spelling, etc.  And stick to the 3M brand as opposed to other unknown/unrecognized brand names.

 

And I suppose pricing. If, during a time of widespread shortages, someone online is selling what's claimed to be legitimate 3M N95 masks as cut-rate, bargain pricing, that might also be a cause for suspicion.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[bbi1]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Outside of dealing with their 3M official store or other well-established retailers, no good answer for that, except to look for any obvious signs like anomalies in packaging or text/spelling, etc.  And stick to the 3M brand as opposed to other unknown/unrecognized brand names.

 

And I supposed pricing. If, during a time of widespread shortages, someone online is selling what's claimed to be legitimate 3M N95 masks as cut-rate, bargain pricing, that might also be a cause for suspicion.

 

 

A lot of the sellers on Lazada of 3M products just seem to send those masks never in 3M's official packaging, just in a plastic bag with the bunch of masks ordered, eg. 10 masks. Those I presume must be all fakes.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

16 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

A lot of the sellers on Lazada of 3M products just seem to send those masks never in 3M's official packaging, just in a plastic bag with the bunch of masks ordered, eg. 10 masks. Those I presume must be all fakes.

 

Can't offer much about that... Except, I know, 3M itself sells its masks in retail boxes in quantities of 10 or even 50. I suppose, someone could be buying them in bulk quantities and then parceling them out. But, if the masks were arriving loose without the 3M individual plastic seal wrapping on each, I'd be wary.

 

Also, all the 3M masks I've bought in the U.S. come with the individual plastic wrapping that has their product information printed in several different languages, usually English, Spanish and French. Dunno how that is treated with their products here in Asia.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Farma]

12 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

A lot of the sellers on Lazada of 3M products just seem to send those masks never in 3M's official packaging, just in a plastic bag with the bunch of masks ordered, eg. 10 masks. Those I presume must be all fakes.

Where I work 3M masks come packed in boxes of 20 or more. Maybe the Lazada suppliers have to split the packs to ship smaller quantities. I should add the masks in these boxes are stacked without individual packaging in 1 plastic bag.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Farma

[josephbloggs]

7 hours ago, dcnx said:

Stock up because the government is putting a new tax on them. Greedy scumbags that they are.

What a ridiculous thing to say.

 

Please share a link to this incredible information you have (that nobody else has ever heard of).

[fruitman]

15 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

The shop I've bought it from sold 10 pcs for 390 THB! Nice margin and not really cheaper. Anyway, they are out of stock as well.

 

I bought 5 for 200 baht yesterday on the kasetsart university fair...