Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

More than 350 private hospitals in Thailand have joined a government initiative allowing patients to purchase medications from external sources. The "Happy Body, Happy Wallet" programme aims to reduce living costs by 32.4 billion baht, benefiting both locals and expatriates. Patients can compare medicine prices outside private hospitals by obtaining a prescription from their doctor during consultations.

 

The initiative includes 354 hospitals from nine major groups, such as Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thonburi Hospital, and BPK Hospital Group. These hospitals will participate by enabling patients to purchase medicines externally upon providing a prescription. However, medicines for severe conditions like heart disease and cancer therapies remain excluded from the programme.

 

The Department of Internal Trade, part of the Ministry of Commerce, plans a meeting with the Pharmacy Association to establish the registration process. With 20,099 pharmacies in Thailand, 93% employ full-time licensed pharmacists. The project will cover about 90% of medicines, including treatments for chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

 

Paiboon Eksaengsri, president of the Private Hospital Association, highlights patient empowerment, noting that excessive markups often burden those needing medicine. Alternative pharmacies could offer relief with competitive pricing and more choice. However, he stresses the importance of maintaining quality control in pharmacies to prevent counterfeit medicines.

 

Looking forward, the department intends to assess pricing structures to ensure transparency and fairness in cost management. The scheme could potentially decrease public hospital overcrowding by transferring some medication duties to external pharmacies, though safety and quality standards remain a priority. An eventual goal is to refine pricing mechanisms for broader consumer benefit.

 

Key Takeaways

• Over 350 Thai hospitals now offer external medication purchasing options.
• The programme targets a reduction of 32.4 billion baht in living costs.
• Concerns remain about external purchase quality control and safety.

 

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-10-08

 

 

Nothing new. Private hospitals have been obliged to do this for several years already. 

6 hours ago, Lorry said:

Nothing new. Private hospitals have been obliged to do this for several years already. 

Yes, and I don't think any sensible person (including me) was waiting for permission. The difference in prices is too blatant to be ignored.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

noting that excessive markups often burden those needing medicine

Markups of a 1000% are the norm for private hospital pharmacies. Years ago I was prescribed a 3,000 baht medicine which cost 300 baht at my local pharmacy, same brand, dosage and size. Since then I have never purchased from hospital again.

Quite right too. 

8 hours ago, Lorry said:

Nothing new. Private hospitals have been obliged to do this for several years already. 

 

True. I challenged a hospital in Chiang Mai, near the airporton this. Hospital claimed that I had to buy the medications from the hospital:

1. Because the hospital had already prepared a bill and this could not be changed. I challenged this as not legal in any way. 

2. Hospital then claimed that I had to have the written approval of the doctor who diagnosed me to buy outside. (In reaIity the doctor was not a normal doctor from that hospital, they brought the guy in because they needed someone who could speak some English.)

 

I challenged this on the basis that the purchase of medications was nothing to do with what language was spoken, and in fact any transaction to buy the medications was a transaction between me and the hospital, not me and the doctor.

 

I then started calling my Thai son.... (By this stage a hospital employee a loudmouth admin. lady had got into the discussion and was telling me she would take me to jail).

 

I shared that my son was bringing a policeman (a senior cop who lives opposite me) and would be arriving in about 5 to 10 minutes.

 

I spoke further to the admin. lady asking her what authority she had and could quote to the policeman soon to arrive.

 

Nervous hospital manager then intervened and told the cashier 'give him a bill for seeing the doctor only'. She did that, about 300Baht, and I paid immediately.

 

Hospital manager asked if I need transport. I responded 'No, my car is outside', and I walked out. Nobody followed me. 

 

2 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Yes, and I don't think any sensible person (including me) was waiting for permission. The difference in prices is too blatant to be ignored.

1. Western insurance companies often prefer to reimburse medication from a hospital.  

2. Insured Western tourists invariably are too stupid and lazy to find a pharmacy outside a hospital (even Fascino next to BPH is too difficult for them). Most private hospitals don't have a pharmacy next door (government hospitals usually have).

Especially if it's not an everyday medication like paracetamol, so some searching at various pharmacies is necessary. 

 

I just tell my physician not to write up any prescriptions for the hospital. I then take a taxi to one of the large pharmacies around Siriraj Hospital and buy for three months worth what would have only been enough for two weeks at the hospital pharma window. Physician doesn't mind; he was the one who recommended the outside pharmacy.

My meds are covered by insurance.

If I buy outside of the hospital the money will then come from my pocket.

I was charged 100 baht for 10 paracetamol tablets at a private hospital in Nakhon Sawan.

Totally out of order.

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Patients can compare medicine prices outside private hospitals

From the Department of Internal Trade website:

ระบบการแจ้งราคา ยารักษาโรค เวชภัณฑ์ ค่าบริการรักษาพยาบาล บริการทางการแพทย์ และบริการอื่นของสถานพยาบาล (dit.go.th) -  the external website is currently not available in English.

See also in English

https://export.indiamart.com/ and https://export.indiamart.com/industry/drugs-medicines/

https://www.costplusdrugs.com/ (US Mark Cuban sponsored)

 

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

However, medicines for severe conditions like heart disease and cancer therapies remain excluded from the programme.

