DogNo1

I missed the date that my 90 day report was due and I'm 13 days late.  Is it still necessary to do the report in person during this semi-lockdown?  I looked at the MTT website and it doesn't mention 90 reports but does say that an appointment is necessary.  Is MTT still the location and are the in-person reports being required now?  There doesn't seem to be any increase in the fine regardless of the lateness of the report, so maybe I'll just wait for a while.  I realize that the fine doubles if you are arrested.  Current information will be appreciated.

What is Coronavac?   Is it another name for Sinovac?

With the current political climate in America, any stipulation regarding the disposition of the donated vaccine would be regarded as being racist,

Today's local Post quoted Prayut as saying that daily infections were over 10,000.  Does he really not know the real number?

BTW, who keeps the records of the GPO through which all vaccines had to be purchased?  Its books would be interesting to see.  Would it have records of the negotiations to purchase vaccines since the beginning of last year?  Does the GPO even keep records?

I think that the prospect of a war between the USA and its allies with China is a more concerning issue.  The US is already deploying its air forces on small islands around Guam to make the planes less vulnerable to Chinese missles.  What would happen to westerners living in Thailand in the event of a war?  Is internment a possibility?  During the war with Japan, some interned westerners starved.  Many were forced into hard and dangerous labor.   A similar situation happened in Germany and its occupied territories.  Older westerners would probably be safe if they returned home.

Wendy Sherman's recent talks in China did not go well.  China continues to be quite aggressive.  The US military is contemplating and preparing for war within two years.  I hope that it can be avoided.

The defense is ramping up.  In today's daily Post, a former editor of the paper published an article in defense of Sinovac saying that criticism of it was motivated by politics and profiteering since the stock of the private hospitals has risen dramatically since they announced their intention to deliver mRNA vaccines.  He slammed the idea of a Taksin return helping the country.

An article related the experience of Thais abroad in various countries getting two vaccine shots and prompt testing for free.  A Thai quoted in the article didn't seem inclined to return the favor saying that he hoped that Thais would be vaccinated before "everything else" because they are tax payers.  The meaning of "everything else" is somewhat ambiguous but it seems to mean other people, in other words, foreigners.  

A letter to the editor by a Thai-named person bashed the American GOP's ultra nationalism and America First policy.  As if other countries are not nationalistic and don't place their people first. He faulted the GOP as being responsible for the large mistakes of Vietnam and Iraq.  Wasn't the Vietnam War started by Lyndon Johnson who was a Democrat?

Dr. Nakorn said that the Institute was speeding up negotiations with vaccine manufacturers but it has not been decided how many doses will be procured and when.   So it's all talk and no action at this point.

I was in and out of Bang Sue in just one hour a week ago.  I was helped through every step.  Being over 75, I was able to just walk in.  The notice shown in a post above says that walking in is still open for people 75 and over.  People 60 and over must register in the form also posted above to be vaccinated at Bang Sue.

I was in Central Food Hall today and the Take-out food section had a good selection.  I imagine that the personal shopper and home delivery will operate normally.  BTW, do they post an online menu?

I think that the government has determined that the booster for people vaccinated with two Sinovac shots will be AstraZeneca or one of the mRNA vaccines, not a third shot of Sinovac.  He is probably correct that deaths have been prevented by a double Sinovac but there is much evidence that they didn't prevent serious illness.

Wow!  A narrow escape.  Glad that you're OK.

I think that the fix is still in to use Sinovac and AZ and to sell as much of the AZ as possible to other countries.  I don't see much being spent on foreign vaccines.   We will probably see some additional pay-up-front schemes for foreign vaccines.  People are dreaming that first priority will be given to people's health and welfare.  Dreams can easily evaporate!

I don't think that the Thai government will buy many foreign vaccines.  They appear to intend to depend primarily on the AstraZeneca Vaccine in combination with Sinovac.  I believe that the severe shortage of vaccines will continue indefinitely.  Most Thai people will need to face the virus under-vaccinated or unvaccinated.  What vaccines are available will be directed to Thais of every age in selected tourist centers.  There probably will not be sufficient vaccine to inoculate vulnerable Thais on a country-wide basis and certainly not enough to vaccinate all foreigners.  The various embassies should keep the pressure on to get all foreigners vaccinated or it won't happen.  It would be best for the embassies to supply vaccines to their own citizens because the Thai government will not vaccinate them all on a timely basis.  Certain locations contain large numbers of elderly and vulnerable foreigners.  Their embassies should provide vaccines to them urgently.

