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5 hours ago, tomyami said:

many millionaires left in plane loads in the last 2 months because they couldnt get vacs 

And as soon as I feel it's safe to travel, I'm on my bike too. I ain't wasting any more of my hard-eared money here

13 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

Come on, my friend. 

 

The US is entitled to do what it can to protect its people. And, it has done the very best job of that in the world. The UK is a close 2nd (just as impressive, but smaller population).

 

Please take your accolades about China elsewhere. I don't think you'll find many impressed with the country that has created this pandemic and effectively murdered millions (maybe 10s of millions) of people globally on account of their secrecy.

What planet are you on? Have you looked at the US Embassy website on Facebook and seen a happy citizen?

The US has done sweet FA for us US citizens here, with the exception of its staff at the US Embassy and their fellow Thai workers - all vaccinated with vaccines that we subsidized

China shows the US yet again how to do it

23 hours ago, connda said:

The US government can supply vaccines as foreign aid to foreign countries and yet they can not (will not) supply vaccines to their own US citizens overseas!
And yet China can supply their citizens overseas with vaccines.
What else do you need to know about our exceptional nation and how we expats (don't) benefit from our country's largess?

So - the US will supply Thailand with vaccines, and then US citizens abroad will be placed at the end of the line to receive their vaccines after Thais get their shots which were given to them by the US Government???
Does that sound about right?
The Thai government has a racist distribution policy that will be directly supported by the US government as US citizens are put at the end of the vaccination lines.
This reads better then a Kurt Vonnegut novel - you can't make this stuff up!
Welcome to Wacky-World ????

 

Pretty similar deal with the UK and the AZ vaccine. The only difference there is that overseas UK nationals are not mandated to pay taxes to the UK when living overseas, but one would have hoped that the UK government would at least ensure its citizens get equal priority, rather than at the same level as stray dogs. Disgusting complete lack of effort by the UK government to protect its citizens. And sadly matched by everyone, except for China.

18 hours ago, rodknock said:

why should they worry, they got there shots.

 

Indeed. Unlike the UK, where the government took its place in the same queue as everyone else, ordered by age and high-risk first, just as the Royal Family did too. Different worlds

Good details, but so sad that for many of us, that may be the only route to a vaccine in 2021

7 hours ago, connda said:

I fail to see why those in a low risk category (healthy young people) would want to expose themselves to vaccines adverse reaction risks regardless of how low we are told those risks are.

Until these vaccines are approved for general use, these vaccines are only approved for "emergency use" as live-trial study data is still being collected for analysis (2021 - 2023) in order to make a case with each country's FDA to allow the future approval for the vaccine's "general use." 
Until then you are required to sign an informed consent form acknowledging the vaccine's risks prior to being given the shot.

It's very simple. One balances the risk of problems from the vaccine against the risk of problems from the virus. That makes it a no-brainer for vaccination.

If you're going to factor in potential side-effects from vaccines, then you need to balance that against the equally currently unknown long term side effects from infection with the virus. Past history when comparing the two, also makes  it a no-brainer for most. We know already that many people who have survived the virus have legacy health issues. Those numbers are highly likely to increase as time goes by.

Every vaccine in the world has the same informed consent form. Including of course very well established and safe vaccines like MMR....

8 hours ago, WineOh said:

This tells me all I need to know about what brand of Jab will be offered to me on June 7th.

 

I was gonna turn up at the hospital nice and early & in my Sunday best....

Now I don't think i'll bother.

It will be Sinovac or nothing for us farangs.
Like it or lump it.

Probably the majority of us high-risk excluded expats, dream about being in your situation. Your post sits really badly with us

13 hours ago, jeffandgop said:

It is irresponsible for a news org to make such a irresponsible statement without any details.  It's not relevant whether I personally believe that the AZ will or will not be available, as repeatedly proclaimed by the government, but to claim that it will not be because it is "reportedly" such the case is BS.  Who reported this? When?  This journalism is equivalent to a what was the common approach by another country's administration who repeatedly, for four years, spread lies and hurt so many people because the top official would state "I heard that" or "Many people said".....and then continue to state whatever it was as a now factual condition...

 

Give me FACTS and DATA!

So you only want official government released news and stats then? I strongly suggest that you go live in China or Russia, where you will clearly be very happy. 

Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

You can call it what you want, but the pertinent point and detail re your earlier comment is the following, just as I said above. From your same NYT article:

 

"Pfizer did not accept federal funding to help develop or manufacture the vaccine, unlike front-runners Moderna and AstraZeneca."

