Chalong Drugs open till midnight but are tourists being overcharged? Multiple reviews claim extreme price gouging despite decent English service
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Quick read: should you visit Chalong Drugs?
Short answer: exercise caution. The place carries common OTC items and stays open late, but multiple visitors report steep markups that outweigh the convenience for many buyers. Overall rating shown is 2.3 out of 5 from 9 reviewers, and the written feedback is heavily skewed toward pricing complaints.
What real customers actually bought — and how much they paid
- One visitor paid nearly 1,000 THB for a throat spray plus a nasal spray; they later found the same products selling for roughly 215–230 THB at other pharmacies.
- Another buyer reported being charged 650 THB for Nurofen, while the identical product was available for 150 THB elsewhere.
- Several reviews use the phrase 4–5 times more expensive when comparing this shop to other pharmacies in Thailand.
Service quality: clear strengths, puzzling behavior
Two consistent service notes appear in the reviews. One positives states the pharmacist gave good advice and communicated well in English. Several negative reviews also say the owner speaks good English but add a different observation: they felt the owner assumed tourists were uninformed and priced accordingly. Those two data points create a real tension between professional communication and perceived pricing ethics.
Pattern analysis: pricing complaints dominate, but there is one outlier
Four reviewers reported feeling overcharged; one reviewer had a positive experience with advice and perceived reasonable price. That single positive experience suggests the store stocks the medicines customers want and can deliver competent counselling. The dominant pattern, however, is repeated claims of significant overpricing, often cited by visitors who compared receipts or shopped elsewhere immediately after.
Operating hours and payment options — what’s convenient
- Open every day from 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM, so it’s available for late-evening needs.
- Accepts credit cards, debit cards, and NFC payments, which makes card payment an option for visitors who want a clear digital record.
What the contradictions likely mean for you
The coexistence of helpful English-speaking staff and repeated reports of excessive prices suggests one of two scenarios supported by the reviews: either pricing is inconsistent across visits and items, or some transactions end up being marked up for visitors perceived as tourists. Reviews explicitly say they felt treated like foreigners and scammed; those impressions are consistent across multiple independent complaints.
Actionable checklist before you pay
- Ask for the price before agreeing to buy; don’t accept surprises at checkout.
- Compare the price by checking one other nearby pharmacy for the same brand or formulation if time allows.
- Use card or NFC if you want an electronic payment trail; cards are accepted here.
- Keep receipts and note product packaging and manufacturer to confirm authenticity and pricing later.
- If you need medication late at night and convenience matters more than cost, factor in that the shop is open until midnight.
Final assessment
Chalong Drugs appears to be a fully stocked, English-capable neighborhood pharmacy with long hours and modern payment options. Multiple customers, however, report paying dramatically higher prices for common OTC products compared with other pharmacies. If price sensitivity matters, verify costs before purchase and shop around; if late-hour access and English communication are your priorities, be prepared to double-check totals at the counter.
Analyst note: rely on comparison shopping and written receipts here — the reviews show the store can help you, but also that shopping without checking prices has led several visitors to feel overcharged.
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