Coronavirus antigen test kits are still widely available in Pattaya, although prices may vary just as widely, with no clear indication of what a higher price gets you.
Social media is rife with unfounded claims about ATKs being in short supply or price gouging occurring. Pittaya Piromporn, owner of the Ban Ya Pirom pharmacy in Pattaya, says that’s untrue.
Stock is readily available and there has been no interruption in deliveries. Likewise, prices are stable with the price gouging seen during the early days of the pandemic or facemasks and hand sanitizer rare. Prices do vary, however, ranging from 50 to 200 baht for ATKs that look identical.
According to Food & Drug Administration Secretary-General Surachoke Tangwiwat, there are currently no studies on the differences in the quality of test kits from each manufacturer. So is a 200-baht ATK better than a 50-baht kit? Maybe not.
Pittaya noted that the FDA website lists 196 ATKs that have been certified for use in Thailand. He said kits are 90% accurate in detecting the coronavirus, even the omicron variant.
Surachoke stressed, however, that there are no rapid test kits on the Thai market that can determine which variant a person is infected with. Any companies claiming otherwise they could be charged with false advertising, he said.
Pittaya said people assumed there is an ATK shortage due to the high demand for them after the New Year’s holiday.
The druggist said he was selling 10-15 kits a day before the omicron outbreak. That has doubled since New Year’s.
He expects the supply will increase and price will decline later this month, thanks to the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.
The GPO said Tuesday it will start selling 3.5 million ATKs at their cost price of 35 baht a kit later this month through its website and at government drug stores.
Next week, the GPO will invite bids for the supply of five million more ATKs and their prices will be lower. The organization would also sell the products at their cost price, he said.
Pittaya said two kinds of ATKs are available: Nasal swab and deep-throat saliva. Adults generally use the former and children the latter, he said.
Whether a test comes back positive or negative mainly depends on the Covid-19 incubation period, he added.
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