Steroids are a type of man-made medicine that closely work like a hormone in your body to control different body systems including anti-inflammatory, keep fluid balancing and activate the immune system. They are widely used in sports and health care to treat many conditions, but if not taken properly they can cause serious side effects.
The ease of acquiring performance-enhancing drugs in Thailand lures thousands of bodybuilders to the country annually. But that sexy allure comes with a dark underside. The drug trade in Thailand is booming, and international criminal networks exploit weak links to traffic drugs across borders and into international markets.
In Australia, steroids are classified as dangerous drugs and possessing or supplying them is a criminal offence. Despite the dangers, it has become increasingly common for everyday gym users to take the risk of prosecution by travelling overseas for their steroid supplies. Fairfax Media has discovered pharmacies in Bangkok and Pattaya that sell some steroid brands for up to 10 times less than they cost in Australia.
One pharmacy in Pattaya, located opposite a pub on Beach Road Soi 7, boldly advertises the sale of Andriol and Testoviron. Both are anabolic androgenic steroids _ synthetic variants of the naturally occurring male sex hormone testosterone _ that increase muscle mass. These are usually combined with other muscle-building medications and weight-loss medicines in a practice known as’stacking’.
Chris, who divides his time between Australia and Pattaya, said pharmacies rarely require a prescription for these types of drugs in Thailand. ‘They just write up some BS for you to sign,’ he says. ‘It’s much the same as getting a medical certificate here to say you can drive, which you get for 100 baht without any actual checks.’ Steroids Thailand