Don't Get Ripped Off By Chemists/drug Stores

[Neeranam]

I have been buying vitamins(Centrum) and thought I was getting a good price from a chemist in Bangkok. For a carton of 30, with 264 baht on the label, I got the price down to 200 Baht. I thought that it was because I can speak the lingo reasonably well, and from experience I know that the marked price on anything will be reduced. I bought the same vitamins in a chemists in Khon Kaen Uni and the price 160 baht.

I went back to the one in Bangkok and told them this and they said ok 160 it is.

I always ask for about 10-20% off what they initially say.

The medicines that come loose(paracetamol for example) are often charged at double or triple the cost price, sometimes more.

Do you pay the price on the bottle?

[Thaiquila]

Depends where you go.

For example, I don't think you can get any discount at all from Boots for anything.

What I do is shop around different places for the meds I use all the time to get the idea of the market price. Some of the smaller places routinely offer a discount especially if buying a big supply.

So, yes, in some case, there is no need to pay the sticker price.

However, there are other issues, such as how much you trust that the place is not selling poorly stored meds or even fakes.

[Zarkow]

Does anyone here NOT pay the label-price at supermarkets or big stores?

Maybe you shouldn't go to small local 'street-side/corner'-shops and have to bargen over medicin...

[PeaceBlondie]

And it's not just about price, or even the quality of the meds. I still shop at one of the more expensive chemists in the Central Kad Kaew mall, downstairs next to Tops. But he's a real pharmacist, not a salesclerk, and he speaks good English. I have vital discussions about my health with him, and he basically prescribes it. My ex used to go to local stores and get it much cheaper, but he speaks the local dialect. It was difficult to trust a chemist I wasn't seeing. I get my kamagra from a lady chemist near Tha Pae Gate who sells it for 125 baht/100 mg, and it's very fresh, and she can sell 28 at a time if you wish (four weeks' supply).

Centrum. Centrum Silver. They cost an arm and a leg in Thailand first of all because it seems to be imported, and only available in the pricier stores. I can't find a Thai multi-vitamin that gives 100% USDA one-a-day at a reasonable price. If there's anything I bring back in my luggage from the USA, it's one-a-day vitamins, esp. for seniors. Here's the bottle I bought at Walgreens six weeks ago, compares to Centrum Silver, with sales tax 650 baht - 240 caplets. That's 2.7 baht each, roughly half what you'd pay in Thailand with the best discount. My expiration date: 11/07.

Some things at Boots or Watson's are simply overpriced, including locally made items.

Good professional advice, compared to a salesclerk, is worth 50% surcharge, esp. considering how cheap medicine is in Thailand.

[pyros]

And it's not just about price, or even the quality of the meds.  I still shop at one of the more expensive chemists in the Central Kad Kaew mall, downstairs next to Tops.  But he's a real pharmacist, not a salesclerk, and he speaks good English.  I have vital discussions about my health with him, and he basically prescribes it.  My ex used to go to local stores and get it much cheaper, but he speaks the local dialect.  It was difficult to trust a chemist I wasn't seeing.  I get my kamagra from a lady chemist near Tha Pae Gate who sells it for 125 baht/100 mg, and it's very fresh, and she can sell 28 at a time if you wish (four weeks' supply). 

Centrum.  Centrum Silver.  They cost an arm and a leg in Thailand first of all because it seems to be imported, and only available in the pricier stores.  I can't find a Thai multi-vitamin that gives 100% USDA one-a-day at a reasonable price.  If there's anything I bring back in my luggage from the USA, it's one-a-day vitamins, esp. for seniors.  Here's the bottle I bought at Walgreens six weeks ago, compares to Centrum Silver, with sales tax 650 baht - 240 caplets.  That's 2.7 baht each, roughly half what you'd pay in Thailand with the best discount.  My expiration date: 11/07.

Some things at Boots or Watson's are simply overpriced, including locally made items. 

Good professional advice, compared to a salesclerk, is worth 50% surcharge, esp. considering how cheap medicine is in Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Kamagra is the right price but i allways buy it in the box ( 4*100 mg ) so you can see exp and manuf. date . Easy to get 28 like that also , that's 7 box but hey that's next to the question . Boots or Watson's are a rip off for sure , way too expensive . Go to a good chemist and ask around or learn how to know medicines yourself , not difficult at all . Don't need to learn how to make or the chem formula but the names off what is inside and the amounts . Vitamins are pretty expensive and good ones like Centrum are hard to find , that is true . If you want to go for let's say cheaper ones , look at what is inside . For ex. vitamin C tablets with 10 or 25 mg inside are worthless . Go for 250 mg min and 500 mg are the best ( IMO ) . Centrum got a very good combination of different elements inside ( not all vitamins but also zink , iron , etc etc etc ) , so i buy the Centrum ones but in large boxes . That way you get it cheaper than the lousy 30 tablet package . Go to a pharmacy and they got it everywhere and there you just pay the price on the package ( unless you really want like 20 or 50 boxes where you can hassle the price ) .

[Neeranam]

Vitamins are pretty expensive and good ones like Centrum are hard to find , that is true .

160 baht for 30 is not expensive, a months supply.

I find Centrum in nearly all chemists in Khon Kaen and Bangkok.

[jackr]

All this talk of Centrum and buying vitamins, Thailand is loaded with an over-abundance of fruits and veggies so why not eat the real thing? Then again, the pesticide issue is a bit off-putting I must admit.

[Abandon]

I occasionally buy Ventolin and notice that its about 285 baht on the box, but am always charged about 150 baht or something like that.

[jackr]

I occasionally buy Ventolin and notice that its about 285 baht on the box, but am always charged about 150 baht or something like that.

Do you buy Becotide at all, Pandit? I've used it most of my life but have now been told by a number of chemists in Chiang Mai that the manufacturer has stopped making it. They're offering me a combined Becotide/Ventolin inhaler now which is no good because all I need is the preventative everyday. The Ventolin is on standby for emergencies. Never managed to get the Becotide down from about 300 baht either the tight so and sos, although this may have something to do with the fact that Becotide is a bit rarer in this neck of the woods.

Ooh...out of breath now after that

[Totster]

I occasionally buy Ventolin and notice that its about 285 baht on the box, but am always charged about 150 baht or something like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I always manage to get it down to 180 baht for my inhalers, but still bt185 on the box. Mind you I normally get them in Kalasin..... can understand if it's a little cheaper in Bangkok.

According to information I have in the UK, one inhaler costs £2.10

totster