 

 

It's really not important. They received tax money for which US citizens here have received nothing, but they were part of Warp Speed. Whether they received as much as other participants is a separate matter as the development was not directly funded is a separate issue, but they were part of Warp Speed and misleading statements to the contrary have been corrected.

https://factcheck.afp.com/pfizers-role-operation-warp-speed-misconstrued-online

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

In case you missed it, which you obviously did, the U.S. government for some time now has been advising its citizens to NOT travel internationally until/unless they are fully vaccinated.

 

"Do not travel internationally until you are fully vaccinated....  international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants."

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html#:~:text=Do not travel internationally until,recommendations for unvaccinated people.

 

Ya, after spending months here in Thailand in pretty much self-imposed quarantine to avoid potentially getting infected with COVID as a 60 years+ person, the one thing I'm really itching to do is spend 16-18 hours on international air flights packed together like sardines with people from all over the world....

 

Yes, there are huge risks for high-risk citizens in travelling 24 hours to the US. And impossible for working US nationals.

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

FWIW, I think ANY country that has a policy and program to give all its citizens COVID vaccinations SHOULD be extending those to its citizens living abroad -- in situations where for whatever reason they're not able to get vaccines abroad.

 

Wouldn't matter to me if the issue was about Americans, or Italians or Brits or whomever... In a time of a worldwide pandemic, if your citizens can't get vaccinated abroad and its problematic to travel back home because of safety and quarantine restrictions, governments should recognize they have some duty to protect their citizens, even when abroad.

 

100% agree. At the very least foreign governments should have insisted on equal treatment for all foreign nationals here. Having failed to do that, they have placed themselves in a situation where the only way to help their citizens, as they are obligated to do, is provide vaccination.

All of this would be of benefit to Thailand, who could then stop this farce of pretending to treat us equally ????

On 5/31/2021 at 9:04 PM, Patong2021 said:

 

Because it benefits Americans.  The foreigners in the USA are doing the menial tasks  like slaughterhouse, a agricultural worker that US people refuse to do. They are essential workers who are circulating. Vaccinate them and  the rest of the community is protected. They are the  people who have been getting ill and dying in large numbers. A person in rural Isan is not a risk to   the US community and has minimal risk  of getting sick anyway because ht person can social distance.

 

 

Finally someone  says what needed to be said.

 

 

 

 

If you think that 5,000 baht will cover the costs you are delusional. Do the cost accounting. It would cost millions of dollars.. You are free to travel to the USA to get the vaccine. The truth is that you do not want to spend the money and prefer to have a good time. in Thailand.

 

 

The embassy workers, military and foreign aid workers have been vaccinated because they are not in these places because they want to be. they were sent there  on the direction of the US government. US expats are in Thailand because they want to be. You have the option of returning to the USA, but choose not to do so.

 

OK, but a quick search using Mr. Google says Average tax rate for  USA is relatively low.

The United States had the 31st lowest tax wedge in the OECD for an average married worker with two children at 14.0% in 2020, which compares with the OECD average of 24.4%. The tax wedge for the average single worker in the United States was  to 28.3% in 2020. The OECD average tax wedge in 2020 was 34.6%  In 2020, the United States had the 30th lowest tax wedge among the 37 OECD member countries, compared with the 29th in 2019

https://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/taxing-wages-united-states.pdf

 

Looks like the vast majority of Americans in Thailand are probably getting a free ride, receiving more in benefits than they ever contributed.

We pay taxes from anywhere in the world to the US govt on the pretext they will help us in emergency. An unparalleled situation in the world.

Vaccination was done domestically in the US by risk of death. They were prioritized at the same priority as everyone except for US overseas taxpayers, which contribute enormously the US economy. We are simply asking for equal treatment.

The costs of distribution should be irrelevant bearing in mind the US promises for us with overseas taxes. However, the reality is that the cost of vaccinating US citizens in Thailand is possibly less than the same citizens in the US. They have already sent 4,000 for solely vaccinating Embassy staff. To send maybe 30,000 would probably have the same cost. Especially as it would only be to one location and the cost of staff doing the vaccination in Thailand is vastly less than in the US.

Your notes of benefits to domestic US citizens defies belief. We are talking about overseas US citizens who pay their taxes and get ZERO benefits. The same benefits you get from your government, but you do not have to pay any taxes. Lucky for you.

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 

Actually, Thai citizens too.... You should have seen the long list of comments on the Vimut Hospital Facebook page, people with Thai names writing in Thai language, wanting to know when their "alternate" vaccines were going to be available.  They weren't interested, it seems, in the government's AZ or Sinovac offerings.

 

But, in a small correction re your comment above, I don't believe Pfizer took any development money from the U.S. government for their vaccine... though they did/do have a purchase order with the U.S. government to buy it after it was developed. Moderna, on the other hand, did take federal funds to help them develop their version of the vaccine.

