Where's the cheapest pharmacy to buy my medication and tablets in Chiangmai

[on wards and up wards]

Can anyone give me advise on the cheapest pharmacy/ drug store to buy my medication, I have to buy at least eight different types, so price matters....

[nicksal37]

Wattanaosott Pharmacy,182 ChateonmuangRoad. Go over Nararat bridge away from the city.First set of traffic lights,10 metres on the right.He speaks good English and I have found he undercuts most other pharmacies.The phone number is 053-241430.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I have to buy at least eight different types, so price matters....

As does proper storage, and the expiry date. But anyway many actual pharmacy shops of the type mentioned above by Nicksal can give you good prices, but the key-word here is 'wholesale'. So you specifically need to ask for pricing on an entire shoebox full of whatever it is your using. Taking expiry dates into account that may not be appropriate for all medications, but it may be for some. Wholesale prices for pharmaceuticals are *MUCH* lower than buying one strip at the time.

Wattanosott is a good place to start. (I didnt' actually know the name but just looked it up; it's on the corner of Charoen Muang and Naipol Road, that's where the Krung Thai bank is. (Naipol road leads up to the Kawila Barracks near Sanpakhoi market.).

(Ah heck who am I kidding with my directions: it's the Sayuri intersection. It's right at the corner.)

[northernjohn]

Wattanaosott Pharmacy,182 ChateonmuangRoad. Go over Nararat bridge away from the city.First set of traffic lights,10 metres on the right.He speaks good English and I have found he undercuts most other pharmacies.The phone number is 053-241430.

Just to clarify in my mind are you talking about the set of lights at the East end of the bridge?

[nicksal37]

Yes Northernjohn. I do not buy in bulk but only a couple of months supply at a time.Before I am shot down by the cretins who sit behind their computer screens on this forum and are so happy to criticise people who are tying to help.I do not know if this pharmacy is the cheapest in CM but I find his prices OK.The pharmacy almost next door to me charges ฿1200 for xyz and this pharmacy charges me ฿800.I am not a skinflint but a saving of ฿400 is good.

[northernjohn]

Yes Northernjohn. I do not buy in bulk but only a couple of months supply at a time.Before I am shot down by the cretins who sit behind their computer screens on this forum and are so happy to criticise people who are tying to help.I do not know if this pharmacy is the cheapest in CM but I find his prices OK.The pharmacy almost next door to me charges ฿1200 for xyz and this pharmacy charges me ฿800.I am not a skinflint but a saving of ฿400 is good.

I have no idea what you are on about.

I simply asked if it was the set of lights on the East end of the Bridge.

Some might think of it as the next set of lights.

I am a bit familiar with the area and can not really remember seeing them there.

If that is the set of lights well and good.

[nicksal37]

Sorry Northernjohn,I was not having a go at you.Yes go east from Nararat bridge and the first set of traffic lights you will see a large Krung Thai Bank on your right (just before the lights) and just after the traffic lights on the right you will see the pharmacy I mentioned.

[Loaded]

If you can get to Maejo, there is a row of 3 or 4 pharmacies on the left as you enter opposite the entrance to the university that offer most of the things I need at prices around 25% cheaper than Dara Pharmacy or any of the chains in the city.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Loaded

[PJcm]

The Chiang Mai university Pharmacy on Suthep Rd has good prices and offers a 5% discount for all people over 60 years of age bring proof and a 5% discount for teachers. Almost all drugs and generic brands available, always ask for the cheapest, it's computerized and the attendant will type the drug into the computer, problem parking though.

[Sparkles]

Pharma Choice does it for me. Quite a few stores around CM.Believe they are CM owned and bulk buy. Membership card is free, with no obligations, and gets you a 5-10 % discount and sometimes up to 50% if expiry date is looming.

I mostly use the store next to Klaimor Hospital,parking 100 m past the store if the road is busy.

[mizztraveller]

I used to use Pharmachoice until they sold me some drugs that were duds.

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[Konini]

The Chiang Mai university Pharmacy on Suthep Rd has good prices and offers a 5% discount for all people over 60 years of age bring proof and a 5% discount for teachers. Almost all drugs and generic brands available, always ask for the cheapest, it's computerized and the attendant will type the drug into the computer, problem parking though.

You can enrol on their membership\discount scheme , costs 50baht not sure if it's for life or an annual charge. Good for medication a lot of pharmacy's don't keep in stock.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Pharma Choice does it for me. Quite a few stores around CM.Believe they are CM owned and bulk buy. Membership card is free, with no obligations, and gets you a 5-10 % discount and sometimes up to 50% if expiry date is looming.

I mostly use the store next to Klaimor Hospital,parking 100 m past the store if the road is busy.

I like that particular store as well, we use it when also needing some advice from the pharmacist there. Not all Pharmachoice stores are good though, most notably the one on Moon Muang is horrible. Also they're probably not good at wholesale pricing but I don't know this from experience. For non-bulk though with actual knowledge and advice they can't be beat.

[mizztraveller]

Pharma Choice does it for me. Quite a few stores around CM.Believe they are CM owned and bulk buy. Membership card is free, with no obligations, and gets you a 5-10 % discount and sometimes up to 50% if expiry date is looming.

I mostly use the store next to Klaimor Hospital,parking 100 m past the store if the road is busy.

