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The Thai Anti-Corruption Agency (ACT) expressed worries on Monday about potential issues in the purchase of medical equipment valued at 603 million baht by multiple government hospitals, noting that the prices indicated substantial differences.

The ACT mentioned on its Facebook page that its ACTAi team has received reports regarding the acquisition of 134 transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) units for addressing neurological and mental health issues, as part of the 2026 financial year budget, by hospitals managed under the Public Health Ministry.

The acquisition was conducted via an electronic bidding procedure, with the average cost fixed at 4.5 million baht per unit, resulting in a total expenditure of 603 million baht.

The ACT reported that data from the Comptroller General’s Department indicated 27 hospitals had announced intentions to acquire the TMS, with 12 of them moving forward with the purchases. Nevertheless, two of these hospitals withdrew from the procurement process, reportedly because of worries regarding technical requirements.

Out of the 10 hospitals that made the purchases, the majority of the successful bidders provided prices just 5,000-20,000 baht less than the median, or a mere 0.11-0.44% reduction. However, Phrapokklao Hospital entered into an agreement at 1.95 million baht per unit, which was 2.55 million baht below the median price.

The differences in pricing led to doubts about whether the median price was established significantly higher than market rates, according to the ACT. If there were any irregularities, it might result in the state spending over 340 million baht for 134 units that were purchased, the ACT noted.

Khon Kaen Hospital, one of the two facilities that canceled the purchase, noted inconsistencies in the technical details and chose to abandon the deal due to concerns over the public interest, according to the ACT.

The ACT also mentioned that Ramathibodi Hospital, affiliated with Mahidol University, decided to rent a TMS system for five years, costing 3.64 million baht.

The Sirindhorn Hospital, which operates under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, acquired a peripheral nerve magnetic stimulation (PNMS) system for 750,000 baht, whereas hospitals managed by the Ministry of Public Health bought comparable devices for as much as 1.5 million baht during the 2024-2025 financial period.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).