Thai govt prepares Bt600m budget to buy UK Covid-19 vaccine

[webfact]

Govt prepares Bt600m budget to buy UK vaccine

By The Nation

 

 

The government is planning to spend Bt600 million to buy doses of the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford University in the UK.

 

A former Thai health minister has contacted Oxford over the possible purchase, though other countries including South Korea were trying to do the same, said Deputy Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha.

 

Oxford University this week reported its prototype vaccine had triggered a strong immune response in humans, with commercial manufacture expected to begin by the end of this year.

 

Thailand’s most advanced Covid-19 vaccine programme, at Chulalongkorn University, has conducted successful tests on monkeys and expects to deliver a vaccine by mid-2021 .

 

“We cannot live with panic. Our public health system is well prepared,” the deputy minister said. “The important point is that Covid-19 is contagious and must be strictly controlled until vaccines developed.”

 

He noted that while the domestic infection was now zero, the situation in other countries remained serious. However, the country had to reopen its borders to stimulate the economy, so tourists from low-risk countries would be allowed to travel to Thailand, he said.

 

Sathit also acknowledged damage had been caused by an Egyptian soldier infected with Covid-19 in Rayong but said the problems were quickly solved and confidence was being restored.

 

Rayong was now 99-per-cent safe to visit and would be 100-per-cent safe if there were no more local cases for the next 14 days, he said. Another round of testing in the eastern province will start tomorrow (July 24).

 

Muang Thai Life Assurance is collaborating with PTT Global Chemical to offer Covid-19 insurance for tourists to Rayong via the Muangthailife Line chat account from July 25-August 31.

 

The first 50,000 registrants aged up to 70 will receive cover worth Bt100,000 for 30 days after checking in to their hotel.

 

Pong-anan Chanprai, head of Rayong Tourism and Sports Office, said Rayong generates Bt30 billion each year as one of Thailand’s top 10 tourism provinces, but it was still recovering from one unfortunate incident that hit every sector. The Egyptian soldier was found to be infected earlier this month after visiting a busy Rayong shopping mall.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391825

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-24

 

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[Kadilo]

Let us back in now or we will charge you double ????

[RichardColeman]

hopefully if they go cap in hand to my uk for our vaccine, us brits might get in any travel non-hooped bubble first 

[ukrules]

Position in the vaccine supply list which is long and includes nearly every country in the world will be I believe based on how favourable recent relations are between the countries.

 

I believe there was some mention of a trade deal with the UK.

 

[jollyhangmon]

 

EUR 2.50 or 2.70 a pop they said in yesterdays news from the homelands ...

 

Me? Not going to line up for it anytime soon, too fast a development ... what if you grow another set of testicles right outta your forehead, dangling in front of your eyes all the time, damn annoying I'd wager ...

So next thing: forehead castrations! See where I'm heading?

 

I mean it could happen, all I'm saying is be careful with that stuff ... 

 

[Jack Hna]

Could be a decent black market for this stuff actually. Could be the next Viagra this one lads.

[Phuketshrew]

25 minutes ago, jollyhangmon said:

what if you grow another set of testicles right outta your forehead, dangling in front of your eyes all the time, damn annoying I'd wager ...

I'd wager that for most farangs here it would simply move their brains closer to their heads .... ????

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“We cannot live with panic.

Should read we cannot live without tourists !

[terryw]

600m bhat is not enough to buy vaccines for all of the adult population. Is this only for the rich and elite?

 

Maybe the poor will get a Chinese vaccine.

 

[connda]

1 hour ago, terryw said:

600m bhat is not enough to buy vaccines for all of the adult population. Is this only for the rich and elite?

 

Maybe the poor will get a Chinese vaccine.

 

It's only for the poor and useless eaters.  The 'rich and elite' will never allow this stuff to enter their bodies. 

[Bender Rodriguez]

buy it and TAX it 308 percent import tax and then double or triple the price again

 

so no trust in thai vaccine

 

loooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

[Srikcir]

"strong immune response" is only half a success (apart from what this means in terms of effacy over time). The other half relates to duration of response. That can drive the total length of time testing the vaccine before release to the public. 

 

 

 

 

[JusticeGB]

6 billion on a useless submarine built in China and only 600 million on a vaccine which could restore the jobs of millions of people in the tourism industry who are out of work!

[Rancid]

Ever notice how governments ie tax payers contribute millions to the research, and then some private company gets to sell it at an inflated price and make a fortune?

 

If you pick the pharma stock that gets to market whatever passes as a vaccine then you'll make a bundle.

[worgeordie]

But......But I thought Thailand nearly has its own developed vaccine,

or will the just re label these ones Made in Thailand.

regards worgeordie

[Burma Bill]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

Position in the vaccine supply list which is long and includes nearly every country in the world will be I believe based on how favourable recent relations are between the countries.

 

I believe there was some mention of a trade deal with the UK.

 

Yes, quote from The Nation February 3 2020:-

(We have now left the EU)

 

"The Ministry of Commerce will accelerate moves for a free trade agreement with Britain after it officially leaves the EU, a senior official said"

[Bkk Brian]

3 hours ago, Srikcir said:

"strong immune response" is only half a success (apart from what this means in terms of effacy over time). The other half relates to duration of response. That can drive the total length of time testing the vaccine before release to the public. 

 

 

 

 

As far as I understand it, its actually more than half, once a trial gets into phase 3 then its three quaters of the way there. Its already proven not to give adverse side effects (first phase) and its proved to generate a strong immune response (second phase) This last phase is still ongoing with thousands of volunteers and its looking very likely it will be a success.