Aren't those among the highest cost medications? Such medications are available outside of Thailand and likely imported by private hospitals.

Totally agree i buy my prescribed medication at a outside Pharmacy 

Only if a new medication is involved i get a weeks supply then buy outside as cheaper 

56 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

My meds are covered by insurance.

If I buy outside of the hospital the money will then come from my pocket.

My insurance reimburses me 90 % of medicines and I wonder if pharmacies  make a bill accepted by my insurance : to present to my insurance everything on the same document is more convenient 

@Sheryl So to summarize, patients can now opt for asking doctors at private hospital for a prescription?  Is that what is being said here?

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 350 private hospitals in Thailand have joined a government initiative allowing patients to purchase medications from external sources.

@Sheryl  Can you find a source to the list of 350 private hospitals which are taking part in this program?  

Does this mean that drugs that are currently permitted to be dispensed only at hospital pharmacies will be sold at outside drugstores as well? Or is the policy only referring to medicines that are already sold at both places?

How many medications require a prescription anyway?  I just tell the hospital I already have it, then buy at a mom and pop Pharmacy. 

What's the message here. Don't support private hospitals! Most doctors in public hospitals have second jobs in private to boost their income.

3 hours ago, connda said:

@Sheryl So to summarize, patients can now opt for asking doctors at private hospital for a prescription?  Is that what is being said here?

Yes but this has always been the case. Several years ago the MoPH again made it official that hospitals must allow this.

 

most meds do nto require a prescription in any event (but you'd want to be clear on name and dose). 

2 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Does this mean that drugs that are currently permitted to be dispensed only at hospital pharmacies will be sold at outside drugstores as well? Or is the policy only referring to medicines that are already sold at both places?

It is referring to non-controlled drugs and nothing new.

3 hours ago, connda said:

@Sheryl  Can you find a source to the list of 350 private hospitals which are taking part in this program?  

No, but see my prior reply.

 

This is nothing new. 

They are a P take with their prices if you dont have solid health insurance

11 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

I was charged 100 baht for 10 paracetamol tablets at a private hospital in Nakhon Sawan.

Totally out of order.

That's not an unusual price in private hospitals. Especially, if a foreign insurance pays.

even Thai doctors in hospital told me to buy the medication outside the hospital 

16 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

True. I challenged a hospital in Chiang Mai, near the airporton this. Hospital claimed that I had to buy the medications from the hospital:

1. Because the hospital had already prepared a bill and this could not be changed. I challenged this as not legal in any way. 

2. Hospital then claimed that I had to have the written approval of the doctor who diagnosed me to buy outside. (In reaIity the doctor was not a normal doctor from that hospital, they brought the guy in because they needed someone who could speak some English.)

 

I challenged this on the basis that the purchase of medications was nothing to do with what language was spoken, and in fact any transaction to buy the medications was a transaction between me and the hospital, not me and the doctor.

 

I then started calling my Thai son.... (By this stage a hospital employee a loudmouth admin. lady had got into the discussion and was telling me she would take me to jail).

 

I shared that my son was bringing a policeman (a senior cop who lives opposite me) and would be arriving in about 5 to 10 minutes.

 

I spoke further to the admin. lady asking her what authority she had and could quote to the policeman soon to arrive.

 

Nervous hospital manager then intervened and told the cashier 'give him a bill for seeing the doctor only'. She did that, about 300Baht, and I paid immediately.

 

Hospital manager asked if I need transport. I responded 'No, my car is outside', and I walked out. Nobody followed me. 

 

 

I'd have liked to see you acting the same way in your home country to defend your rights.

That's typical of some westerners who show a certain sense of superiority over the locals.

Yet when they return home, they accept everything without question.

Instead, when they are in Thailand, they pretend everything to be perfect.

16 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

My meds are covered by insurance.

If I buy outside of the hospital the money will then come from my pocket.

 

It is precisely this situation that the hospitals take advantage of.

On 10/8/2025 at 9:00 PM, Lorry said:

Nothing new. Private hospitals have been obliged to do this for several years already. 

 

That's good to know.

 

Have you ever received a formal prescription from a doctor at a private hospital and then used this prescription to buy the medine at a pharmacy outside the hospital and got a formal receipt for it and subsequently got your expense refunded by your health insurance?

 

I'd lke to go this route next time I should need medical treatment during a vacation in Thailand.

1 hour ago, Puccini said:

 

It is precisely this situation that the hospitals take advantage of.

True, but in this case, what is better ? pay nothing in hospital or pay in pharmacies ?

It's very expensive for health insurance, but if pharmacies make bills accepted by health insurance, I will do it because my health insurance has financial problems

for instance I pay one Tenelia pill 43 bahts, it's very much for my health insurance which reimburse 90% of this price 

1 hour ago, Puccini said:

 

It is precisely this situation that the hospitals take advantage of.

my outpatient coverage is capped at Bt.3000 per day.

 

My doc visit every 6 weeks includes blood work and chest xray... total inc meds is Bt,2200........ I do not feel they are taking advantage of my insurance.