Legality of Viagra, Sidegra, etc. in Thailand

[SunsetT]

I am confused as to what is legal and what is not with regard to possessing, buying and using 'sex enhancing drugs' in Thailand. Im sure a year or so ago, I read somewhere that possession of these drugs without having a doctor's prescription was illegal in Thailand, or when arriving in Thailand. Now, in the last 6 months Sidegra, the Thai manufactured viagra, seems to be widely available over the counter in Thai pharmacies without a prescription. Personally Im very pleased about this, but they are powerful drugs and everyone proposing to use them should check with their doctor that their use is safe for them and their state of health.

Anyone know the Thai law on this?

[boosta]

Illegal without a scrip, but as with most things that doesn't stop 'em. Only specially licensed pharmacies sell it (legally). Don't touch the stuff on the streets, more expensive anyway.

Agreed should be careful and talk to doctor regardless, can be dangerous for heart rate issues, drug interactions.

Personally the Cialis gives me fewer side effects.

[soi41]

Illegal without a scrip, but as with most things that doesn't stop 'em. Only specially licensed pharmacies sell it (legally). Don't touch the stuff on the streets, more expensive anyway.

Agreed should be careful and talk to doctor regardless, can be dangerous for heart rate issues, drug interactions.

Personally the Cialis gives me fewer side effects.

They are no supposed to affect your side!!

[boosta]

rumbly tummy

[kurnell]

What is the current price of Sidegra anyway?

[boosta]

Google says: The official Sidegra 100 mg price is 180 Baht for a pack of 4 and 100 baht for 50 mg pills.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Moving to Health, medicine forum

[Sheryl]

These drugs remain illegal to sell or purchase without a prescription. Foreigners have been stopped by police for this...often, immediately after leaving a place that openly sold without prescription (i.e. a "sting"). Many of the places selling without prescription are in fact selling fakes.

It is not at all difficult to get a prescription. Do so, problem solved.

[manarak]

These drugs remain illegal to sell or purchase without a prescription. Foreigners have been stopped by police for this...often, immediately after leaving a place that openly sold without prescription (i.e. a "sting"). Many of the places selling without prescription are in fact selling fakes.

It is not at all difficult to get a prescription. Do so, problem solved.

Not true that many places are selling fakes - fakes are found in the streets, pharmacies sell the real stuff, I have never seen or heard about a pharmacy selling fake sildenafil.

Better to ask one's usual doctor if sildenafil would be ok to take - better safe than sorry.

Regarding the possesion of sildenafil, I haven't heard about foreigners being fined for that provided they don't haul large quantities where the purpose of resale can be supposed.

In Pattaya, police are targeting pharmacies, conduct searches of pharmacies and fine the owners if they find sildenafil in pharmacies not licensed to sell it, which makes sildenafil "harder" to find today than some time ago.

But some pharmacies in the city always have a good stock of it, I guess these are "connected".

This makes me wonder on the other hand what types of pharmacy licenses exist in Thailand, if there is one license for selling useless ineffective stuff...

[Sheryl]

What drugs a pharmacy may sell depends upon the qualification of staff on the premises. Certain drugs require a grade 1 pharmacist on duty at all times. Others do not.

In addition some drugs (not ED ones) require a special license and carry special sales reporting requirements.

There have indeed been cases of fake ED drugs sold in pharmacies. Typically these are brands not registered in Thailand (e.g. Kamagra) which foreign tourists tend to request by name , not realizing that this exact brand is not available here, and the shops are in tourist areas. Soi Nana for example.

Another clue would be an imported brand name ED drug being sold at a very low price. That will usually be fake.

The locally made brands are very unlikely to be fake...no profit margin in it and also no demand since the "fake" market is geared towards tourists who wouldn't be familiar with local brands.

[manarak]

What drugs a pharmacy may sell depends upon the qualification of staff on the premises. Certain drugs require a grade 1 pharmacist on duty at all times. Others do not.

In addition some drugs (not ED ones) require a special license and carry special sales reporting requirements.

There have indeed been cases of fake ED drugs sold in pharmacies. Typically these are brands not registered in Thailand (e.g. Kamagra) which foreign tourists tend to request by name , not realizing that this exact brand is not available here, and the shops are in tourist areas. Soi Nana for example.

Another clue would be an imported brand name ED drug being sold at a very low price. That will usually be fake.

The locally made brands are very unlikely to be fake...no profit margin in it and also no demand since the "fake" market is geared towards tourists who wouldn't be familiar with local brands.

I never heard about fake Kamagra. Original Kamagra itself is so cheap!

30 baht a pocket or a box of 50 for 1200 to 1500 baht.

I don't think anyone could fake these at such low prices and still make a profit.

[Sheryl]

Kamagra brand is not registered for import or sale in Thailand.

[manarak]

Kamagra brand is not registered for import or sale in Thailand.

Which doesn't make it fake.

Is there somehwere a list of medicine brand names registered in Thailand?

[jrtmedic]

All listed here -

http://www.mims.com/

[angy]

I went in a Pharmacy at Jomtien and found they ask 170 baht for the 50mgr case and 300 baht for the 100mgr, and when I told the 180 price she say is impossible.
The price on the case is a label that they put to cover original price.