I like that particular store as well, we use it when also needing some advice from the pharmacist there. Not all Pharmachoice stores are good though, most notably the one on Moon Muang is horrible. Also they're probably not good at wholesale pricing but I don't know this from experience. For non-bulk though with actual knowledge and advice they can't be beat.

Yes, it was the Pharmachoice on Moon Muang that sold me dud pills. They were the branded, expensive ones rather than the generics too.

[Saan]

The cheapest I have found and operated by as good a pharmacists I have used anywhere is on Walking St, a few doors up from Thapae Gate. Owned by 2 sisters they have a real understanding of pharmacy and willing give very good advice. They saved me hundreds of baht on what I was paying at PharmaChoice on just one medication. They are the first pharmacy up from the Black Canyon. Perfect English.

[khwaibah]

The cheapest I have found and operated by as good a pharmacists I have used anywhere is on Walking St, a few doors up from Thapae Gate. Owned by 2 sisters they have a real understanding of pharmacy and willing give very good advice. They saved me hundreds of baht on what I was paying at PharmaChoice on just one medication. They are the first pharmacy up from the Black Canyon. Perfect English.

Pharma Square. GPS 18.7877485739, 98.9926634802 The only pharmacy in Chiag Mai that I use.

[Ulysses G.]

He was not talking about Pharma Square. He was talking about the store with the green(?) sign that is a few doors down towards Thapae Gate. I am not sure what the real name is as I've always heard it referred to as the "Two Sisters". They are very knowledgeable, helpful and cheaper that most other places.

[MrBrad]

He was not talking about Pharma Square. He was talking about the store with the green(?) sign that is a few doors down towards Thapae Gate. I am not sure what the real name is as I've always heard it referred to as the "Two Sisters". They are very knowledgeable, helpful and cheaper that most other places.

Peera Pharmacy: http://goo.gl/maps/4SiAH

[uptheos]

He was not talking about Pharma Square. He was talking about the store with the green(?) sign that is a few doors down towards Thapae Gate. I am not sure what the real name is as I've always heard it referred to as the "Two Sisters". They are very knowledgeable, helpful and cheaper that most other places.

Peera Pharmacy

It's not actually owned by two sisters and the younger pharmacist who was there left many months ago.

They seem to have good connections with India for many of their generic drugs and stock most things.

[Microwave]

I don't have a favourite pharmacy. But in general the medicine at pharmacies in shopping malls or other heavily trafficed areas are more expensive than medicine at pharmacies that are in less traveled areas. Shop around and don't be afraid to bargain! Even pharmacists will increase the price if they think they can get a higher price. You will be surprised at the initial offer price difference from one pharmacy to the next for the same medication with the same expiration date.

If you have the time, just like most anything else in Thailand, shop around and don't be afraid to bargain.

[circusman]

Pharma Choice does it for me. Quite a few stores around CM.Believe they are CM owned and bulk buy. Membership card is free, with no obligations, and gets you a 5-10 % discount and sometimes up to 50% if expiry date is looming.

I mostly use the store next to Klaimor Hospital,parking 100 m past the store if the road is busy.

I use that shop also. However I get concerned when sometimes they leave the door open. No a/c. Bad for drugs. The heat saps their strength.

[jagi00]

I used to use Pharmachoice until they sold me some drugs that were duds.

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Could you advise what the duds were supposed to be and how you discovered this please?

[mizztraveller]

I used to use Pharmachoice until they sold me some drugs that were duds.

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Could you advise what the duds were supposed to be and how you discovered this please?

They were supposed to have been Tramadol and I found out when they didn't ease the pain. At all.

[jaideeguy]

+1 more for Pharmachoice.............

I mostly go to the main distribution shop on the road to Bo Sang. Ask for their discount card and it will get you 10-20% off.

[MrBrad]

I've been told by the clerks at one of the chain pharmacies that the price difference between stores in a shopping center and the stand-alone shops is because of the high rent in the shopping malls. Makes sense to me.

[northernjohn]

I used to use Pharmachoice until they sold me some drugs that were duds.

Sent from my GT-I8552 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Could you advise what the duds were supposed to be and how you discovered this please?

They were supposed to have been Tramadol and I found out when they didn't ease the pain. At all.

I thought Tramadol was a mild anti depressant which also acted as a muscle relaxant.

[Saan]

I used to use Pharmachoice until they sold me some drugs that were duds.

Sent from my GT-I8552 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Could you advise what the duds were supposed to be and how you discovered this please?

They were supposed to have been Tramadol and I found out when they didn't ease the pain. At all.

I thought Tramadol was a mild anti depressant which also acted as a muscle relaxant.

Tramadol is quite a strong opiate based pain killer.

[on wards and up wards]

Thanks for your advise everyone, I will be checking them out early next week, definitely before Songkran.

Have a great Songkran..

[Frank James]

One more endorsement here for Pharma Square, a few doors west of the Peera ladies. He's got everything I need at good prices, and is always willing to order in anything special. Good English, good man. There are always places that are going to be cheaper, but a caring, intelligent, knowledgeable staff is more important to me.

[Ulysses G.]

Tramadol is quite a strong opiate based pain killer.

Tramadol is not an opiate. It is not derived from the poppy plant. It is a synthetic drug that mimics the pain-killing effects of opiates.