Just came from Vietnam where 'health food nut' that I am I stockpiled up on some (what appears to be) quality Korean imports such as six year-old ginseng and reishi/lingzhi mushroom extracts. Even Big C malls in provincial capitals in Vietnam had retail stores selling such products. I'd like to buy some more before I leave Asia for some months. But not only are the equivalent products (albeit by different companies) apparently at least 35% more in Thailand than Vietnam, I can't find sellers easily. Hoity toity Siam Paragon which sells all kinds of imported oils and food products does not sell any. Neither do pharmacies which sell expensive Australian vitamins. But comparing apples with apples, in Vietnam these products are found in exclusive Korean shops. I do see watered down products made in Thailand by the same company that sells jars of prune and chicken extracts. But I mean no compromise syrups. Of course they are expensive, in northern Vietnam USD175 for 240 grams. AndvrichbThais can afford this. I don't want some Chinese fake bought in Chinatown. I recall seeing kiosks in Tops on Sukhumvit. Anyone buy from a store dedicated to this kind of product line? Googling came up with no retail chain store in Bangkok. Even Phnom Penh has a Korean ginseng kiosk at the airport and on Mao Tse Tong 'boulevard' in town. But I am just a reluctant visitor in Thailand, being much more familiar with PNH and more at ease in HCMC, so maybe Korean specialty stores are 'all over the place' in Bangkok and I am just lost and confused..

As a commercial rather than consumer angle comment, it would appear that Vietnam has closer ties with South Korea and Thailand with China. Maybe my impressions are skewed by staying in Yawaorat. And my sense is that Vietnam is more 'open for business' (despite supposedly being a communist sate) than is so-called free market Thailand. Perhaps Thailand is more protectionist and nationalistic than Vietnam? I was even able to make some purchases in USD, where in Thailand using anything but THB is considered (and perhaps is enforced at gunpoint, i.e. by law) a criminal act.

No success after four hours shopping: Siam Paragon, MBK, Terminal 21, Central World. I went to TOPS SUPERMARKET in the basement of Robinson's and they did have gandoderma (or whatever the Latin name for reishi is), but only as capsulized powder - an inefficient form, and no spedifications on packaging as to strength. The brand is Il Hwa, maybe it's good but it struck me as being low-end Korean export. And I was wrong about Korean health products being 35% more than in Vietnam. I think it is more, i.e. worse than I estimated.