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Unable to order online medicines anymore.

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2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Funny.

That is NOT the case at pharmacies.

Almost everything available without scrip.

 

Also, the case with pharmacies, you could buy Xanax at every pharmacy years ago, not anymore.

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  • Do you have mobility issues preventing you from buying over the counter at any pharmacy?

  • what does that have to do with ordering on line, i use medisafe, as local pharmacies do not have the medicine i need, (hope that keeps you happy @lacessit)

  • I live in a rural location. If its alright with you, I order online.

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Just now, FritsSikkink said:

Also, the case with pharmacies, you could buy Xanax at every pharmacy years ago, not anymore.

Right. Most everything. So far, nothing that I want that is sold in Thailand hasn't been.

has to be changes in the laws here for pharmaceuticals, have been using the same pharmacy for six or seven years, no questions asked. When I went in for my refills last week, they questioned me about when was the last time I saw a doctor. Showed her my Bangkok hospital card and they were ok with that. I go there every two months so we will see what happens next time.

6 minutes ago, flexomike said:

has to be changes in the laws here for pharmaceuticals, have been using the same pharmacy for six or seven years, no questions asked. When I went in for my refills last week, they questioned me about when was the last time I saw a doctor. Showed her my Bangkok hospital card and they were ok with that. I go there every two months so we will see what happens next time.

That's interesting.

I wonder if that screening was based on specific meds you're taking.

For example they are super liberal on questionable things like antibiotics and antidepressants.

Just now, Jingthing said:

That's interesting.

I wonder if that screening was based on specific meds you're taking.

For example they are super liberal on questionable things like antibiotics and antidepressants.

blood pressure and cholesterol pills

Just now, flexomike said:

blood pressure and cholesterol pills

That surprises me a little then. 

Private hospital profits are way down, I suspect whoever lobbied crippling online ordering want people going in and paying all the fees just to get their monthly prescription. I used to pay about 8k baht a month to wait 2 hours to see a doctor for one minute and wait another hour for my medication to be dispensed. The same meds that now get delivered to my condo for more than half that.

1 hour ago, connda said:

It looks at though Bisoprolol, Aspirin 80mg, and Anapril are only avaiable at hospital via prescription. The pharmacy just caught up with the law it would seem.  My suggestion is to shop around as see if any brick & motor pharmacies will sell you any of these, and have the pharmacy ship them to you.  Other than that, go to a clinic and see if the hospital/doctor will work with you via mail  Or see if you can find other generics that are still available OTC. 
 

I buy Concor and Cardiprin over the counter... that takes care of the first two... Ive no idea on the anipril though.

Well if this is a new policy, it's slow in filtering.

A few days ago I found a med that I need is no longer sold in Thailand and the pharmacist on duty gave me two choices to replace it that were not the same chemical or dose.

That would be the kind of thing that would normally call for a doctor's visit.

This is a copy of a reminder message sent out by MoPH earlier this year passed to me by one of their staff. 

 

It could explain the problems obtaining Aspirin 

Screenshot_20250803_120712_Messenger.jpg

38 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

sorry to sound like the grim reaper, but if you folks are using aspirin daily ... FYI 

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/daily-aspirin-therapy/art-20046797

 

The risk of heart attack and stroke goes up as you get older. But the risk of bleeding from aspirin goes up even more. 

You don't want to take and then have any head trauma..... Cerebral Hematoma - I've lost 2 people that way.....

Plus, if surgery becomes needed it's a week to 2 weeks wait before they can proceed because of internal bleeding risks.....

I stopped taking it.....

Seems there has been a change in the law about advertising meds online.

I went to order my BP meds online with Bangkok Drugstore but the cupboard was bare.

I called them and business is as usual via email or phone.

Medisafe is ok via Messenger and email.

3 hours ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

 

Do you have cognitive issues preventing you from recognizing there are multiple reasons a person might order online?

It's easy enough to buy six months' medications in most cities here.

 

Pro tip: The shelf life of medications is much longer if they are stored in a refrigerator.

