Siradhakan Chotisen, a Thai Airways crew member, receives her vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand April 28, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand on Thursday reported 1,871 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country's total number of confirmed infections to 63,570 since the pandemic began last year.

 

Ten new deaths were reported, taking total fatalities to 188.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-29

 

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After six straight days of 2,000+ new COVID case reports in Thailand, the nation finally broke below that with a 7 percent decline to only 1,871 new cases on Thursday, and a decline in new deaths to 10 versus 15 in each of the two prior days.

 

Thursday's tally, the second consecutive daily decline in new cases, was a considerable improvement from the daily peak of 2,839 new cases that Thailand reported on April 24, and even from the 2,012 reported Wednesday. Not all was good news, though, as the country's number of COVID patients hospitalized in critical condition has kept rising to 786, up 91 patients from the 695 tally on Wednesday, and has more than doubled in the past week.

 

The lowered tally of new daily COVID cases in Thailand’s third and worst coronavirus wave that erupted at the start of April came as government officials Thursday afternoon were set to announce whether they are going to expand closure orders for Bangkok and several other high case-count provinces beyond the restrictions already imposed earlier this month.

 

Thailand has now recorded 63,570 official COVID cases and 188 reported deaths since the start of the worldwide pandemic in early 2020. Those stats are relatively better than many other countries, but the Southeast Asian nation also has been lagging behind others with a slow pace of COVID vaccinations that thus far has seen less than 2 percent of its population get their protective shots.

 

In one other update, a government spokesman said 73 of Thailand's 77 provinces have issued orders requiring people to wear protective face masks when in indoor or outdoor public places. And 12 provinces, not including Bangkok, are urging their residents to stay home at night and in the overnight hours to help prevent the spread of the virus.

 

"Thailand Government confirmed all Thai people across the country will receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Elderly (aged 60+ years old) and people living with underlying diseases including

1) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ),

2) chronic kidney disease (CKD) in 5th stage,

3) coronary artery disease (CAD),

4) stroke,

5) obesity,

6) diabetes and

7) cancer patients receiving chemotherapy are the vaccination priority group.

 

There are several methods that are provided for people to register at/on 1) Mor-Prom Line official account through Line application, 2) hospitals, and 3) health promotion hospital in your areas. The registration is going to start on May 1, 2021.

 

The other groups can register via the said methods in July 2021 and are expected to receive the vaccine in August 2021."

 

https://www.facebook.com/thaimoph/posts/297835501826360

 

So presumably non-Thais are going to fall somewhere after the above schedules?

 

The funny thing about a plateau...

 

These numbers are interesting, and the trend (7 day and 10 day) is also interesting, but I'd say the relative confidence in what these numbers actually mean is open for debate.

 

 

 

 

After 6 days in a row of 2000+ cases, great to see it under 2000

Is the decline exponential? 

Course Changed! Government says private sector has no need to order vaccines

 

Thailand’s government, through the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said late Wednesday that the private sector and hospital groups have no need to order vaccines on their own as the government would be able to provide for all vaccine needs.

...

Now, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha appears to be walking back promises made in a public address two weeks ago in which he promised to expedite and allow private hospitals to acquire their own vaccines to supplement the national pool.

 

The Thai Chamber of Commerce released a statement to private hospitals on Wednesday evening confirming the new direction following meetings it had with the prime minister. The statement, which was shared with the Thai Enquirer, reads as follows.

“The government has informed the Thai Chamber of Commerce that it has sourced enough vaccines to meet the requirement of every citizens, therefore the private sector does not need to buy any additional vaccines.”

 

(more)

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/26993/course-changed-government-says-private-sector-has-no-need-to-order-vaccines/

 

I should add, the Ministry of Public Health just yesterday posted a document online that envisioned the government making its own deals to acquire 5 to 10 million doses each of several imported vaccines, including Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and Sputnik.

 

There was an indication from a government spokesman on Thursday that the government intends to use the Pfizer vaccine, assuming it completes an acquisition deal, on school age youngsters from 12 to 18. And that details of the general vaccine rollout plan for non-Thais will be made public "as soon as it is available."

