Pharmacy practice in Thailand

Pharmacy education was established in Thailand in 1913 and gradually evolved to pharmaceutical care in recent decades. By the year 2014, all schools of pharmacy were required by the Pharmacy Council of Thailand to offer only a 6-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. The paradigm shift to the PharmD program and the implementation of a quality assurance system have tremendously influenced pharmacy practice in Thailand. Hospital pharmacists have become more involved in pharmacy education through preceptorships and are an integral part of inpatient and outpatient care teams. In community pharmacy practice, a number of services have recently been provided and are reimbursable, ranging from public health practice (i.e., health prevention/promotion) to advanced professional practice (e.g., medication use review). Challenges to Thai pharmacy practice include the distribution of pharmacists to meet the workforce demands. Evidence synthesis is needed to guide the implementation and course of Thai pharmacy practice in the future