COVID-19 antigen self-test kits can now be purchased for home use, according to Thailand’s Public Health Ministry’s announcement yesterday (Monday), which has been published in the Royal Gazette.

The kits, which will be available for purchase at hospitals, health clinics, pharmacies and other outlets approved by the country’s Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), enable people to test for the virus at home, in order to contain the further spread of COVID-19. Government authorities that receive the test kits must deliver them to hospitals which are under government administration.

Yesterday, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that the National Communicable Disease Committee (NCDC) had already approved the use of the Antigen test kits at 300 hospitals and medical labs which also provide verified RT-PCR tests. 24 brands of the kits have been approved by the TFDA.

According to Permanent Secretary of the Public Health Ministry Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrachit, the kits should be available in pharmacies next week.

Online sales of the kits have been advertised even before the Public Health Ministry’s announcement, with prices per piece set between 220-700 Baht.