GPO sells ATKs at 40 baht per unit at eight of its retail stores

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Starting today (October 18), the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) retails antigen test kits at 40 baht per unit, which is well below the market price, at eight of its retail stores.

 

Two million SARS-CoV-2 antigen test kits (ATKs) which have been approved for public use by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are sold at eight branches of the GPO as follows:

 

1. Ratchathewi branch (head office), opposite Ramathibodi Hospital (Tel. 0-2203-8847, 0-2203-8849)

 

2. Yotse branch, next to Hua Chiew Hospital (Tel. 0-2222-5931, 0-2225-6367)

 

3. Jaran Sanitwong branch (Tel. 0-2412-9377)

 

4. Deves branch, opposite Bank of Thailand (Tel. 0-2282-0729)

 

5. Rangsit branch, near Si Mum Mueang Market (Tel. 0-2536-3526, 0-2536-4086)

 

6. Department of Medical Services branch (Tel. 0-2951-0925, 0-2590-6034)

 

7. Tropical Medicine branch, near Siam Commercial Bank (Tel. 0-2354-9061)

 

8. The Government Complex branch (Tel. 0-2143-8768)

 

GPO is considering purchasing more ATKs to cater to the increasing demand and will add an online channel to facilitate people who could not travel to these branches.

 

For more information, please contact the GPO hotline at 1648.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-10-18

 

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[internationalism]

probably they are chinese Lepo. I got them for 85b bulk order.

Tomorrow I will call what is the limit in one purchase. I will save myself space from bringing them from europe supermarkets where they sell from 70cent so 27b and top up my luggage with french cheese 

[ukrules]

Very convenient for me here in Hua Hin, should I go on a road trip to Bangkok and hope there's some left when I arrive?

[internationalism]

ups, I have seen pictures from those venues, hundreds of buyers without social distancing and a lot of mass media.

Probably tomorrow most of the tests will be at street markets at 200b - some 35b below pharmacy price

 

[kotsak]

From their FB page.. Spot the typo ????

https://www.facebook.com/thailandprd/posts/4726879967335380

 

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by kotsak

[Emdog]

"...retails antigen test kits at 40 baht per unit, which is well below the market price,..."

another fine example of government screwing up free markets; in this case pharmacies.

How is it possible to sell below market price? Oh, tax payer makes up the difference.... which also cuts income to pharmacies as who would buy from them who have to pay real costs for items and taxes on earnings.

Fortunately only 8 stores doing this harebrained scheme.

Reminds of some years ago when gov decided to compete with street food vendors, undercutting prices and putting these small businesses out of business. Any of them take Econ 101?

[internationalism]

as I have red on social media Lepu can be bought directly from manufacturer and in modest quantities of thousands for $1 so 33b. 

Any covid medicines and equipment is not taxed in thailand, so the gpo is making some profit and certainly they made a large profit on the remaining 5mln imported.

Probably for them it's a publicity campaign for this atk and the next order will be 70 or 700mln.

They have invited all media, even allowing them behind cashiers, to make better angle at faces of crowds

Edited October 18, 2021 by internationalism

[RichardColeman]

Excellent, now just put a few hundred thousand at the airport, let us get tested there and then FREED into society. 

[placeholder]

11 hours ago, Emdog said:

"...retails antigen test kits at 40 baht per unit, which is well below the market price,..."

another fine example of government screwing up free markets; in this case pharmacies.

How is it possible to sell below market price? Oh, tax payer makes up the difference.... which also cuts income to pharmacies as who would buy from them who have to pay real costs for items and taxes on earnings.

Fortunately only 8 stores doing this harebrained scheme.

Reminds of some years ago when gov decided to compete with street food vendors, undercutting prices and putting these small businesses out of business. Any of them take Econ 101?

Definitely when it's a matter of a public health emergency you wouldn't want to do anything to increase adoption of testing if it lessens the profits of pharmacies. Because, you know, profits are sacred; human life, not so much.

[Cake Monster]

Very soon there will be no need of PCR testing.

Await a huge drop in the number of reported cases

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Government Complex branch

Sorry I couldn't let that one go.

[Emdog]

4 hours ago, placeholder said:

Definitely when it's a matter of a public health emergency you wouldn't want to do anything to increase adoption of testing if it lessens the profits of pharmacies. Because, you know, profits are sacred; human life, not so much.

Do you work for free, or did you? Profits (or taxes on profits) is what gave you money to live on. Better would be to supply test kits to pharmacies with fixed price that includes some profit. The distribution network already exists.

Compare the choke hold gov has had on vaccine distribution here... some say for under the counter payoffs... and getting vaccine to public was a matter of "public health emergency". The USA has gone the route of using pharmacies and health outlets. If I were back in US, I could walk to nearby Walgreen's and have my choice of J&J, Pfizer or Moderna... no charge, no waiting... 1/2 a year plus ago.

You seem to present this as a false either/or choice. And yes, it is possible to make profits AND serve humanity

 

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, Emdog said:

Do you work for free, or did you? Profits (or taxes on profits) is what gave you money to live on. Better would be to supply test kits to pharmacies with fixed price that includes some profit. The distribution network already exists.

Compare the choke hold gov has had on vaccine distribution here... some say for under the counter payoffs... and getting vaccine to public was a matter of "public health emergency". The USA has gone the route of using pharmacies and health outlets. If I were back in US, I could walk to nearby Walgreen's and have my choice of J&J, Pfizer or Moderna... no charge, no waiting... 1/2 a year plus ago.

You seem to present this as a false either/or choice. And yes, it is possible to make profits AND serve humanity

 

But the govt. isn't asking anyone to work for free, is it?

[lolalol]

do they have to grab every single penny?.....

 

"Yes"

[Xonax]

Bought a few last week in my local "wholesale" Pharmacy in Bangkok. Price 85 Baht/pc. Brand name Gica. They said that the exact same tests were sold in 7-eleven.  Not worth it for me to travel acrross the city. I live in Bangkok, but the nearest GPO shop on the list is 20 kms away.

Edited October 19, 2021 by Xonax