Thailand defends decision not to join COVAX vaccine alliance

[law ling]

The stated reasons: "high price and uncertain delivery time" - sound like a cock-up looking restrospectively for an excuse - perhaps Thais will be satisfied with such explanations - but they carry little weight in the absence of a vax being otherwise readily available that is in fact cheaper and with better deliverability - the precise delivery time and price of the proposed locally made vax is, I presume, presently unknown.

 

Like waiting for the price of gold to come down ...

 

[Damrongsak]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yes they see no way of filling their pockets from such a transparent process, and feel they would be loosing out on the ability to do so if they joined.  They instead want to use an untested lab at making large amounts of vaccine and owned by a very special person to give the public and then sell onwards filling those pockets.  Bending over to appease the head of the corporation is very embarrassing when it has caused your country to go on the non-receiving end of vaccines they could have already had and been being inoculated with like the surrounding countries.

But "ching, ching, ching" $$$ in the pocket makes it all OK. Everybody else does it, so why not? 

[hioctane]

1 hour ago, ftpjtm said:

It would be nice to be able to get one if you want one, as I'm sure the vast majority of healthcare and ASQ workers do.

 

You can wait though. 

But you shouldn’t. The whole point of vaccination is to speed up herd immunity... 70%+ so the virus cannot spread anymore.

 

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Unfortunately the Government has just recently rolled back the ability for anyone outside of the immediate government CCSA and MOPH to bring in vaccines.  I wish it was not so, but they want 100% control over something they do not yet have and do not want to be upstaged by a private hospital obtaining the vaccine and vaccinating people before the government does.

Every country has health protocols in place to verify the safety of every drug before they allowed into their country.

 

47 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Lets face it, a country that inoculates its entire population is not then going to take a vacation in Thailand where they then are exposed to a largely un-vaccinated tourism sector and general population, when they can go elsewhere to a country that has been vaccinated.

You would be wrong. I know many that are just itching to travel. I for one will start travelling again as soon as I get vaccinated.

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, hioctane said:

Every country has health protocols in place to verify the safety of every drug before they allowed into their country.

 

57 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Lets face it, a country that inoculates its entire population is not then going to take a vacation in Thailand where they then are exposed to a largely un-vaccinated tourism sector and general population, when they can go elsewhere to a country that has been vaccinated.

You would be wrong. I know many that are just itching to travel. I for one will start travelling again as soon as I get vaccinated.

They may have health protocols in place, but the hospitals and the AO's were trying to import the same approved vaccines the Government was.  It appears it was more of being that the potential for these groups to obtain the vaccines before the government was to great, because they were willing to pay the cost and the government was not, was the reason the government shut them down, and nothing else.

 

Try to travel after being vaccinated, unfortunately coming to Thailand will still entail an ASQ quarantine stay of 16 days, and if you do happen to test positive, off to the hospital you will go, not self isolating even if no symptoms.  Try again in about a year.

[smutcakes]

I cannot criticize the way the whole Covid has been handled by Thailand, however the inoculation scenario looks weak.

 

I fully expect there was a plan/order to pay Siam Bio for all vaccines, however it is now apparent the production is delayed considerably. The logical thing to do and have been doing would be to buy from multiple sources.

 

I suspect people want to do this now, but everyone is scared to suggest moving from the original plan.

[Mike Rodik]

2 hours ago, hioctane said:

Vaccine testing generally takes 10+ years (to study long term effects). Do you really want to wait that long? At some point you need to take some risks because of the severity. We can’t live under quarantine for 10 years!

 

what happened to mers & sars ?

2 years later:  gone, no vaccine

[Jimbo2014]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

risk the country paying more for the shots and facing uncertainty about delivery times.

As apposed to now?  which is exactly paying more for shots and uncertain delivery times ????

[LomSak27]

1 hour ago, donnacha said:

Given all the above, there is no reason not to accept properly, verifiably inoculated tourists, regardless of how many of your own population are vaccinated.

 

Great response but TIT 

 

Given the prep work, the powers that be have done in the last year. If one tourist comes in, vaccinated, but still carrying, asymptomatic, whatever. This starts a small outbreak. The entire Thai media, from outraged netizens to frothing radio jocks, and everybody in between, will collectively flip out. That is in no way a surprise because the government has encouraged this response the entire year. AT that point, the government would have to step in and stop the howling. I cannot see them doing it any other way than by halting tourism. What I am pointing out is they have created this mess. If this had not been created, what you stated above would likely apply, but it wont. 

 

Thailand has made their own bed, now guess what, they have to lie in it.

[D M G]

I hope somebody did the math.  The country's economy could collapse.  Then anything can happen.