 

It's also easy to see living remotely, or posting on ASEAN, does nothing to improve the disposition of some people.

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All of the medicationd mentioned are sold OTC without prescription in Thailand and this has not changed. They do, however, have to be sold by a pharmacy which always has a grade one pharmacist on duty (true of most drugs). 

 

Likely the specific online source  you use, just no longer carrirles them. Or else a bug in the software.

 

Tty a different supplier. 

 

Medisafe is good option.

Unfortunately, like most Thai online businesses, the Medisafe online 'shop' is not modern. They provide no list of their products and prices you can search - unless I have missed it.  They expect you to send them a note and request the medication you are after and they will tell you if they have it and the price? Surely not. Have I got the wrong website - https://medisafepharma.com

 

I was going to recommend iHerb but when I checked I could not access their website. And posters on AN have been complaining since early July they cannot access the iHerb website.  They just keep shooting themselves in the foot here - it looks like they changed their website for the **** people who buy things using their phones and that has caused problems with some computers. 

20 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Unfortunately, like most Thai online businesses, the Medisafe online 'shop' is not modern. They provide no list of their products and prices you can search - unless I have missed it.  They expect you to send them a note and request the medication you are after and they will tell you if they have it and the price? Surely not. Have I got the wrong website - https://medisafepharma.com

 

 

You have the right website.

 

System is to send them a message via Messenger, stating what you need. 

I have a nephew that owns around 12 pharmacies.  He had told awhile ago that it was not legal to sell medications online.  Even ones for pets.

I used to get a heart medication for one of my dogs on Lazada.  But could no find it there.  That is when he told me it was illegal to sell on line and the government had actually started to enforce it.

That was a couple of years ago.

On 8/3/2025 at 10:05 AM, adv008 said:

Hello. 

For the past 6-7 years I have been ordering Bisoprolol 5mg, Aspirin 80mg (Aspilets) and Anapril 5mg from a well known online pharmacy in Bangkok. This morning I went to place another order. A message reads that these medicines have been removed from the cart because they cannot be purchased anymore.  Dose anyone know if there has been any recent changes to buying prescription medicines. I ordered with success a couple of months ago. Any helpful comments appreciated. 

Thank you. 

Go to your pharmacy next door. They'll happy to sell it to you

I use Medisafe all the time. 30% cheaper than local bought Meds and next day delivery.

 

I don't get it either. It seems to be controlled or something. Most chemists either have nothing or have "aspilets" which seem a bit different, at least in size/dosage. I found one place selling proper Aspirin in the red strip but under the counter.

I'd like to know what the deal is too. As common as paracetamol where I'm from. 

 

Edit: Oh i found these 

 

ChatGPT says low dose=prescription only but higher dose=OTC.

Not sure that's correct. 

On 8/3/2025 at 12:18 PM, Jingthing said:

Funny.

That is NOT the case at pharmacies.

Almost everything available without scrip.

 

 

The catch is that most things were avail it seems that the powers that be are getting tight.  Remember, Lord Thaksi just decreed that drugs are bad LOL

 

On a side note, I think that if you see a doctor and get a prescription, then the pharmacy can issue the medication. They may, after a couple of months, want you to go back, but that is not a huge issue.

 

I know of one pharmacy that told me if I had the script, they could send me the meds after I brought them the script, so they could say they had it if the government comes calling.

 

 

The online pharmacy I used stopped accepting orders due to "upgrading" their process. When I enquired how long it would take, part of their reply told me to add them to LINE. A few weeks later I got this message, via LINE, suggesting that laws had been changed regarding ordering medications online.

 

We have now transitioned to a new process where orders are placed with pharmacist through this channel.

This change has been implemented to ensure compliance with legal requirements governing the sale of medicines via online channels. Our commitment to providing you with high-quality service and adhering to regulatory standards remains unwavering.

You can order the medication via this chat with pharmacist ka.

32 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

I don't get it either. It seems to be controlled or something. Most chemists either have nothing or have "aspilets" which seem a bit different, at least in size/dosage. I found one place selling proper Aspirin in the red strip but under the counter.

