Thailand to launch vaccine production ‘in first half of 2021’

By The Nation

 

Photo credit: freepik

 

AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine should be available in Thailand in the first half of 2021, under a technology-transfer deal signed with the Thai government.

 

Siam Bioscience will receive the technology for the vaccine, which was developed by a team at Oxford University.

 

The Thai firm expects to register the vaccine with the Food and Drug Administration in the next six months, and produce enough doses for Thailand and Asean neighbours in the first half of 2021. Initially, 26 million doses will be produced for 13 million Thais.

 

Siam Bioscience has a production capacity of 180 million to 200 million doses per year or 15 million doses per month.

 

Disease Control Department director-general Opas Karnkawinpong estimates Thailand needs 2 million doses per month. The rest will be exported to neighbouring countries.

 

The Vaccine Board is expected to reveal in December which groups will receive the vaccine first, after considering mortality rates, chance of infection, etc. Judging from the 2009 influenza vaccination programme, the first group to receive the vaccine will be the elderly and vulnerable people with underlying diseases.

 

Results from phase 3 of clinical trials showed the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was 70 per cent effective, rising to 90 per cent if a half dose then a full dose was administered.

 

The company will now submit the results to the UK and European Food and Drug Administrations for approval.

 

AstraZeneca and Oxford University are committed to expanding the vaccine capacity to the world population with a target of Bt3.1 billion doses per year.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398519

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-25

 

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Is vaccine really needed in a country with no local cases.

1 minute ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Is vaccine really needed in a country with no local cases.

 

For me it sounds like a great deal Thailand signed. 

It makes perfect sense for a country to produce enough vaccines for its citizens and then the ability to export to surrounding countries is a bonus.  Thailand might not have a huge amount of covid 19 cases atm, but if they want to open the borders, a stockpile of vaccines does not sound so stupid. 

How is this possible when the vaccine isnt approved by WHO and other organisations yet but expected to be be approved in december?

 

Its called Red Bull 2

Thailand vaccinating their own population first before shipping to countries like Indonesia who have a major covid problem is beyond criminal. They should hang their heads in shame

Vaccine tourism. Fly to Phuket and everyone on the island is already vaccinated, so no quarantine. Then you get your shot, wait for a week or two and can go on to the rest of the country.

What about foreginers who live here and have families here.  Are they last in line?

As Thailand is so afraid of us dirty foreigners, they definitely should start the vaccination campaign in the tourism industry.

 

Vaccinate the hotel and restaurant staff, vaccinate the bus drivers, guides and immigration officers! Protect your country against us millions of infected farangs who will swamp this country of purity, when the flood gates eventually will open!

 

It must be a very traumatic experience for them when we come back....

 

????????

 

Edited November 24, 20205 yr by Flying Saucage

Still not sure if i wanna stick a vaccine made in Thailand in my arm if i can get it in my country of origin,

go figure what they'll add to it or take away from it to make it "cheaper" for the masses...

 

3 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Is vaccine really needed in a country with no local cases.

If you want to open your borders, then yes.

2 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Thailand vaccinating their own population first before shipping to countries like Indonesia who have a major covid problem is beyond criminal. They should hang their heads in shame

Since when is Thailand responsible for Indonesia? Indonesia is free to make a deal with Astra/Zeneca as well! Also, you can’t blame Thailand for what’s going on in Indonesia and you also don’t know whether Indonesia has already a deal with one of the two other vaccine producing companies! 

How much will the vaccine cost foreigners here in Thailand with her big double pricing TIT

8 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

How much will the vaccine cost foreigners here in Thailand with her big double pricing TIT

 

Will the vaccine even be available to us? I strongly suspect not, at least for many, many months.  Manufacturers will only supply governments.

2 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

What about foreginers who live here and have families here.  Are they last in line?

Shot on sight upon leaving their premises...????

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Still not sure if i wanna stick a vaccine made in Thailand in my arm if i can get it in my country of origin,

go figure what they'll add to it or take away from it to make it "cheaper" for the masses...

