Unlike last spring, medical face masks are plentiful, cheap and selling well in Pattaya.
Vendor Saowanee Poonsawad said the green single-use masks are selling better than during the coronavirus first wave, as more people are aware of the benefits masks provide in blocking infectious droplets. It doesn’t hurt that the government has instituted a 20,000 baht fine for anyone caught in public not wearing one.
She said that, unlike early in the pandemic, there’s ample supply and prices have remained at pre-pandemic levels. That’s due to the fact the government regulates mask prices, capping them at 2.5 baht each.
Customer Kannada Euartornjit said it was very difficult to find masks last spring and when she did see them, they were expensive.
Unable to get surgical masks, she went instead for cloth face coverings. But she has switched back to the green masks as she believes they are far more effective in preventing infection.
