Expats getting a Covid-19 vaccine in Pattaya for dummies with emphasis on expats outside the Thai system

[WaveHunter]

14 hours ago, Jingthing said:

... Pattaya readies registration form for Sinopharm vaccinations - Pattaya Mail ...

From the Pattaya Mail article you linked:

 

...Sonthaya said registration will be done online, but also would be accessible for people without smartphones. No estimate was given on when the form would be available. ...

 

This is what you get when you click the QR code in the link appearing at the end of the sentence ("available"):

 

I think we can safely assume that Pattaya's registration scheme is just another public relations ploy that is nothing more than that...just a waste of time ????

 

 

[redwood1]

25 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

From the Pattaya Mail article you linked:

 

...Sonthaya said registration will be done online, but also would be accessible for people without smartphones. No estimate was given on when the form would be available. ...

 

This is what you get when you click the QR code in the link appearing at the end of the sentence ("available"):

 

I think we can safely assume that Pattaya's registration scheme is just another public relations ploy that is nothing more than that...just a waste of time ????

 

 

 

I think their main objective is to make expats crazy.....And I have to say they are succeeding very well.......But this is a true classic..... Registering for a vax takes you to a shopping, gamboling, sex site....lol 

[WaveHunter]

10 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

 

I think their main objective is to make expats crazy.....And I have to say they succeeding very well.......But this is a true classic..... Registering for a vax takes you to a shopping, gamboling, sex site....lol 

That is a pretty funny take on the significance of that link...I think you may have something there ???? 

 

The past few weeks dealing with the various iterations of foreigner registration for vaccinations has been a remarkable waste of time.  It has amounted to nothing more that an insulting and disingenuous public relations effort.... just an attempt to appease expats with empty promises.  

 

It reminds me of the "Donkey and Carrot" ploy.

 

 

[newnative]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

totally agree, the OP is not really making an effort IMO, only complaining.

      I think I need to  step in and respectfully disagree.  With maybe a few exceptions, if you've gotten a vaccine you fall into one of two categories:  1. Some effort and a lot of luck.  2. Connections/Work.

     With Mor prom, you first had to be lucky in having a pink card.  Then, it took effort and luck to make the app, in Thai only, work and get registered.  Sometimes it took many tries. Then more luck to be able to schedule an appointment.  But, you're not home yet.  Finally, a lot more luck to, first, not be turned away on your appointment date and, second, they actually have vaccine.  Some were lucky and got vaccinated; some were unlucky and got all the way to their appointments and were turned away.

      With Intervac, it seems even more luck was involved.  To make it work, you had to be lucky to be on when:  first, it was up, second, the drop-down menus worked and you were able to register, third, the calendar happened to come up, fourth, dates for vaccines were available, and fifth, vaccines were actually available for a date selected.  I believe only Bangkok hospitals ever came up--not helpful if you're unlucky and live far from Bangkok.

     In order to have scheduled a vaccine, all five of those needed to have been working at some point while you were lucky enough to be on the app.  Many tried many times.  Some got lucky, some didn't.  For the lucky, there was the final hurdle of their luck holding and they actually got vaccinated. 

    Other luck stories from what I have read about on T-V:  The poster who happened to wander into a hospital to ask about getting a vaccine and, dumb luck, they just happened to have a spare vaccine and he got his shot.  A few others  happened to have the luck to live in a certain area where the village elder was in charge of getting the whole village vaccinated.  Some in Phuket may have been lucky to be vaccinated with the concentrated push there.  So, some luck with where you happen to be living can make a difference.

    For many Pattaya expats, it was, first, the Mor prom app that they did not have access to.   Then, the short-lived Intervac, which only worked sporadically and involved a lot of luck.  So, that leaves the hospitals.  The OP and many others here have been making the rounds to hospitals--with no luck.  I don't think it is helpful to say that expats are not making an effort to get vaccinated--obviously they are.  Intervac is not working at the moment and the new Pattaya app seems to be just for Thais.  I think the expats in Pattaya who have not been lucky would welcome any constructive suggestions as to what they should now be doing.  

     

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Perhaps you could expand that.... someone just posted that he took a car to Bangkok and got jabbed there. I see that as a suitable option....

That was based on thailandintervac.com which has been non functional for weeks. 

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That was based on thailandintervac.com which has been non functional for weeks. 

Well I was considering the option of UK or UAE the other day.... Bangkok, if an 'IN' came about, would be easier.

[Jingthing]

Just now, jacko45k said:

Well I was considering the option of UK or UAE the other day.... Bangkok, if an 'IN' came about, would be easier.

