Bangkok: The Ministry of Commerce is set to introduce the “Healthy Body, Comfortable Wallet” initiative on October 28th, aiming to tackle the high cost of medicines and broaden patient options for purchasing medicines outside private hospitals.

According to Thai News Agency, the project seeks to alleviate the financial burden on citizens by reducing the annual cost of living by over 30 billion baht. The Department of Health Service Support is also poised to ensure the stringent application of laws requiring private hospitals to disclose drug and treatment prices, with penalties including fines and imprisonment for non-compliance.