Government masks sold out in half an hour

Government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat (left) sells a bottle of hand wash gel to a customer on Friday morning. (Photo supplied by Wassana Nanuam)

Thousands of protective masks sold by the government have been snapped up in half an hour while a party turned to crowdsourcing to create a map of shops that stock the product as Thailand struggles to get everyone protected amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The government sold 10,000 pieces on Friday morning and will sell another 10,000 in the afternoon.

Government spokeswomen Nurumon Pinyosinwat, together with secretary-general Teerapat Prayoonsit and Government House officials, on Friday sold the masks supplied by the Commerce Ministry and hand wash gel made by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization near the Government house.

The masks were sold at 25 baht per 10-piece set, limited to one set for each buyer.

Also sold at the event was hand wash gel, at 65 baht for a large bottle and 24 baht for a small one. Rubbing alcohol was also available at 14 baht a bottle.

The products were sold at two spots at 10,000 piece each at 10am and 2pm.

Netizens have complained masks have become hard to find after the double whammy of the PM2.5 dust crisis and coronavirus outbreak.

Commerce Minister Jurin Lasanavisit said there were enough masks for sale after a visit to mask factories. The product was later put on the price control list.

Responding to criticism the government did not give free masks even to the needy, Mr Teerapat said doing so would lead to hoarding.

"We want to address the problems of people not being able to buy masks and the high prices."

He assured the manufacturers were speeding up production.

Meanwhile, an opposition party has taken a different approach in addressing the problem.

Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit posted on Facebook on Wednesday urging people to collaborate in creating the "people's map" on the availability of masks and hand wash gel.

"Khun Klaikong Vaidhyakarn [FFP party-list MP] and I came up with the idea to mobilise efforts in creating the map that shows which shops have or do not have masks for PM2.5 and for coronavirus, as well as hand wash gel, so others can check and go to the places nearest to them that stock the products," he wrote.

He urged people to check the availability and prices of the products at drugstores or other shops in their neighbourhoods. They can then fill a form online prepared by the party so its team could process the data and create the map as soon as possible.

"Please also add conditions, if there are any, such as sales limited to three pieces per person and at what prices," he wrote.