Saw the 2 "N95 masks" my local drugstore is selling, one for 15 B and one was more - maybe 65B, but had an air valve which I'd rather avoid. 

 

I bought a 15B one to try it on to see if I am wrong, but judging by its appearance it is an ordinary mask.

I'll get a 65B one tomorrow to try that.

 

Has anyone found a source for real N95's, locally or if necessary on Lazada?

Edited March 1, 20233 yr by JimmyJ

Try Union Science on Suthep Road.  I've bought them there before.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@18.7899061,98.9644734,3a,75y,213.42h,94.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1saVsqlxLHkMwCe9wS_a4v1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The valve makes breathing much easier. Not desired for covid stuff but great for PM 2.5. 3M store has a big blue Phillips sign on the front.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/442033-where-is-the-3m-shop-on-wualai-road/

 

15 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Try Union Science on Suthep Road.  I've bought them there before.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@18.7899061,98.9644734,3a,75y,213.42h,94.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1saVsqlxLHkMwCe9wS_a4v1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

3M masks?

Homepro sell them https://www.homepro.co.th/c/TOO020106?hw_feature34=N95&pmin=&pmax=&cst=0&q=Masks&page=1&s=12&size=100#plist
35baht

 

If you wait a little while, you'll find the scene will be flooded with more choice and reduced pricing due to glut of supply in south east asia, Singapore dropped their final masking mandates mainly public transport a few weeks ago, and Hong Kong did yesterday for indoors/outdoors (still for transport I think), if Hong Kongers drop the mask in general as quickly as Singaporeans did on transport there will be an abundance of supply in the market very soon and no doubt they'll end being sold off here in Thailand..  Japan the only other place with high demand until the 8th May but they are very fussy about using locally sourced and certified masks.

 

 

Edited March 1, 20233 yr by Snugs08

1 minute ago, Snugs08 said:

Homepro sell them https://www.homepro.co.th/c/TOO020106?hw_feature34=N95&pmin=&pmax=&cst=0&q=Masks&page=1&s=12&size=100#plist
35baht

 

If you wait a little while, you'll find the scene will be flooded with more choice and reduced pricing due to glut of supply in south east asia, Singapore dropped their final masking mandates mainly public transport a few weeks ago, and Hong Kong did yesterday, if Hong Kongers drop the mask as quickly as Singaporeans did on transport there will be an abundance of supply in the market very soon and no doubt they'll end being sold off here in Thailand..  Japan the only other place with high demand until the 8th May but they are very fussy about using locally sourced and certified masks.

 

 

Do you know anything about these brands?

3 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Do you know anything about these brands?

Nope, sorry, order a few and see if it's practical, its probably same stuff you get from Watsons or Boots or whatever, just a different box or plastic sleeve, no doubt all from same cluster of factories on the mainland.

WelCare WF99 are certified to same standards as 3M and a lot cheaper and more comfortable to wear in this pollution.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/welcare-3d-medicals-mask-wf-99-3d-wf99-1-50-1-25-i3389636055-s12760141390.html?

40 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

3M masks?

Yes

Some seem to be talking at cross purposes. N 95 or KN 95 masks are advisable or necessary if you are outdoors in this pollution, nothing to do with Covid. Yes you can get 3M masks, I found them in various places including Homepro. I also have some washable KN 95 masks from Boots in Central Festival, not a known brand. Those with valves are for pollution protection and require a bit less breathing effort due to the exhaust valve, but they are only marginally more comfortable. Where I live in the Amphur the AQI has been close to 200 for days and working outside is causing me breathing problems and allergic rhinitis. Seems sensible to use a mask and limiting myself to one hour sessions and then retreating to the indoor air cleaned by a number of air purifiers scattered around the house. Each to his own.

 

LOVE these!  Great fit, washable with replacement filters for various needs.  Excellent product!

https://www.style-seal.com

On 3/15/2023 at 9:51 AM, MamaSan said:

LOVE these!  Great fit, washable with replacement filters for various needs.  Excellent product!

https://www.style-seal.com

Too many choices.

 

Which mask/filter are you happy with?