Traveling abroad for jabs is definitely off topic here.

Do you have a way for Pattaya expats to register for a vaccine in Pattaya today?

That's the kind of information we need.

Not endless off topic diversions.

[WaveHunter]

44 minutes ago, newnative said:

      I think I need to  step in and respectfully disagree.  With maybe a few exceptions, if you've gotten a vaccine you fall into one of two categories:  1. Some effort and a lot of luck.  2. Connections/Work.

     With Mor prom, you first had to be lucky in having a pink card.  Then, it took effort and luck to make the app, in Thai only, work and get registered.  Sometimes it took many tries. Then more luck to be able to schedule an appointment.  But, you're not home yet.  Finally, a lot more luck to, first, not be turned away on your appointment date and, second, they actually have vaccine.  Some were lucky and got vaccinated; some were unlucky and got all the way to their appointments and were turned away.

      With Intervac, it seems even more luck was involved.  To make it work, you had to be lucky to be on when:  first, it was up, second, the drop-down menus worked and you were able to register, third, the calendar happened to come up, fourth, dates for vaccines were available, and fifth, vaccines were actually available for a date selected.  I believe only Bangkok hospitals ever came up--not helpful if you're unlucky and live far from Bangkok.

     In order to have scheduled a vaccine, all five of those needed to have been working at some point while you were lucky enough to be on the app.  Many tried many times.  Some got lucky, some didn't.  For the lucky, there was the final hurdle of their luck holding and they actually got vaccinated. 

    Other luck stories from what I have read about on T-V:  The poster who happened to wander into a hospital to ask about getting a vaccine and, dumb luck, they just happened to have a spare vaccine and he got his shot.  A few others  happened to have the luck to live in a certain area where the village elder was in charge of getting the whole village vaccinated.  Some in Phuket may have been lucky to be vaccinated with the concentrated push there.  So, some luck with where you happen to be living can make a difference.

    For many Pattaya expats, it was, first, the Mor prom app that they did not have access to.   Then, the short-lived Intervac, which only worked sporadically and involved a lot of luck.  So, that leaves the hospitals.  The OP and many others here have been making the rounds to hospitals--with no luck.  I don't think it is helpful to say that expats are not making an effort to get vaccinated--obviously they are.  Intervac is not working at the moment and the new Pattaya app seems to be just for Thais.  I think the expats in Pattaya who have not been lucky would welcome any constructive suggestions as to what they should now be doing.  

     

The simple fact is that expats are being discriminated against.  I don't say this without reason.  Consider the facts:

• The CCSA has been making statements over and over for weeks now that Foreigners matter, and that a registration scheme will assure that they will be able to register and be part of the public vaccination rollout, yet specific details change over and over again and constantly create more questions than they answer.  There are never meaningful follow ups to clarify the scheme or provide actionable details in the daily CCSA briefings, just empty promises.

• The first iteration of the expat registration was to be MorProm, but registration required a Pink Card which very few expats have.  More importantly, alternatives to a pink card, like a passport, or even a Thai Drivers License were excluded, and then after a week the CCSA announced that MorProm was actually not intended for foreigner registration, and expat registration would no longer be allowed.

• Then, the CCSA announced that registration would be through designated hospitals and require in-person registration.  However, a list of "designated" hospitals was never provided except for three hospitals in Bangkok!

• Many expats have gone from one hospital to another and very few have actually been able to legitimately  become registered.

• Then the InterVac site was created.  From day one it did not work properly, and very few expats were actually able to register through it, and only in the Bangkok area.

• InterVac was replaced with InterVac/expat, and it never even was activated!  Both Intervac sites are still online, but have not been accessible for over two weeks now!

• To date, the only successful online registration scheme that appears to be successful is the one in Chiang Mai, and even for that one, I can find no evidence of how many expats have actually received appointment dates.

All of these failed iterations for expat registration can not simply be a matter of incompetence or naturally occuring "bugs" that might occur in new online websites.  The entire expat registration scheme is beginning to look more like a disingenuous public relations effort designed to appease expats, rather than provide the means to register expats for vaccinations. 

 

I have really tried to be view this all objectively, and in a fair & balanced way for weeks now, and was initially optimistic that expats would eventually be allowed to register, but now there seem to be no options left...NOTHING has proved to be a workable solution, and now the daily CCSA briefings in English have not even meaningfully addressed expat registration for almost two weeks now!

 

The majority of "high risk" expats are now literally living in a state of Limbo, and with the Delta variant, and now the new Delta Plus variants growing exponentially, this whole public rollout fiasco is becoming a clear and present danger for many expats IMO.

