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Looking For Melatonin


benjammin

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Does anyone know where I can buy Melatonin in Bangkok? I've been checking some pharmacies with no luck. The pharmacy at Bumgrungrad said they have it but they require a prescription from a doctor.

I checked the Boots at Emporium and they did not have it, along with a few pharmacies on my soi. Any advice?

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I don't think that's true, I asked the psychiatrist at Bumrungrad about it once and he said they don't have it. As far as I know you can't find it in Thailand (only on the 3rd floor on MBK, they sell supplements which we don't know how if they are the real thing or not)

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Got a new doc last week, gave her my med list. "Melatonin? Illegal in Thailand." I said I get it from the US. Still, "illegal in Thailand." Bummer.

Illegal in the UK as well, a UK relative gets his on his travels to the US.

OK, so you get it in the USA and bring it here. If caught at customs, then what? Bangkok Hilton?

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I used to get it sent here, last time was a couple of years ago, from the UK, for my wife...no problems. I used biovea.net or their number is 0800 404 8185. It came in a sealed flat pack. It was the Natrol product that we had.

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I think saying it is "illegal" is going too far. There is no law against it and it is not a controlled substance. But neither has it been approved for use in Thailand, AFAIK no one has ever applied tio have it added to the list of approved drugs. So it is something of a grey area in terms of bringing it (or ordering it) in for personal use.

I have never heard of anyone getting into trouble over bringing in, or mail ordering, it in amounts consistent with personal use.

I have also never heard of anyone buying a legitimate brand of it in Thailand.

I get mine in Phnom Penh, the U Care pharmacies there all carry it.

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MIMS lists it in the class Supplements & Adjuvant Therapy, so apparently it is approved here.

thanks for that, it seems recently added. So that puts to rest the issue of legality.

no brand names listed in Mims so most likely no company has received permission to import it yet, but it is legal to use. So mail order away or bring it in with you.

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MIMS lists it in the class Supplements & Adjuvant Therapy, so apparently it is approved here.

thanks for that, it seems recently added. So that puts to rest the issue of legality.

no brand names listed in Mims so most likely no company has received permission to import it yet, but it is legal to use. So mail order away or bring it in with you.

There are a number of GNC vitamin shops in the Bkk area. Check with them on melatonin. You can also search online in Thailand. If no results, order online from home country. Usually, if a company ships internationally, they know what can and cannot be sent into Thailand.

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I've bought melatonin a couple of times from the pharmacy in Central, Chitlom, but it was expensive. I've found it cheaper and more convenient to order from Life Extension in the US. Never had any problems with Customs or even had to pay duty and my mail order purchases date back to 1995.

It's not illegal here. It's in a grey area.

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Third floor MBK those Kiosks in the middle of the isle with supplements and makup have Melitonin at exhorbantant prices usually 1500 baht for a bottle that cost about $6 to $8 in the USA. Also Central Bang Na 5th Floor.

Just got some today my sister sent me from the US she paid the $6 price.

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Melatonin, or any supplement:

How many bottles of eachsupplement are allowed by Customs n one mailing??

And does it make a difference whether it is sent by mail, or UPS, DHL, FEDex, etc?

And better: directly from the producer, or repackaged by family as personal mail? Thanks.

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Melatonin, or any supplement:

How many bottles of each supplement are allowed by Customs n one mailing??

And does it make a difference whether it is sent by mail, or UPS, DHL, FEDex, etc?

And better: directly from the producer, or repackaged by family as personal mail? Thanks.

Whatever you do, avoid Fedex. They are a disaster and seem to specialize in making customs clearances difficult. Numerous takles of woe about them to be found on this forum....including mine.

Experience of many TV members including myself has been that the best way is normal postal service air mail. Packages that are hand addressed to you by a friend/relative seem to get through faster than obvious commercial packages from a company, especially if it is a company that Customs may not be familiar with.

In terms of amount, technically there is a rule that for drugs, only a one month supply at a time, but unclear if this applies to supplements. In practice I have not had a problem, nor have I heard of anyone else having a problem, with more than that as long as the quantity is still small enough that it does not give the impression it is for intended resale, in which case you would indeed be asked for an impiort license, work permit etc etc.

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  • 3 weeks later...
MIMS lists it in the class Supplements & Adjuvant Therapy, so apparently it is approved here.

The Thai Medicines Act does not list a category “Supplements & Adjuvant Therapy”. As Sheryl said, at present no Melatonin product appears to have been registered with the Thai FDA yet.

In my experience, the least risk of having a parcel from abroad examined by Thai customs is by having it sent as registered airmail letter (not parcel post). Letters can be up to 2 kg. Important: always affix the customs declaration label CN 22 to the postal item; it is a green, adhesive label. For Melatonin, I would give the declaration “food supplement for personal use”, value USD 5.00

--

Maestro

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