 

Actually they were part of Warp Speed

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/health/was-the-pfizer-vaccine-part-of-the-governments-operation-warp-speed.html

3 minutes ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

She, don't provide evidence that any other nationality feels the same entitlement abroad (I run into it all the time here - and it is not limited to Americans - in fact there are other nationalities that are bigger whingers IMHO -- and no, I am not going to start a flame war by listing them in order ... ???? ).... 

At least they appear to be vaccinating all residents by risk. It's the racism and xenophobic policy of Thais first and even with them, the rich and influential are being done early

An equal policy of treating us equally and vaccinating in order by risk would remove almost all discontent here

23 minutes ago, AndyFoxy said:

That’s what they tell you. But it’s time to wake up. They don’t care at all.

One hopes a campaign to stop this farcical taxation of us, will happen as a result of this

Just now, natway09 said:

When you left your "Nanny State" to live in a 3rd world country by choice you leave many of the trimmings behind. Not being vaccinated when you click your finger is one of them.

Settle down, take care & be patient like we all are having to be

There are many US nationals here working and providing enormous benefit to the US economy. For all of us, our US taxes are still paid worldwide on the pretext of taking care of us in times of danger wherever we are

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 

Has the U.S. government actually asked Thailand for such a thing?  I think not.

 

Has the U.S. government donated to Thailand the vaccines that would be used for such a program. I think not.

 

Is there any reason Thailand would deny a request from the U.S. government for something it's already granted permission to China for? I think not.

 

US vaccines will be coming and also bear in mind that the UK basically gave them free rights to the AZ vaccine, yet allowed all of their citizens to be excluded. At least China has stood up for its citizens 

14 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

Logistically it would be a nightmare to pull off - all countries Americans are in...

 

easier to just book a flight home and get it within a few days...

 

and then get a gym workout and a lap swim in which one can’t do in thailand...

Why? They've managed to vaccinate huge numbers at every US Embassy in the world using the vaccine that our taxes have paid for? 

13 hours ago, atpeace said:

Farangs are faring well and as whole are not the healthiest or youngest .  As for those that state it is too early and spikes throughout the world, this is true but data shows things are improving dramatically.  I'll make decisions based on data, even imperfect data, over innuendo and assumptions.  The data points to a world that is for the most part free of Covid by the end of the year give or take a couple months.  With that said, I've been wrong about many of my Covid assumptions and might be wrong yet again.

Agreed, but there's an awful of poor countries with minimal vaccine. Thailand is a big exception to that with a 25th world ranking by GDP, but 45th in doses administered. Even Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia have fully vaccinated a greater percentage of their population than Thailand

2 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

I think that, unlike other foreigners in Thailand (e.g. Cambodian or Burmese labourers)  we are less likely to be living in close quarters with infected people.

 

Also, having access to all the current information about preventative measures, together with all the daily hygiene routines that were drummed into us as kids, gives us an advantage.

Much lesser cases for us would certainly drop fatalities down, but I do see Thais are a lot better at wearing facemasks. Certainly where I live.

48 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

India didn't fare too badly, it was mostly media hype.

 

Deaths per million cases by country :

 

India 230

Italy 2086

France 1600

UK 1907

Germany 1060

US 1799

Mexico 1745

Brazil 2163

 

Source : https://www.statista.com/statistics/1104709/coronavirus-deaths-worldwide-per-million-inhabitants/

 

Look at the figures - they're worried about India, out of control they say, very bad ????????????

 

Yes, but the Indian numbers are recognized to be wild underestimates. Both in case and fatalities. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/24/indias-covid-death-toll-hides-stark-truth-for-the-poor-its-even-worse

1 hour ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

well I don't won't to open a new tread again so that is what I read in the Australian news today

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-30/thailands-covid-sucess-threatened-by-third-wave/100166432

One would assume that he was a Type 1 diabetic at that age, where the risk according to the Lancet is double that of Type 2 diabetics. In Thailand, the risk for diabetics according to govt stats is almost 3 times worse than in the UK tests (5.5 times more likely to die). Not a surprise, as hospitals are not trained to handle diabetics. That a high-risk individual was not prioritized and actually ignored is tragic.

We appear to have escaped remarkably lightly according to the official statistics with regard to fatalities from covid-19. Especially bearing in mind the relatively high percentage of retired visa holders. Maybe we are blessed or shielding more? What do you think?

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

They have been reporting a little over 6 million registered among the >60 + chronically ill and that is about the amount of AZ expected. AZ supplies will be tight.

Assuming that supply targets are met. Bearing in mind supply problems elsewhere in the world outside of the US, that could be difficult, aside from other potential issues.