 

However, no final deals have been announced thus far for any of those other vaccines, beyond the already known Sinovac imports and local AstraZeneca production.

 

yeah yeah..... sure.. and we are supposed to believe this?? 

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Course Changed! Government says private sector has no need to order vaccines

 

Retreat.

6 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Course Changed! Government says private sector has no need to order vaccines

 

Thailand’s government, through the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said late Wednesday that the private sector and hospital groups have no need to order vaccines on their own as the government would be able to provide for all vaccine needs.

...

Now, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha appears to be walking back promises made in a public address two weeks ago in which he promised to expedite and allow private hospitals to acquire their own vaccines to supplement the national pool.

 

The Thai Chamber of Commerce released a statement to private hospitals on Wednesday evening confirming the new direction following meetings it had with the prime minister. The statement, which was shared with the Thai Enquirer, reads as follows.

“The government has informed the Thai Chamber of Commerce that it has sourced enough vaccines to meet the requirement of every citizens, therefore the private sector does not need to buy any additional vaccines.”

 

(more)

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/26993/course-changed-government-says-private-sector-has-no-need-to-order-vaccines/

 

Amazing Thailand, the General Czar has spoken. ASTRAZENICA all around and Sinovac.  Sad really. Such a power play by the top. Hospitals have to be flummoxed.

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So presumably non-Thais are going to fall somewhere after the above schedules?

 

If ever, only against cash and privately, imho. Happy with that, IF they will finally let it work. I do not believe in the above statement..

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Amazing Thailand, the General Czar has spoken. ASTRAZENICA all around and Sinovac.  Sad really. Such a power play by the top. Hospitals have to be flummoxed.

the next change will be no more astrazenica, sinovac only

Still no confirmation as to whether foreigners are included in the program or not. 

 

I was counting on paying for the vaccine.

Just now, cyril sneer said:

the next change will be no more astrazenica, sinovac only

 

I doubt they will cancel the locally produced AstraZenica. It's more a question of whether production gets going properly or not.

Anecdotally of course, but all the locals I've spoken to here say they wouldn't take the AZ vaccine but have no opinion on the Sinovac vaccine. It's funny, most foreigners I have spoken to have the opposite opinion. 

14 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

the next change will be no more astrazenica, sinovac only

No.. you haven't been following the situation, have you..

 

There is a vaccine production facility here in Thailand for the production of AstraZenica.

 

Backed by very influential people.

13 minutes ago, Pauliewall said:

Anecdotally of course, but all the locals I've spoken to here say they wouldn't take the AZ vaccine but have no opinion on the Sinovac vaccine. It's funny, most foreigners I have spoken to have the opposite opinion. 

And I think most of us "Foreigners" here would like to have the opportunity of having the AZ vaccine now, rather than than continually being talked about and delayed.

18 minutes ago, petedk said:

Still no confirmation as to whether foreigners are included in the program or not. 

 

I was counting on paying for the vaccine.

Yes i wanted the private option to pay for our vaccine, otherwise 60 year old Falang most at risk? when will we be included in the vaccine program? or never?

 

 

24 minutes ago, Excel said:

And I think most of us "Foreigners" here would like to have the opportunity of having the AZ vaccine now, rather than than continually being talked about and delayed.

Are you sure? Now 3 people dead in Australia just after AZ vaccination? This is from 1 million jabs and they were aged 48, 55 and 71 and yet AZ supposed to be safe for over 50

 

At that rate if they vaccinated 63 million in Thailand with AZ, they could have 189 deaths, which is sadly more than the current Covid deaths

 

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/29/australia-two-nsw-men-die-after-receiving-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine

 

34 minutes ago, petedk said:

Still no confirmation as to whether foreigners are included in the program or not. 

 

I was counting on paying for the vaccine.

 

No, the government has publicly said several times that foreigners living in Thailand will be included in the government's vaccination program. What isn't clearly known right now is just when, and what if any choice of vaccine foreigners will have.

 

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

No, the government has publicly said several times that foreigners living in Thailand will be included in the government's vaccination program. What isn't clearly known right now is just when, and what if any choice of vaccine foreigners will have.