On 3/1/2023 at 3:05 PM, tomazbodner said:

WelCare WF99 are certified to same standards as 3M and a lot cheaper and more comfortable to wear in this pollution.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/welcare-3d-medicals-mask-wf-99-3d-wf99-1-50-1-25-i3389636055-s12760141390.html?

Which of their masks do you use?

5 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Which of their masks do you use?

WF99 for pollution as they fit my face well, but could be too big for some. Though I bought most of them at Diamond Pharmacy next to Siriraj hospital.

 

Honestly, I did not expect dreadful air quality to last this long. So I had to stock up a couple of times now.

On 3/1/2023 at 3:05 PM, tomazbodner said:

WelCare WF99 are certified to same standards as 3M and a lot cheaper and more comfortable to wear in this pollution.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/welcare-3d-medicals-mask-wf-99-3d-wf99-1-50-1-25-i3389636055-s12760141390.html?

 I looked at the Lazada listing you posted. I don't see anything that indicates those particular WelCare masks are certified as N95 class. They appear to simply be a medical/surgical type mask.

 

And, they are of the ear straps type, as opposed to the over the head straps type. And there are no ear straps masks that are certified as N95 masks.

 

Welcare Thailand's website does claim they make a different model of mask (different from the one you linked to) that they claim is N95, but it also has ear loops and is only certified (not clear for what) by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TIS).

 

 

https://www.welcarethailand.com/e-catalogue/

 

On their so-called N95 masks (again, not the Lazada one you posted), they're basically claiming the mask material they're using has been shown to filter 95+% of particles, etc... But the problem is, when you have and wear an ear loops type mask, it doesn't fit tight enough to achieve a good seal, so the effective filtering to the wearer is less. That's why the U.S. NIOSH only certifies N95 masks that are designed to have head straps instead of ear loops.

 

These are authentic 3M N95:
https://shopee.co.th/3เอ็ม-หน้ากากป้องกันฝุ่น-ละออง-มาตรฐาน-N95-รุ่น-8210-3M-Particulate-Respirator-8210-N95-บรรจุ-20-ชิ้น-i.15607060.1581618833

Edited April 29, 20233 yr by bg53

12 minutes ago, bg53 said:

These are authentic 3M N95:
https://shopee.co.th/3เอ็ม-หน้ากากป้องกันฝุ่น-ละออง-มาตรฐาน-N95-รุ่น-8210-3M-Particulate-Respirator-8210-N95-บรรจุ-20-ชิ้น-i.15607060.1581618833

 

Ya, those appear legit N95 and are being sold by the 3M official store on Shoppee...

 

However, FWIW, I bought a batch of those from Amazon in the U.S. some time back, and at least for me with a large sized head, they fit VERY tight and were somewhat uncomfortable to wear... But probably much easier for a Thai to wear.

Edited April 29, 20233 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Ya, those appear legit N95 and are being sold by the 3M official store on Shoppee...

 

However, FWIW, I bought a batch of those from Amazon in the U.S. some time back, and at least for me with a large sized head, they fit VERY tight and were somewhat uncomfortable to wear... But probably much easier for a Thai to wear.

Which 3Ms or others do you use, and from where?

37 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Which 3Ms or others do you use, and from where?

I've pretty much bought all my N95s over time from Amazon US and had them reshipped onward here.

 

Lately I've been using the 3M Aura 9205+, which is very comfortable and fits most farang faces, I think, but the chin portion tends to come loose on me if I'm not careful. So for me, I probably wouldn't buy those again unless I had no better choice. But for others, they'd probably be fine.

 

My favorite mask, which I had before and then wasn't able to find again for a long time until just recently, is the 3M 9010, which fit me great and was very comfortable to wear and use. I have a box of those arriving here from Amazon soon. Bought a box of 50 for about $45.

 

50 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Which 3Ms or others do you use, and from where?

https://www.lazada.co.th/3m-official-online-store/?q=mask&from=wangpu&langFlag=en&pageTypeId=2&spm=a2o4m.10453683.searchbar.0

Edited April 30, 20233 yr by Jotnar