Thanks, Joe.  I signed up for STEP.

YT3:. What is your nationality?  I received no notification from the US Embassy.  Didn't actually didn't need it as I qualified for being over 75.

Probably was required.   He saw some people whose registration didn't appear to be checked.

A German friend of mine was contacted by a Thai colleague by phone last night and told that a reservation had been made for him to be vaccinated at the SCG Headquarters in Bang Sue today at 9:00.  He drove his motorcycle there and found the place to be very crowded.  He took a seat with the many other people waiting there.  Everyone was given a form to fill out, had their blood pressure taken and their information entered into a computer.  After an injection of the AZ Vaccine, people waited for 30 minutes and then were free to go.  My friend was told that he would receive an SMS message regarding his second dose when it was ready.  

This appeared to be a mass vaccination event with no previous registration necessary.   My friend said that both the SCG Headquarters and Bang Sue Grand Station were extremely crowded.  Judging by the large number of people there at the early hour, the event must have been announced in the Thai media.

A rhetorical question: Will Thailand ever have an adequate supply of vaccines?  How will it get them?  It doesn't seem able to produce enough nor willing (or able?) to buy enough.  

The American donation of the Pfizer vaccine came with no stipulation.  At first, the Thai Government said that 20% of the Pfizer doses would go to foreigners (not exclusively to Americans.)  This was later reduced to 10%.

IMO, this latest allocation of AZ doses is a continuation of the foreigner torture scheme as we have seen at various hospitals.  Give the foreigners 15 minutes to compete for a few doses.  Oh, my!  Look how they struggle and strain.  They really seem upset!  Ha, ha!

No, it is not Bumrungrad's fault that I didn't answer their phone call.  It is their fault that they didn't call several times throughout the day and give me longer to respond before dropping my name from their list.  I had asked for the vaccine innumerable times since last year and was told last week that my application had been successfully submitted.  Then after not responding to their triple checking phone call, I have just been dropped.   Their way of communicating with me is unacceptable.  They should  be more patient and thorough when communicating with their long- time patients.  I keep my phone in another room when I am sleeping and call back morning calls in. the afternoon.

The question now is not how many doses of the donated doses foreigners will receive but how few.  Humane countries have prioritized vaccines to be given to the most vulnerable regardless of nationality.  Like throwing pearls to swine, a few doses here have been provided for foreigners to grovel and compete for.  In my case, not hearing a phone call from Bumrungrad yesterday morning resulted in the Moderna vaccine not being available for me when I called back in the afternoon.   This was a humiliating experience and I will not debase myself by asking for the Moderna vaccine from Bumrungrad again.  Perhaps there are other private hospitals in Bangkok which treat their patients in a more respectful manner.

I am luckier than most because I received a shot of the AZ Vaccine at Bang Sue on Tuesday.  I had intended to use a Moderna shot to enhance my resistance to infection but I will receive my second AZ shot at Bang Sue in twelve weeks.   Because of the virility of the Indian Variant, it would be good to have a booster shot of an mRNA vaccine.  I am happy to accommodate the reduced priority for receiving the Moderna Vaccine after having an earlier shot of Astrazeneca but it would have been preferable to choose that rather than just being refused the Moderna because I missed the phone call.

It seems that what a poster intends by continuously quoting JFK's famous words is actually "Ask not what Thailand can give to you but what you can give to Thailand."  That would certainly sound pleasant to the Thai authorities.

Smooth and friendly operation for foreigners 75 and over at Bang Sue.  about an hour from walk-in to walk-out.

It's not true that vaccines were not available.  That was a government lie.  As of July 2nd, no foreign vaccines had been ordered.  Pfizer had offered a supply months before that.  The country went through many months of depending on the future production of AstraZeneca by Siam Bioscience.  It has turned out to be inadequate.