 

 

 

I have been registered, as have friends in the Buriram area.

23 minutes ago, bobbin said:

No.. you haven't been following the situation, have you..

 

There is a vaccine production facility here in Thailand for the production of AstraZenica.

 

Backed by very influential people.

oh, maybe the production facility is Chinese owned then

36 minutes ago, Pauliewall said:

Anecdotally of course, but all the locals I've spoken to here say they wouldn't take the AZ vaccine but have no opinion on the Sinovac vaccine. It's funny, most foreigners I have spoken to have the opposite opinion. 

Most  informed  people would take either as they greatly reduce the risk of DEATH

19 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Are you sure? Now 3 people dead in Australia just after AZ vaccination? This is from 1 million jabs and they were aged 48, 55 and 71 and yet AZ supposed to be safe for over 50

 

https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEHWvjno5mdOoyX9B4wI5o2IqFwgEKg4IACoGCAowl6p7MN-zCTCF1IAH?hl=en-AU&gl=AU&ceid=AU%3Aen

Having a vaccine doesn't make you immortal. People die after getting vaccines, in much the same way (and at much the same rate) as people die who don't get vaccines.  There's no indication on that report that those deaths had anything to do with being vaccinated.

 

Only one of them was from blood clots but it wasn't even known whether it was the same rare form of blood clots with low platelets that has been previously linked to various vaccines.

Of course the numbers are going down (nudge nude wink wink). The good General is in charge now and we can't have him looking incompetent can we.

7 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Having a vaccine doesn't make you immortal. People die after getting vaccines, in much the same way as people die who don't get vaccines.  There's no indication on that report that those deaths had anything to do with being vaccinated.

 

Only one of them was from blood clots but it wasn't even known whether it was the same rare form of blood clots with low platelets that has been previously linked to various vaccines.

The 48 year old lady confirmed link with AZ blood clots, the 55 year old Male fit and healthy died of blood clots in the lung just after AZ, 71 year old still under inestigation just after AZ

21 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

No, the government has publicly said several times that foreigners living in Thailand will be included in the government's vaccination program.

 

Where is the mechanism for us to even enroll in such a program?

1 minute ago, AndyFoxy said:

Of course the numbers are going down (nudge nude wink wink). The good General is in charge now and we can't have him looking incompetent can we.

The General was also in charge on all those days when the numbers were rising.

 

Anyway, just look at the figures for any country in the world that is reporting Covid figures and you will see they have sometimes risen and sometimes fallen.

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Course Changed! Government says private sector has no need to order vaccines

 

Thailand’s government, through the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said late Wednesday that the private sector and hospital groups have no need to order vaccines on their own as the government would be able to provide for all vaccine needs.

...

Now, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha appears to be walking back promises made in a public address two weeks ago in which he promised to expedite and allow private hospitals to acquire their own vaccines to supplement the national pool.

 

The Thai Chamber of Commerce released a statement to private hospitals on Wednesday evening confirming the new direction following meetings it had with the prime minister. The statement, which was shared with the Thai Enquirer, reads as follows.

“The government has informed the Thai Chamber of Commerce that it has sourced enough vaccines to meet the requirement of every citizens, therefore the private sector does not need to buy any additional vaccines.”

 

(more)

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/26993/course-changed-government-says-private-sector-has-no-need-to-order-vaccines/

 

I should add, the Ministry of Public Health just yesterday posted a document online that envisioned the government making its own deals to acquire 5 to 10 million doses each of several imported vaccines, including Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and Sputnik.

 

However, no final deals have been announced thus far for any of those, beyond the already known Sinovac imports and local AstraZeneca production. And I don't believe the government has ever said, as yet, who the other imported vaccines would be made available for, should they arrive, and through what channels.

 

 

 

 

I think you probably misread or misunderstood the statement from Thai chamber of commerce. 

What does it have to do with private hospitals?

This is responsibility of the health ministry.

I guess they are referring instead to private companies that would like to source vaccines for their staff. I've seen a few tweets last week that major foreign companies had this in mind as the Thai government vaccination drive is so slow.