Government action needed to control price and supply of antigen test kits
An antigen test kit (ATK) is essential to test for Covid-19 at home, but sadly the selling price in Thailand is high when compared to other countries.
An ATK in Thailand is priced at THB350 to THB400 per kit (for single use). The price is extremely high as some people need to use it many times or even every day.
There are 34 suppliers registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as of Thursday, offering different types of ATKs They are imported from many countries, such as China, South Korea, Switzerland, and Spain.
The average price of ATK on foreign websites is THB100 per kit/use. The prices as shown on some websites were:
▪︎Alibaba 88 cents (THB60) to US$1.19 (THB100 per kit/use) on average, including transportation and other import costs.
▪︎eBay THB80-180 on average
▪︎Amazon THB165 on average
Information from the Ministry of Commerce revealed that there were 10 brands of ATK in the market. The average price was THB250 to THB350 per kit, while other brands are reconsidering the selling price.
Recently, a meeting of the Central Committee on the Prices of Goods and Services, chaired by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, decided to form a subcommittee to monitor and analyse the situation of ATK. The committee will also create guidelines for sale of ATK.
The government could compare the prices with those in foreign countries to find the appropriate price and ensure sufficient stocks of ATK in the market. If the National Health Security Office could distribute 8.5 million ATKs according to the plan, importers will be forced to reconsider their profit margin from selling ATKs.