Picture: Sanook

 

The Thai Private Hospital Association has been forced to change the price of their Moderna jabs yet again. 

 

After first stating that two jabs would cost 3,800 baht they said last week that this would be reduced to 3,400. 

 

People started registering and possibly paying on July 1st so that each hospital would know how many supplies to order by the start of August. 

 

The vaccine will be supplied by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation who are charging the hospitals 1,100 baht for each dose.

 

This price includes insurance. The hospital mark-up is for their staff and injection costs.  

 

Last week it was reported that the mark-up would thus be more than 50%.

 

It has now been discovered that this is price gouging and that the PHA can only charge 50% above the GPO price. 

 

The PHA have decided to hit this top ceiling but not exceed it with a new charge of 3,300 baht for two doses. 

 

Sanook reported that about 4 million doses of the Moderna vaccine of choice would be available in the fourth quarter of this year (from October) and about 1 million doses from next January. 

 

They didn't say what would happen to people who had already paid 3,400 baht as part of their registering for the vaccine, notes ASEAN Now.

 

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By all account on other parts of the Forum it appears that the contract to buy the Moderna Vacs has not even been ratified yet...ie signed off and suggests that wont happen until at the earliest August...so...maybe around Xmas time...eh..o dear..

Wait a week. Another article about some fee or price increase.

 

The price will be the absolute maximum. Then add the hospital fees. Do you want it or not???

 

All quite disingenuous considering there's no vaccines!

Believe in Santa .......jingle bells..

Doesn't matter, pay up and don't complain. Who cares what is next year when they eventually plan to receive it ????

2022 I bet.  

I love it when the price goes down on something I can't buy.

 

I feel so good, and I don't have to spend any money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This reminds me of the old joke where a man complained to a store that their price for a cut of meet was higher than across the street.  The grocer said well why don't you buy it there.  He replied, well they don't have any.  The grocer replied well when I don't have any my price is half of theirs. 

What difference does it make what the price they are quoting is.  They don't have any vaccines and the reports are that the government does not have a confirmed order for it.  All smoke and mirrors. 

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

It has now been discovered that this is price gouging and that the PHA can only charge 50% above the GPO price. 

Some might say a 50% markup is also price gouging. 

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

They didn't say what would happen to people who had already paid 3,400 baht as part of their registering for the vaccine, notes ASEAN Now.

They would have a unique opportunity to donate 100 baht to their favourite private hospital, I'd say.

just wait until Thai government gets free supplies of vaccines from the west and still refuses to vaccinate us under their rollout program and that would be additional to already donated millios of dollars - do they realise that we are part of the funding for these donations

 

why are we being excluded from their vaccine rollout, why is the government not distributing the vaccines

Expect 6 more changes in the next 3 months, cost, availability, date, timeline, places. 

There is talk about Moderna for weeks now....empty talks, as still not available for months, and that is considered the best case!!

private hospital cannot buy Pfizer or Moderna because they only sell to government, and the Thai government said that they had NO DUTY to draw up the contract

13 minutes ago, smedly said:

just wait until Thai government gets free supplies of vaccines from the west and still refuses to vaccinate us under their rollout program and that would be additional to already donated millios of dollars - do they realise that we are part of the funding for these donations

 

why are we being excluded from their vaccine rollout, why is the government not distributing the vaccines

Yes maybe we get to pay for what we already paid for when Thailand receives free vaccines.

Sounds like a deal to me!

What the French are doing is really good but,Why not do it as THE EUROPEAN UNION?

The are supposed to be one people with one government?

Looking out for all of us?

Ok,reality just hit me,never mind.

Dear me, this price is going up and down more frequently than a lady of the nights panties.

 

And they haven't even ordered any yet..

 

What a farce.

And from another thread....

I know where my deposit is staying.

 

 

BANGKOK, July 2 (TNA) – The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) never received for scrutiny any draft contract for the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Moderna , said Prayuth Petchkhun, OAG’s deputy spokesman

7 minutes ago, jvs said:

Yes maybe we get to pay for what we already paid for when Thailand receives free vaccines.

Sounds like a deal to me!

What the French are doing is really good but,Why not do it as THE EUROPEAN UNION?

The are supposed to be one people with one government?