[WaveHunter]

37 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Traveling abroad for jabs is definitely off topic here.

Do you have a way for Pattaya expats to register for a vaccine in Pattaya today?

That's the kind of information we need.

Not endless off topic diversions.

Unfortunately, I think we may actually be running out of viable options here in Pattaya, and leaving Thailand may turn out to be the only way to go...unless our home governments step up to the plate like the French and Chinese have done.  As far as I'm concerned these two possibilities are really the only way we are going to get vaccinated in a timely way here in Pattaya.

 

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Unfortunately, I think we may actually be running out of viable options here in Pattaya, and leaving Thailand may turn out to be the only way to go...unless our home governments step up to the plate like the French and Chinese have done.  As far as I'm concerned these two possibilities are really the only way we are going to get vaccinated in a timely way here in Pattaya.

 

We are all already well aware of that option and are making our own personal decisions on whether to pursue that or not.

But sorry traveling abroad is definitely off topic here.

I agree things are looking very grim for new expat registrations for access to jabs in Pattaya in the near future. But again that is the topic here.

Surely eventually there will be such access widely available here. End of this year, first or second quarter of next year, who knows?

Of course I agree that this is a race against time and unvaccinated people here and globally are losing that race.

[Guderian]

I got so bored and frustrated with this nonsense that I even spent a while browsing the British Consular Information site. This was posted by the Consular Team and just confirms what we've already concluded for ourselves:

 

"We also understand that the the Thai government has said that Covid 19 Vaccines will only be offered to Thai nationals at this time.

The UK Ambassador is raising this as a matter of urgency with the Prime Minister, as well as the Minister of Health. He is asking for clarity on the government policy and for equal access to vaccines for all residents of Thailand, Thai or foreign. Again, we will update the Forum when there is any new information."

 

That was posted on May 5th. There was an update six days later:

 

"We promised an update on this. Since this post our Ambassador has spoken to the Thai Prime Minister about this issue, and the Prime Minister has re-confirmed Thailand’s commitment to equal access to vaccines for all living in Thailand, including British Nationals. We are in constant discussions with the Ministry of Public Health in follow-up."

 

And that, more or less, is that. They started a "vaccine bulletin" which you can sign up to receive, and I have in the vague (and almost certainly vain) hope that somebody senior in Westminster might do something positive like the French have done.

 

So there we have it, the different ways for an expat to get a vaccine in Pattaya:

• Wait until one or other of the official websites/apps actually starts working and allows reservations to be made (probably a serious risk of dying from old age if you depend on this one).
• Wait until one or other of the private hospitals offers reservations for the Moderna vaccine again, then make sure your elbows are nice and sharp and join the non-socially distanced scrum to sign up.
• Hope against hope that your government sees sense or takes pity and sends some vaccines (cue somebody singing "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha, lol.)

 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, WaveHunter said:

Unfortunately, I think we may actually be running out of viable options here in Pattaya, and leaving Thailand may turn out to be the only way to go...unless our home governments step up to the plate like the French and Chinese have done.  As far as I'm concerned these two possibilities are really the only way we are going to get vaccinated in a timely way here in Pattaya.

 

I agree, pity we can't discuss that here!

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I agree, pity we can't discuss that here!

You can.

On other threads where traveling abroad for jabs is on topic.

Or.

Start a new topic just about that.

This topic  is not about that.

This topic is limited to information about how expats in Pattaya can register to get access to vaccines in Pattaya. 

Right now they can't. Unfortunately. With the exception of the French outreach program previously announced. 

 

[jacko45k]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Right now they can't.

Might as well close the thread then!

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Might as well close the thread then!

Better if people just stop posting off topic here or if they're not really interested, ignore the topic.

Just because there is no local option here right now doesn’t mean options won't appear later.

Surely eventually they will and when they do helpful details can be posted here.

There isn't a time-line on that.

Days, weeks, months, or years.

Who knows?

I think probably months. 

[Caldera]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Perhaps you could expand that.... someone just posted that he took a car to Bangkok and got jabbed there. I see that as a suitable option....

 

Indeed.

 

Exhibit A: Several expats I know, residing in Pattaya, registered with Thailand Intervac while it was operational, for an appointment at Phyathai 2 Hospital here in Bangkok. Some drove, others used Bolt, all of them got their 1st jab already or are scheduled for next week. Success.

 

Exhibit B: Several other expats I know, also residing in Pattaya, lamenting that Thailand Intervac didn't offer any availability in Pattaya. Instead of choosing to get vaccinated in Bangkok instead, they've bemoaned their situation ever since. Failure.

 

Of course we see something similar many times and not at all limited to the Covid pandemic.