 

largest production of Oxford vaccine will be in India...

one of those facilities can apparently produce in excess of a billion doses a year

34 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

Will the vaccine even be available to us? I strongly suspect not, at least for many, many months.  Manufacturers will only supply governments.

Well if your visa expires and you have to leave by plane then you might be in a bit of a pickle. Airlines may not allow passengers on board unless you have been vaccinated. So then your on overstay unless you can leave by a land boarder which may also be closed. This all needs to be sorted out by the Thais ASAP 

50 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

Will the vaccine even be available to us? I strongly suspect not, at least for many, many months.  Manufacturers will only supply governments.

It'll be available although 'at a price'.

Qantas have already said their policy will be that flyers will need to be vaccinated before they can fly so expect other airlines to follow suit. Expats already in Thailand will need a shot before they can fly out sometime in the future.

2 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

It'll be available although 'at a price'.

 

I think that's far from guaranteed.  In the UK the government has decided that the vaccine will initially only be available to the NHS (not private sector) until the NHS has vaccinated the entire willing population.  If Thailand were to go down the same route it could be a very long time until the vaccine becomes available to expats.  The director of the National Vaccine Institute has said "Thai people will get their first jabs ... by mid-2021 at the earliest".  If foreigners are at the back of the queue ...

15 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

I think that's far from guaranteed.  In the UK the government has decided that the vaccine will initially only be available to the NHS (not private sector) until the NHS has vaccinated the entire willing population.  If Thailand were to go down the same route it could be a very long time until the vaccine becomes available to expats.  The director of the National Vaccine Institute has said "Thai people will get their first jabs ... by mid-2021 at the earliest".  If foreigners are at the back of the queue ...

I would suspect the Thais would naturally get the shot(s) free of charge but I am sure there is nothing stopping foreigners paying for it

5 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Thailand vaccinating their own population first before shipping to countries like Indonesia who have a major covid problem is beyond criminal. They should hang their heads in shame

No, you should stop insulting and learn to read: They produce 15 million per month, keep 2 million for local use and export 13 million. 

7 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Is vaccine really needed in a country with no local cases.

13 million doses is enough to cover the civil servants who will be wanting to go overseas for a holiday after a troublesome 2020, the other peasants will be required to stay and man the boats.

6 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

What about foreginers who live here and have families here.  Are they last in line?

 

  

... nah Bob, good news just in, operation 'LabRat' confirmed to commence  into phase 4.20!!

That means we will be first!           

 

Where's Dr Yong? He stated last week that the vaccine would be available in Thailand in December.... ????

7 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Thailand vaccinating their own population first before shipping to countries like Indonesia who have a major covid problem is beyond criminal. They should hang their heads in shame

Perhaps you should ask what Indonesia and other countries, whoever they are, are doing to obtain the vaccine for their own citizens before you start criticizing Thailand.

8 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

What about foreginers who live here and have families here.  Are they last in line?

 

It says, "Initially, 26 million doses will be produced for 13 million Thais." That is "initially," of course. No telling how that expands, if it does, later on. But just ask: are you Thai? Am I? No, we're not. So, nothing for us.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand to launch vaccine production ‘in first half of 2021’

 

Wonder how long before the country is flooded with street venders…..selling ‘Black Market' copies of the vaccine.

 

 

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by Hayduke

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand needs 2 million doses per month. The rest will be exported to neighbouring countries.

Almost 70 / 2 = 35 month, i.e. almost 3 more years...????

Great the can export vaccine to neighboring countries, but I presume Thailand will also import some Covid-19 vaccine, otherwise it doesn't make much sense, if Thailand is interested in a fast opening for foreign incoming tourism.

Farang special. Buy 2 vaccines get third one free. 

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

No, you should stop insulting and learn to read: They produce 15 million per month, keep 2 million for local use and export 13 million. 

Hello.. I think you should be the one who stops and thinks before writing

 

The article states "Initially, 26 million doses will be produced for 13 million Thais", what do you think that means?