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By APD Writer Chen Jiabao
BANGKOK, Sep 11 (APD) - Thailand's public health office and police raided a souvenir shop illegally selling medicine and drugs to Chinese tourists in the northern province Chiang Mai recently.
The raiding parties had received reports that the "Time Cosmetic" store in the famous tourism destination city have begun to sell drugs including pain killers, antibiotics and non-household medicines without a license, which is a criminal offense in Thailand.
Manarom, one of the pharmacists from Chiang Mai Public Health Office who joined the raid told APD through a telephone interview that dozens of Chinese tourist flocked to the shop that opened only a week ago.
"The five varieties of medicine we found can only be dispensed by a qualified pharmacist. The owner, identified from his accent as a Thai, has fled, we could only talk to him via phone and detain the shopkeeper."said Manarom.
A saleswoman called Supranee Sasithornbamrung, 24, said she knew nothing about the boss and her job was just to sell the stuff to the Chinese.
Thailand again crowns the most popular destination for Chinese tourist in 2017. The tourism authority of Thailand expects about nine million Chinese arrivals to the country this year.
Many eye the influx a wave of opportunities and fortune. Souvenir shops tailored for Chinese tourists spring up around the country.
The shops, with signage in Chinese, are often stacked with beauty products, dry goods, latex mattresses and even medicine that are most welcomed for Chinese tourists. Some of the products are cheaper than those in big shopping malls. Most shopkeepers speak fluent Chinese.
“There was a case that a Chinese tourist bought a pain relief patch from this kind of shop but did not know where to apply it, resulting in rashes and an allergic reaction when applied to their face.” explained a pharmacist from Chiang Mai Public Health Office.
Manorom said the public health office receives such tip-offs almost everyday. "The related parties in Chiang Mai raided nearly 40 illegal shops in 2016 alone."
"Among these cases, we found illicit workshops producing medicine and dispense them to souvenirs shops. In last January, we seized over 4,000 bottles of unlicensed Thai herbal balm ointment without from a shop named Sweet House in Chiang Mai." said Manorom, adding that some of the medicine is sold by tour guides on bus, such as the so-called snake medicine without batch number, of which the introduction is purely written in Chinese.
Manorom said selling drugs and medicine that are not a household medicine must be done under the supervision of a trained pharmacist. It is necessary that customers are aware of how to take or used them appropriately.
Thailand has enacted a drug act since 1967, stipulating that the Food and Drugs Administration(FDA) will approve a “license to sell drugs” for business operators if they comply with certain requirements.
One of the requirements is that the business operator, a resident in Thailand, has the premises to sell or store drugs, equipment for use in the sale or storage of drugs, and control over the maintenance of drug quality and quantity, as prescribed in the ministerial regulations.
In addition, the Drug Act states that a business operator that has been permitted to sell modern drugs must have a pharmacist on duty during business hours.
According to the act, any violation is subject to up to a five-year jail term and a fine of up to 100,000 baht(3,330 U.S Dollars).
"Souvenir shop is not legally permitted to sell drugs and medicine." said Manorom who advising tourists to buy drugs in regular pharmacy.
However, these two sections of the Drug Act restrict the distribution of drugs “virtually,” since both the requirements of appropriate premises and a pharmacist on duty are unmet. But the country will fully enforce the act, ensuring pharmacy have a pharmacist in the next six years.
According to Manorom, the FDA carries out spot checks on drug stores twice a year. Once the authority receives tip-offs, an investigation is needed to be done within seven days.
However, there are more than 750 drug stores in Chiang Mai alone while there are only four stuffs from FDA in charge, said he, adding that tourist police who have a legal duty to fight tourism crimes and help tourists out hardly play any effective role in controlling souvenir shops.
According to many tour operators who don't want to be named, tips could deal with anything when they are investigated by tourist police.
“Supervision here is far from satisfactory. Chinese tourists should be aware of risks of buying drugs from souvenir shops. Penny wise, pound foolish." said Manorom.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
