Distribution of pharmaceutical products Thailand 2021, by channel

In 2021, 60 percent of all pharmaceutical products were distributed to public hospitals in Thailand. This was followed by 20 percent for private hospitals and 20 percent for over-the-counter medications. Most of the pharmaceutical products manufactured in Thailand are for domestic use. In that same year, only ten percent of the pharmaceutical production in the country was exported.

The pharmaceutical supply in Thailand

In general, the supply of medicines in Thailand is through the domestic production of finished drug products, mostly generic drugs. The production of modern medications in the country fluctuated over the past years, amounting to almost 80 billion Thai baht in 2020. Thailand’s pharmaceutical market is shared between government pharmaceutical organizations and private companies. As of April 2021, the number of existing pharmaceutical and medical supply businesses in Thailand amounted to over ten thousand.

Leading pharmaceutical companies in Thailand

For private pharmaceutical companies, both local and multinational companies have a good standing in the market. Thai-owned companies usually operate on low-priced pharmaceutical production. As for multinational companies, they mostly import original and patented drugs for high prices. In 2021, AstraZeneca held the largest revenue share of the pharmaceutical market in Thailand, followed by Novartis.