jayboy

On 7/20/2021 at 1:31 AM, DogNo1 said:

there is much evidence that they didn't prevent serious illness.

Let's see it then.I have seen nothing to suggest that in the overwhelming majority of cases Sinovac doesn't prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death.Of course there's a risk of serious illness etc but it's very small as a careful study of reports from Indonesia confirms, notwithstanding the tragic deaths of a small number of double vaccinated doctors.

4 minutes ago, steven100 said:

can you be more specific .... how do you know & why do you say this  ...  thanks

There were a number of such comments on Twitter including one from the Netherlands Ambassador. The second sentence is simply my own presumption.

42 minutes ago, Havenstreet1940 said:

To the British Embassy Bangkok.   Have you been offered a quota of Astrazeneca from the Thai Goverment, if not what are you going to do to ensure that you will be offred vaccines on behalf of the British Nationals living here in Thailand?

 

No longer can you hide behind the FCO or that the NHS doesn't provide medical services outside of the UK - they were always disengenuous reasons anyway -  now that Canada and Australian Embassies have been offered vaccines,   and you have to come clean and admit you have no interest in assisting British Nationals in Thailand or the Ambassador has to tell the Thai Government that he would be most grateful to accept an allocation.

 

Your silence will be damned forever if you do nothing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps there is a limited understanding that there is a major crisis so see useful link below.Let's give the new Ambassador a chance to salvage the situation and end the Embassy's public relations nightmare.

https://thaiislandtimes.substack.com/p/thailand-tightens-containment-measures

11 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I'm guessing Dominic Raab and Boris are tying the Embassies' hands!

I very much doubt it.In fact I would be very surprised if the matter had reached ministerial level.

What's critical now is the position taken by the new Ambassador, Mark Gooding.

5 hours ago, wordchild said:

I also know a 60 plus year old foreigner who is both a diabetic and a longstanding customer of Bumrungrad, he spoke to his regular doc about vaccine but was told that there was nothing that could be done. In the end he got vaccinated at another hospital and has vowed to never use Bumrungrad again.

I am aware of a very similar case who had been an out patient at Bumrungrad on or off for nearly twenty years.He was able to register for vaccination (he had pink card and tax ID) but then was left hanging.Eventually - on his asking - he was told (not by medical staff but by some public relations type person) that it would not in the event be possible but he was never given a clear reason.He is more disappointed than angry that Bumrungrad has let him down so badly because - poor fool - he thought he had a genuine relationship with Bumrungrad.

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I’m starting to suspect some people ‘want’ there to be a problem so they have something to be angry about and occupy themselves with. 

 

Grow up

12 hours ago, treetops said:

As an Embassy they must toe the government line, which does not include providing vaccines but only chasing up the Thai government to treat Brits fairly in the country wide roll-out.  This being Thailand we can tell where that will end up, but at least it appears they're trying.

I agree.However but the issue is how much energy and focus has been expended on the chasing up bit.I have my own views on this but see no advantage in going into detail.The positive news is that we have a new and personable Ambassador who seems to entirely understand the problem and is determined to provide practical support.

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I would urge the British Embassy to take steps to secure vaccination for those most vulnerable in high risk groups. 

I fully accept that The British Embassy is unable to provide vaccinations for the resident community.Nor in my view is it reasonable to expect this given that most Brits here, notwithstanding the obstacle course, will be able to look after themselves.

The real issue is the old and vulnerable here. I have no doubt that it would be possible to launch an Embassy based initiative to identify and help those in this group who haven't been able to get vaccinated.It would require a proactive Ambassador who had something of the Nelson touch in batting back "line to take" policies from London. Feeding back the local community's concerns doesn't have much impact - simply not important enough in the overall scheme of things except to generate a desk officer's brief memo to his Head Of Department.

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I recognise the poor optics of vaccinating foreign nationals on Thai soil ahead of our hosts.

I don't think there is the slightest evidence this is an issue for the Thai authorities or the Thai people. I would hazard a guess, while not caring much one way or the other, the Thai government would be pleased to see a problem taken care of by someone else.

