Thai PM promises more vaccine amid criticism of slow rollout

[Jonathan Fairfield]

A healthcare worker prepares a syringe with a dose of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at the Bang Khun Thian Geriatric Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand April 21, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is trying to secure 35 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines from two or three companies this year on top of existing orders of around 65 million doses, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Wednesday.

 

The government push comes amid growing public frustration about the slow vaccine rollout, with only 604,947 people inoculated so far, less than 1% of its population.

 

Of the new shots sought, the private sector will help source 10 to 15 million doses, Prayuth said in a Facebook post.

 

"I have ordered that we distribute and administer all the vaccines that we can find by December," he added.

 

Prayuth did not name the brands, nor specify whether the 35 million included the five to 10 million doses of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine that he announced were being sought on Tuesday.

 

After early success in containing COVID-19, Thailand is fighting a new wave that includes the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant.

The new outbreak has accounted for more than a third of Thailand's 46,643 cases, of which 110 were fatalities. It reported 1,458 new infections and two deaths on Wednesday.

 

Its mass vaccination plan has been centred on 61 million doses of locally-made AstraZeneca vaccine, the first batches scheduled for June.

 

For initial inoculations, Thailand has received 2 million doses of Sinovac Biotech's vaccine and has ordered a further 1.5 million doses, with 500,000 to arrive on Saturday and the rest next month. It has also imported 117,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine.

 

The private sector, which had been for months seeking permission to import vaccines, welcomed its inclusion.

 

"This is the race. We have to be fast and have volume, but we haven't had any other vaccines," Chalerm Harnphanich, president of the Private Hospital Association, told Reuters.

 

Health experts also questioned the government's decision not to use the COVAX international vaccine-sharing facility, which has provided vaccines to 100 countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea.

 

"We missed an opportunity by not joining COVAX," said Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Centre.

 

The government has argued joining COVAX risked higher costs and uncertain delivery times.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut Setboonsarng and Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-21

 

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[internationalism]

yes, he was promising them from around october.

some 20 contracts were signed with different companies around the world.

Yesterday he admitted, that they were waiting for so many months to see, which vax is the best.

Now buying the best is too late. Only chance for the worst and for long delays to get them 

[trainman34014]

Promises promises; all this man is any good at, Lip Service !

[YetAnother]

Thai PM promises more vaccine" ;;how many promises has he ever kept ?

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The government push comes amid growing public frustration about the slow vaccine rollout, with only 604,947 people inoculated so far, less than 1% of its population.

His plan of waiting for a certain favoured company to start producing has back-fired big time.

[brommers]

So along the PM comes clutching his little purse trying to buy a few doses here and a few doses there, just like he buys chicken legs at the market. Is anyone daft enough to think that vaccine makers are remotely interested in his puny purchases when they have professional governments lined up already? So Thailand is left scrabbling in the dust for crumbs that fall off the plates of the big boys. And just wait, it won't be long before we discover that some shark has delivered fake or out of date vaccines to this country. It is all a slow rolling clusterfeck.

[rupert the bear]

this govt isnt fit for purpose its a danger to its citizens,no tests no vaccines and no sense.the decision to allow songkran whilst bkk is placed as a redzone sums it all up.even the 5 yr olds could figure it out.this alone is grounds for dismissal,the announcement theyre not part of the int group giving free vaccs to supposedly poor countries is beyond belief. all the mindless <deleted> about a thai vacc,the road deaths over songkran dont mean a thing .totally ignored, whilst the govt wraps itself in idiocy corruption and incompetence.the philippines indo have had big outbreaks and are at least doing something.this is beyong belief,the quick dumb buck mentality taken to the ennth degree,the puket announcement its almost  like an innate reflex,gotta stop this <deleted>.even in a time of covid the thai govt and culture is always the lowest denominator as thats the source of it,this racist culture needs to be called out and also the govt. do it .dont talk about it.again.

[colinneil]

The man and the rest of his pathetic cronies need put out to grass, long past time they were gone.

For many months now all they have done is lied to the people about vaccinations, it is a damned disgrace what they are doing..... Sorry what they are not doing.

[klauskunkel]

16 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

"This is the race. We have to be fast

and the Thai government upon hearing the starter pistol a year ago, smartly u-turned heading the other way.

[club]

The Sinovac vaccine is trash. My Thai doctor in Udon even refused to get it

[Cake Monster]

17 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The government has argued joining COVAX risked higher costs and uncertain delivery times.

Any more uncertain Delivery times than the ones you have now  ?

[malibukid]

in the meantime let us expats fly home for ours and return without quarantine with proof.

[malibukid]

4 hours ago, rupert the bear said:

this govt isnt fit for purpose its a danger to its citizens,no tests no vaccines and no sense.the decision to allow songkran whilst bkk is placed as a redzone sums it all up.even the 5 yr olds could figure it out.this alone is grounds for dismissal,the announcement theyre not part of the int group giving free vaccs to supposedly poor countries is beyond belief. all the mindless <deleted> about a thai vacc,the road deaths over songkran dont mean a thing .totally ignored, whilst the govt wraps itself in idiocy corruption and incompetence.the philippines indo have had big outbreaks and are at least doing something.this is beyong belief,the quick dumb buck mentality taken to the ennth degree,the puket announcement its almost  like an innate reflex,gotta stop this <deleted>.even in a time of covid the thai govt and culture is always the lowest denominator as thats the source of it,this racist culture needs to be called out and also the govt. do it .dont talk about it.again.

life has always been cheap in these parts, partner.

[connda]

Sounds like a broken record <click, click>

Sounds like a broken record <click, click>

Sounds like a broken record <click, click>.......