The National Blood Centre of the Thai Red Cross Society has made it clear that donated blood sent to hospitals throughout the country is not for sale, but recipients have to pay a service charge.
The explanation was posted on the website of the National Blood Centre after a Facebook message said the Thai Red Cross Society was collecting blood from donors free of charge but hospitals were charging recipients 2,100 baht for each bag of blood.
The message was incorrect and destorted the facts, the centre said.
The 2,100 baht is not for the blood but for a service charge, the centre said, which is fixed by the Comptroller General's Department.
The service charge is to cover expenses such as for blood bags, test tubes, solutions for tests for blood groups, blood separation, laboratories, storage and quality control.
The centre said the practice is in line with the principles of the World Health Organisation and International Red Cross aimed at eliminating the blood trade.