14 hours ago, British Consular Team said:

We will check this point, yes. And if you DM us the details of the hospital you went to we will try to confirm their policy too, if this is different.

I think what the hospital authorities are primarily interested in is the ID number on the pink card for which in most cases the yellow book is needed.I don't understand why this is seen as so important but that's the reality we have to deal with.

17 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

I have been noticing a pattern on thaivisa. All the actual very useful posts, like the ones about roads being open and experiences driving, they are all ignored and derided. 
 

Useless complaining, armchair quarterbacking, general Thai bashing, and utterly useless posts are celebrated and adored.

 

You just can’t make this stuff up. There are people arguing and adding nothing here and there is actual photographic evidence lol

I have no idea what point you are attempting to make.

17 minutes ago, FridgeMagnet1 said:

There was over 500 foreigners there at my appointed vaccination time 

 

there were 4 appointment times per day spread over a month, and that was at one of three hospitals involved in the scheme 

took me 5 mins to apply 

There's no point in repeating your rather commonplace - though unnecessarily smug point.

Everybody knows that many expatriates were able to secure vaccinations.I'm one of those expatriates myself.The problem is that many more were not, including the elderly and vulnerable who were not as quick off the mark.Equally, many ordinary expats have not been able to secure vaccinations as is obvious from this forum and the personal knowledge of many.

So stop crowing about your "success "and instead if possible offer some practical guidance.Otherwise as Clement Attlee once said to one of his Ministers, a period of silence on your part would be welcome.

My old Samsung DVD (Blu Ray Multi Region) player has become unreliable.I have a feeling it will be difficult to replace and the obvious options (Lazada etc) don't seem helpful.Does anyone have an idea where I might procure a new one in Bangkok.

My heart is with England but my tenner's on Italy.

16 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

If the Consulate does not consider the Covid pandemic an exceptional circumstance, or that people like you and I are not at risk, or that we have a realistic prospect, despite our efforts to fend for ourselves, of being vaccinated any time this year, let them come out and say so.

That's an unfair position to take.Everybody is aware these are exceptional times and the Consulate is doing its best to help. But it needs to be said again that the Thai Government's failures leave everyone exposed.I am beginning to think that those who can (I know this excludes most) should return to the UK to be vaccinated.

Please take the time to read the account below:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1412644275980963841.html

13 hours ago, kennw said:

With respect, surely your role is to represent the people who elect HMG no matter where they are. And, if it appears that there is discrimination of your citizens legally residing here in their access to vaccines during a pandemic, should you not take appropriate steps. Currently the Thai program prioritizes aged Thais with medical conditions, this is not available to a similarly afflicted non Thai, discrimination based on race to put it bluntly. As a diplomat surely this is something that should be raised with the Thai govt and their response should be made publicly available to so that British citizens can take this into consideration when they consider booking holidays or retirement options 

I think you make some fair points though I disagree the discriminatory (in practice) Thai vaccination rollout is of any relevance to prospective retirees or tourists.

As to the Consul's letter, I appreciate the reasoned response to many members concerns.The British government is not going to provide vaccinations to expatriates here and it seems pointless to keep on demanding this.I hope nobody will mind me noting the letter is somewhat tin eared in places and while sometimes annoyingly patronizing, overall it addresses the issues reasonably well.

The time to assess the empathy, efficiency, sense of urgency and imagination of our government on this issue can come later.The reality is that many expats are being vaccinated.What's needed now is a concerted effort to help those in vulnerable categories who have not been able to secure appointments.We can help each other here by for example referring such people to the BCCT initiative. We do not need any more reminders of how the Ambassador has received high level of assurances of equal treatment.We need hard intensive work in concert with other countries to achieve practical solutions to the problem.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

IMO figure on perhaps 100,000 Brits live in Thailand, so the minimum doses required would be at least 250,000 for 2 jabs

I think the figure is much smaller, possibly lower than 2010 but let's assume the same.Many will have returned and many will already have been vaccinated.Applying the same criteria as the French (over 55 or otherwise at risk) the total would be smaller still In short about 50% or less (possibly much less) of your estimate.