[D M G]

2 hours ago, hioctane said:

I agree with their decision not to join the CoVAX alliance. It really only benefits low income countries. Being mid income, it is better to procure their own supply. They probably should have decided earlier though!

If it's a money (numbers) decision, let's see the numbers!  Sometimes paying a small premium is worth it.  Think about our own life.  We have paid a premium at times because it was necessary.

[Bkk Brian]

53 minutes ago, hioctane said:

You would be wrong. I know many that are just itching to travel. I for one will start travelling again as soon as I get vaccinated.

Lets see, TAT is itching for you and Thailand will love to have tourists flocking again, saves them the money to get the population vaccinated in time.

[connda]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand defends decision not to join COVAX vaccine alliance

Which is why Thailand will be one of the last countries in the world vaccinating its general population.

[connda]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

but mass vaccinations for the general population are not due to begin until locally produced AstraZeneca doses are ready in June.

Thailand's choice.
One vaccine made by one company owned by you know who.

Monopolies are inefficient as they seek to maximize profits by controlling the market.  So in this case, the Thai public suffers while the rest of the world is well on its way inoculating their general public.  Once the first round of so-call 'at cost' vaccinations are produced, the monopoly then corners the domestic market and all future products make it a cash cow.
Who cares about the commoners.  They are all unit's of consumption ฿฿฿.
Foreigners too.  ฿฿฿ times a factor of three to five or more.

[peter48]

Thailand the only SE Asia country not to engage in this project which is being sponsored by WHO with the aim  'to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world'. Looks like the middle to poorer folk will not get it anytime soon at low cost.

[peter48]

7 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

To restart tourism Thailand is going to have to have their own population vaccinated. Not just the tourists who have a vaccination certificate and get a test before flying.There is no way around it, no matter that they have had one of the lowest infection rates in the world.

 

Press releases like the above indicate Tourism in Thailand will not be able to restart until 2022. That is assuming no problems with their own vaccine rollout. If their is, push that date back farther. Hope it all works out for them. 

One thing is clear from top global specialists of this brutal disease which has killed 2.4 million people to this date : it is not going away anytime soon because it will adapt, change and mutate.  So regular updated vaccine versions will be needed & already because of the UK, Brazil & South African variants researchers are on this.  

 

In the Western nations mostly over 60s have Flu jab 'free' every year!  Covid will now dictate this even more so for all adults as will happen in UK, USA, EU etc ( recall 50% of London ICUs back a few weeks ago had below 60 yrs critically ill patients). 

 

The good news is that most of the European/UK vaccines are still preventing serious critical illness  and Israel, UAE and UK will study this soon as most over 60s are now vaccinated at least once ( both Pfizer & AstraZeneca need a second jab a month or so later) . UK reached 15 million jabs on 15th Feb.

 

Thailand will have to speed up otherwise tourists, business & investors  will be reluctant to come. There is no game over by the summer or next year . Covid ( which emerged from bats who have an incredible strong immune system )  is permanently here and nations & economies better move quick and evolve policies & strategies which recognise  this fact. Thailand is not safe until all are vaccinated or tourists will be off to Vietnam, or Turkey or Indonesia or Greece or anywhere where vaccination is universal. 

Edited February 15, 2021 by peter48

[malibukid]

1 hour ago, peter48 said:

Thailand the only SE Asia country not to engage in this project which is being sponsored by WHO with the aim  'to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world'. Looks like the middle to poorer folk will not get it anytime soon at low cost.

very cheap of them, baht before people. everyone i know in the States have had their shots free of charge.  Thailand will miss out big time when other SEA countries start letting in vaccinated tourist.

[RichardColeman]

8 hours ago, mr mr said:

they will create their own much better vaccine anyways. best in the whole universe. 

Or at least the best anti-covid 19 amulet in the whole universe.

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, hioctane said:

I agree with their decision not to join the CoVAX alliance. It really only benefits low income countries. Being mid income, it is better to procure their own supply. They probably should have decided earlier though!

 

Malaysia is a middle income country and they are in COVAX.

[Chiang Mai Bill]

The EU and UK -- and I'm sure other countries also -- have ordered and paid massive sums for vaccines in advance from the various manufacturers. They have gone into massive debt to do this -- and also to support their people and businesses. Cost was not their determining factor! Protecting the 'People' and the Economy was.

 

It is unbelievable! But Thailand fears to "risk the country paying more for the shots and facing uncertainty about delivery times."

 

It is unbelievable!

[SupermarineS6B]

12 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

They waited and bet on the wrong horses. Now it is all about FACE, and try as they may to stop the embarrassing story of their failure they have to appear to be self sufficient, which they are not.  This is not looking good, Sinovac, oh brother. Looks like big brother China saves the day as the original Astrazenica 50k vaccines never will make it, and an untested lab may have the vaccine ready by June.  Don't hold your breath, and on top of that the local AO's and private hospitals have been forbidden to source their own vaccines.  Welcome to Thailand 2.0.