Looking out for all of us?

Ok,reality just hit me,never mind.

The EU is not governed by one body. Individual nations within it participate in it’s  decision making process but also retain sovereignty and are free to choose their own policy on issues such as who they decide is eligible to receive vaccinations.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Last week it was reported that the mark-up would thus be more than 50%.

This is normal in private hospitals 

I've had a couple of mails from hospitals with a price of 3,300-3,400 (excluding doctor fees) with vaccines to arrive between the end of October '21 and March '22.  I wouldn't mind the pricing SO much if you could just walk in, get vaccinated and pay.  But pay up front, in Thailand, with its level of consumer protection (e.g. none), for vaccines that MIGHT arrive at some time over the next 8 months, with undeclared fees (other) to pay on top and with the constant (like hourly) changes here just makes it too much of a risk IMO.  If you end up having to wait 4-6 months who knows what the vaccine situation will be by then and what other options will be available.  It's a <deleted> shoot of course but with the absence of more robust guarantees I think I'll take my chances.

39 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Some might say a 50% markup is also price gouging. 

This is a private hospital. I don't see people complaining when they get their medication there that is much more than 50 % more than local chemists. 

7 minutes ago, SooKee said:

But pay up front, in Thailand, with its level of consumer protection (e.g. none), for vaccines that MIGHT arrive at some time over the next 8 months, with undeclared fees (other) to pay on top and with the constant (like hourly) changes here just makes it too much of a risk IMO.

Of course their is customer protection. I paid a deposit and get full refund if not vaccinated this year. 

4 minutes ago, SooKee said:

I've had a couple of mails from hospitals with a price of 3,300-3,400 (excluding doctor fees) with vaccines to arrive between the end of October '21 and March '22.  I wouldn't mind the pricing SO much if you could just walk in, get vaccinated and pay.  But pay up front

had the same thought as you, but my wife decided to register me with private hospital to have a jab, since she already had her free AZ jabs and now worry for me, it's only money she said, a night out would cost the same amount, atleast we are in front of the line, we will see.

47 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Some might say a 50% markup is also price gouging. 

so, you have never bought a bottle of wine in a restaurant? I think the Moderna mark up may be abit less.

7 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

This is a private hospital. I don't see people complaining when they get their medication there that is much more than 50 % more than local chemists. 

Don’t you?

 

I’ve seen plenty of complaints over prices charged in private hospitals over the years in this forum. 

1 minute ago, Advocatus Diaboli said:

so, you have never bought a bottle of wine in a restaurant? I think the Moderna mark up may be abit less.

I don’t drink, so I’ve never bought a bottle of wine in a restaurant. 
 

However just because such wide spread practices are happening elsewhere it doesn’t make it right to do so with vaccines. 
 

I get that it happens and will continue to do so, but that doesn’t change the fact some might consider a 50% mark up as price gouging. 

1 minute ago, Bluespunk said:

I don’t drink, so I’ve never bought a bottle of wine in a restaurant. 

well in your case, maybe a bottle of water?

2 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Don’t you?

 

I’ve seen plenty of complaints over prices charged in private hospitals over the years in this forum. 

I've seen a few but this article seems to want to stir the pot regarding the Covid vaccine. Some seem to think this medication should be given as charity. Do you believe in free enterprise? 

Just get it here for October ! Everybody wants a taste of the M vacc fee ! The hospital admin,  Special services, handling ,etc etc. I expect to pay extra for the Dr.'s taste too.

 

Just now, Neeranam said:

I've seen a few but this article seems to want to stir the pot regarding the Covid vaccine. Some seem to think this medication should be given as charity. Do you believe in free enterprise? 

My views on free market neo liberal capitalism are definitely negative but I accept that such practices are a reality I can’t change. 
 

However I regard exploiting a pandemic for profit as somewhat distasteful. 

Perhaps it's just me, but I don't understand the quibbling over a few baht for a vaccine that could well save your life. If I could get a Moderna or Pfizer right now I would happily pay 5x that much.  Private Hospitals (businesses) are there to make a profit from the client not give things away.

I think the complaining should be aimed at the government who are still fumbling around half way through 2021 pretending they are capable, or even care, about getting vaccines for the masses.