[jomaha]

I got a pack of 4 Sidegra 100 for 190 Baht in BKK Saphan Kwai area, local pharmacy. Only 1 in 4 had it in stock.

Customs told me that import of Indian Sildenafil tablets VIA post is not legal, but could bring in personal luggage when traveling.

[RandomSand]

Seems like a battle. Thai drug mfg. defending their market against Indian generic mfg. i.e Ranbaxy etc.

Edited September 9, 2014 by RandomSand

[kafka]

Does anyone know what the deal is if someone did import Indian Sildenafil tablets VIA post (say 100 tablets - not to resell) and they were held at customs? Would it just be a question of paying import duty or would it be a legal issue one could get in trouble for?

[Sheryl]

You are allowed to bring in a 30 day supply of prescription meds for personal use in your accompanied baggage (and there will be no duty on that). Needs to be in a clearly labelled bottle with your name, doctor's name etc.

You would have trouble persuading a customs officer that 100 tabs = a 30 day supply for personal use

Potentially they could confiscate the excess. Worst case is if they suspect you of importing for resale

If you are talking about importing via mail or courier, that is not allowed, period, unless you have an import license which you cannot get. Customs will confiscate if they find it.

[mercman24]

just to say last year i bought viagra tabs from the chemists at the FAR end of soi 4, absolute <deleted> , probably full of talcum powder, and cost an arm and a leg, i like cialis 100,no probs from the street so far. (i dont think that can be right realy) ? as the only "official" ones i see are 20 mg, still i am not one to complain, he he, so in answer to an earlier post Yes, legit chemists do sell fake products,

[BangkokHank]

I have heard of cops lying in wait near the Ekkamai bus station to catch farangs coming from or going to Pattaya with Viagra on them - then extorting large sums of money out of them for this heinous crime. If they were to catch me in their sting, I would try to assail them with my farang logic: I would tell them that I bought it here without a prescription, so obviously someone must have sold it to me - and how can it be legal to sell something without a prescription but not be legal to buy the same thing without a prescription? I suspect, however, that they would be more interested in my money than my logic.

Anyway, my preferred brand is the Indian generic "Penegra"..(description of illegal activity removed by Moderator)

Lately, though, I've been going to India every year to various hill stations around the country to escape the Thai summer heat and I generally bring back a year's supply of Penegra with me when I return home to Thailand (along with a prescription from an Indian doctor). A pack of four, 100mg tablets can be had for the rupee equivalent of about 80 baht. Invariably I consider carrying a suitcase full of them to resell in Thailand given the huge price differential. But invariably I don't do it because I value my good reputation. I limit myself to 8 packs of 4 tablets - which could plausibly be used up in a month but which I can stretch out to a year by cutting up the pills and by being a bit selective about who I use them on.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Sheryl
description of illegal activity

[RandomSand]

I limit myself to 8 packs of 4 tablets - which could plausibly be used up in a month but which I can stretch out to a year by cutting up the pills and by being a bit selective about who I use them on.

Sounds like you're baiting rats with poison there !

Edited November 11, 2014 by RandomSand

[mercman24]

just popped along to my local chemist shop to enquire about viagra, as its on my doorstep as it were, "oh yes, i get it for you tomorrow 2,500 baht for 4 w.t.f. then she said is 2000 ok, so that is 500 baht a shout ( £10 english pounds) -its only £5 in the uk if from chemist, no its not o.k. lol !!

[inbangkok]

just popped along to my local chemist shop to enquire about viagra, as its on my doorstep as it were, "oh yes, i get it for you tomorrow 2,500 baht for 4 w.t.f. then she said is 2000 ok, so that is 500 baht a shout ( £10 english pounds) -its only £5 in the uk if from chemist, no its not o.k. lol !!

Well, as many threads have pointed out, you can avoid this problem by simply buying generic. Sideagra is 180 Baht for 4 pills. Generic medication is generally a better option anyway as it is cheaper and there is no financial incentive for people to make counterfeit ones. Sideagra is produced by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization of Thailand.

Edited November 28, 2014 by inbangkok

[Lunghans]

Today I bought two boxes of Sidegra 50 mg, at a local pharmacy here in Korat that has an official GPO sign, I often bought other OTC medicines here like anti-biotics.

The female pharmacist helped me with a sweet smile on her face and was not hesitant at all, I paid 100 thb for a box of 4 tablets, so it seems the official price.

[Grow Green]

Myself I used Sidegra and found it very helpful. at least I don't have to spend lot of money and effort on fake products.

I found new website where they are selling it cheap and delivery is fast as well.

give it a try it worth: www.sidegra.co

[Jessi]

Myself I used Sidegra and found it very helpful. at least I don't have to spend lot of money and effort on fake products.

I found new website where they are selling it cheap and delivery is fast as well.

give it a try it worth: www.sidegra.co

Very Expensive web site.

Should only cost 180B for pack of 4 tabs.

[Farang two dot zero]

In pharmacy we find Apcalis from India at very good prices on the internet I know just this website but not based in Thailand !

Edited July 14, 2015 by cdnvic
Removed commercial link.

[Youger]

So where to go to get a prescription, and what would that cost?

[Sheryl]

Any hospital or clinic. Cost anywhere ftom 200 to 1000 baht depending on hospital and doctor. Make clear you want a written script to gill outside amd not meds from the hospital pharmacy.