Just following orders from Chairman Xi....... Tanks guns and Submarines + Vaccine as a sweetner....   China's policy of colonization........  Got em by the nether region.........

[Cake Monster]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

said that as a middle-income country Thailand is not eligible for free or cheap vaccines under the programme.

And there boys and girls, is the crux of the matter.

I firmly believe that Thailand spat out its Dummy over having to actually pay full price for the vaccines.

They probably pleaded that they were a special case Etc, and it fell on deaf ears, and rightly so, as Thailand is the 21Sst richest Country in the World.

[DogNo1]

Quarantines are likely to continue for many years.  Previously infected people can catch the virus again, especially if it is a different strain.   As was said on DW yesterday, everyone in the world will need to be vaccinated.  That doesn’t seem likely to happen until adequate supplies of the J&J vaccine are available.  It requires minimal refrigeration and only requires one shot.  Reports say that 69 days after receiving the shot people are 100% protected from getting a moderate to serious case of the virus.  None of the vaccines can protect you from getting the virus and it IS known that with mild to no symptoms can transmit the viral infection.  We will have to live with the virus for many years and governments and people will have to decide what level of risk is acceptable to permit international travel.  The reason that this hasn’t died out as SARS and MERS did is because it it very contagious and can be transmitted by people with mild to no symptoms who don’t know they are sick.

[VBF]

8 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Lets face it, a country that inoculates its entire population is not then going to take a vacation in Thailand where they then are exposed to a largely un-vaccinated tourism sector and general population, when they can go elsewhere to a country that has been vaccinated.

Why not?  If you've been vaccinated, you can expose yourself to as many unvaccinated people as you like. That's the whole purpose of being vaccinated.

I shall have had my second shot by early May, at which time I'll be happy to get on an aircraft and fly to Thailand because I will be protected.

Edited February 15, 2021 by VBF

[VBF]

8 hours ago, donnacha said:

<snip>
Almost everyone I talk to back in the West is obsessed with blowing some of the money they haven't been able to spend over the past year on an exotic vacation as soon as they get both their shots.

 

Absolutely!!!!!  I haven't been this white in a decade! ????

Edited February 15, 2021 by VBF

[Bkk Brian]

26 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

Quarantines are likely to continue for many years.  Previously infected people can catch the virus again, especially if it is a different strain.   As was said on DW yesterday, everyone in the world will need to be vaccinated.  That doesn’t seem likely to happen until adequate supplies of the J&J vaccine are available.  It requires minimal refrigeration and only requires one shot.  Reports say that 69 days after receiving the shot people are 100% protected from getting a moderate to serious case of the virus.  None of the vaccines can protect you from getting the virus and it IS known that with mild to no symptoms can transmit the viral infection.  We will have to live with the virus for many years and governments and people will have to decide what level of risk is acceptable to permit international travel.  The reason that this hasn’t died out as SARS and MERS did is because it it very contagious and can be transmitted by people with mild to no symptoms who don’t know they are sick.

Thailand may be looking to increase the quarantine period to 21 days for high risk countries. Quarantine on arrival here is not going away for a long time.

 

Thai CCSA plans to “review” quarantine from risky countries, possibly increase to 21 days to stop South African variant

https://tpnnational.com/2021/02/15/thai-ccsa-plans-to-review-quarantine-from-risky-countries-possibly-increase-to-21-days-to-stop-south-african-variant/

[KhaoYai]

I completely understand Thailand's stance - how can they possibly afford to join Covax - they have a moon mission to fund and submarines to buy!

[Janner1]

12 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

They can make all the excuses they want but this is the result of their own complacency, inaction and arrogance. Shame on you Thailand

Just like the European Union who also hung the People out to die (oops) dry.

[Blumpie]

Thailand took waaaaay too long to order these vaccines.  Like most countries it's get in line.  

The WHO program will enable them to at least get something.  

I have been very shocked at their fake timelines to get vaccines and the entire country vaccinated.  The end of 2021?  I'll eat my hat if that happens.

[Janner1]

2 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

I have been very shocked at their fake timelines to get vaccines and the entire country vaccinated.  The end of 2021?  I'll eat my hat if that happens.

Would you like gravy with that sir?

[Bkk Brian]

30 minutes ago, Janner1 said:

Just like the European Union who also hung the People out to die (oops) dry.

This is about vaccines, not sure what you mean there, European countries have started the vaccination process already, a bit slower because of the well known delays they have kicked off.