I'd like to know what the deal is too. As common as paracetamol where I'm from. 

 

Edit: Oh i found these 

 

ChatGPT says low dose=prescription only but higher dose=OTC.

Not sure that's correct. 

Chat GPT like other AI programs just regurgitates back content that appears somewhere on the web -- accurate or not. It is not a reliable way to research anything. 

 

Aspirin in any dose is a category D drug in Thailand and can be sold without prescription provided the pharmacy has a grade 1 pharmacist always on duty. Records are supposed to be kept of sales. 

 

Vast majority of medications in Thailand are category D.  However enforcement of  the category D requirements (grade 1 pharmacist, record keeping etc) is rather selective and mainly done for just drugs of particular concern (which csn chslange over time).

 

There is concern about regular dose aspirin being used for fever in patients of any age due to its adverse effects in dengue, and aspirin is contraindicated in febrile children and teenagers (risk of Reyes syndrome). 

 

 

On 8/3/2025 at 11:40 AM, Mario Cosmopolite said:

Since when is email not "online"?

 

According to Thai legal definitions, apparently. The same thing happened a few years ago when "online" alcohol sales were banned - companies disabled ordering via their websites, but were still able to take orders via Line or email. Go figure.

n

On 8/3/2025 at 10:05 AM, adv008 said:

Hello. 

For the past 6-7 years I have been ordering Bisoprolol 5mg, Aspirin 80mg (Aspilets) and Anapril 5mg from a well known online pharmacy in Bangkok. This morning I went to place another order. A message reads that these medicines have been removed from the cart because they cannot be purchased anymore.  Dose anyone know if there has been any recent changes to buying prescription medicines. I ordered with success a couple of months ago. Any helpful comments appreciated. 

Thank you. 

Which Pharmacy please as nothing's changed with mine. I  have 2

n

On 8/3/2025 at 10:05 AM, adv008 said:

Hello. 

For the past 6-7 years I have been ordering Bisoprolol 5mg, Aspirin 80mg (Aspilets) and Anapril 5mg from a well known online pharmacy in Bangkok. This morning I went to place another order. A message reads that these medicines have been removed from the cart because they cannot be purchased anymore.  Dose anyone know if there has been any recent changes to buying prescription medicines. I ordered with success a couple of months ago. Any helpful comments appreciated. 

Thank you. 

Which Pharmacy please as nothing's changed with mine. I  have 2

5* for Medisafe. I order online via Facebook, and it gets delivered within 24/48 hours. Medisafe is fast and cheap, plus they can get meds that aren't available locally.

On 8/3/2025 at 10:25 AM, Farmerslife said:

I had a similar problem a month or so ago, albeit different medication.

 I was able to purchase online from a  company called Medisafe. I have no idea if they would be able to fulfil your requirements but worth a try. 

 I submitted a request for a quotation through their website and subsequently placed the order on LINE.

 

Medisafe still supplying online as usual. Excellent service.

I live in Pattaya and bought a strip of 81mg aspirin at the first pharmacy I tried.  I don't remember the price but it wasn't expensive. I don't use it, but I had read that it is good to have available in case of a heart attack. I read that you should chew 4 of those small tablets as a blood thinner while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. 

On 8/3/2025 at 11:22 AM, Peter Crow said:

 

Now, this is yet another thing to make expat life as unpleasant as possible.

It's the falang mentality, thinking that the entire population would be inconvenienced because of a few expats.

When I was on 75mg dispersible aspirin I used to buy it in the UK each year. One time I nearly forgot and  on the last day went to the chemist and asked for 2 packs. Assistant said she could only sell one at any one time. My friend said ok, sell him one and I will buy one, assistant said she couldn't do that.

Fortunately the pharmicist had overheard and came through from the back and asked me what I wanted it for,  I said AF and she told the assistant to sell me both. All a bit annoying but then regulation usually is.

People continually complain about lack of standards in Thailand, but as soon as some are introduced, the whinging starts.

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