Choking on smog, afraid to breathe virus and not a mask to be found?
Then pinch your nose and head over to the Government House where the Office of the Prime Minister opened for business Friday selling masks and other supplies.
Following complaints about the lack of face masks due to the double-blow of air pollution and virus outbreak, the office will be selling masks (at the low, low price of THB25 for 10) and hand sanitizer gel bottles (THB40/50 grams, THB65 / 400 grams) for the next two weeks.
Cash in on this government near-giveaway at two locations: Gate 6 and across from Gate 4 at the Government House on Phitsanulok Road in Bangkok’s Dusit district.
YOU MAY EVEN MEET PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha himself, who said he’d drop in on the stalls to greet the public. Wow, wow and wow.
Still, there’s no satisfying some, especially those who condemned the decision to apparently profit off the sale of masks already purchased with taxpayer money rather than give them away.
“Why is the government so crappy like this? They sell the masks to Thais without shame to the world? Other countries give away the masks to their people. Corruption these days not bringing in enough, or did you come from hell?” @Natlamborghini1 tweeted heatedly.
Some pointed out the Government House price of THB2.5 per face mask is higher than the THB1 price offered by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.
“Where did they get the money from, isn’t it people’s taxes? And where did the money go? Taking people’s tax to buy the masks, then selling them to people again. So cool, this country,” @KU09_32 wrote.
Earlier this week, the cabinet approved price controls on masks, sanitizer and other products for a year due to supply issues.