 

Let's also keep in mind that only a tiny fraction of Thais got vaccinated so far, and that the Thai government is prioritizing Bangkok at this time. Many Thais I know have been telling me that their Thai family members back home (provinces far from Bangkok) also had vaccinations postponed or canceled. 

[CharlieH]

Troll posts removed.

 

Please stay on the subject matter, if you have nothing of value to others to contribute here, move on.

[Jingthing]

thailandintervac.com is NOT a viable option at this time for jabs anywhere. 

This isn't the history channel.

[WaveHunter]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

You can.

On other threads where traveling abroad for jabs is on topic.

Or.

Start a new topic just about that.

This topic  is not about that.

This topic is limited to information about how expats in Pattaya can register to get access to vaccines in Pattaya. 

Right now they can't. Unfortunately. With the exception of the French outreach program previously announced. 

 

You are not acknowledging that the likelihood of an expat getting a vaccination through the public rollout in a timely manner here in Pattaya is just probably not going to happen.  By "timely manner" I mean before the end of this year...unless something really radical happens.

 

One such "radical" thing that could happen is home country government involvement similar to what the Chinese and the French have done.  So, I see no reason why those avenues should not be thoroughly discussed without anyone feeling the need to censor such discussion on this thread.

 

As Thailand’s public health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul clearly stated, ANY country which is able to take care of its citizens can import vaccines to inoculate their nationals, and it can be arranged for them to be administered through local hospitals  In other words, right here in Pattaya.  So, such discussion is entirely appropriate in this thread.

[Hamus Yaigh]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

thailandintervac.com is NOT a viable option at this time for jabs anywhere. 

It's the only option. I went and got my first jab this week by signing on through the thailandintervac web site over 2 weeks ago. The hospital (Payathai2) was absolutely full of foreigners (no Thais there) getting their jabs. There was literally no more space to do it there. Either the vaccines are out or the vaccine centers are out of space, so it is understandable the web site is not asking for more registrations. Hopefully the situation is resolved soon.

[Jingthing]

32 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

You are not acknowledging that the likelihood of an expat getting a vaccination through the public rollout in a timely manner here in Pattaya is just probably not going to happen.  By "timely manner" I mean before the end of this year...unless something really radical happens.

 

One such "radical" thing that could happen is home country government involvement similar to what the Chinese and the French have done.  So, I see no reason why those avenues should not be thoroughly discussed without anyone feeling the need to censor such discussion on this thread.

 

As Thailand’s public health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul clearly stated, ANY country which is able to take care of its citizens can import vaccines to inoculate their nationals, and it can be arranged for them to be administered through local hospitals  In other words, right here in Pattaya.  So, such discussion is entirely appropriate in this thread.

Don't falsely accuse of me of not acknowledging the importance of timely access to vaccines particularly the high risk of all nationalities.

 

I have posted many times:

Vaccines delayed are vaccines denied if you get infected waiting.

 

There are multiple active threads about trying to get embassy help.

So you think it's good to advocate hijacking a topic  that isn't about that to be about that? Wow.

Be assured if and when it comes to pass that more embassies beyond France are actually going to help us, it will be well publicized whether they are visiting Pattaya with that or not.

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

It's the only option. I went and got my first jab this week by signing on through the thailandintervac web site over 2 weeks ago. The hospital (Payathai2) was absolutely full of foreigners (no Thais there) getting their jabs. There was literally no more space to do it there. Either the vaccines are out or the vaccine centers are out of space, so it is understandable the web site is not asking for more registrations. Hopefully the situation is resolved soon.

Yes, hopefully that site and/or other options become available again. 

 

But right now, they are not.

[scubascuba3]

Foreigners can register for Sinopharm Monday but it's specific for Pattaya city residents and a blue card

[Jingthing]

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Foreigners can register for Sinopharm Monday but it's specific for Pattaya city residents and a blue card

How do you interpret this translated FAQ about that?

 

What specific ID would they need from an expat? Never heard of a blue card. Do they mean blue house book and pink card? Or is this only for permanent resident expats? In any case passports definitely not accepted.

 

2. In the case of foreigners / migrant workers Can I register? - Foreigners/migrant workers Still unable to register with Pattaya City. *** But *** In the case of having a Thai ID card (blue card), you can register.

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

How do you interpret this translated FAQ about that?

 

What specific ID would they need from an expat? Never heard of a blue card. Do they mean blue house book and pink card? Or is this only for permanent resident expats? In any case passports definitely not accepted.

 

2. In the case of foreigners / migrant workers Can I register? - Foreigners/migrant workers Still unable to register with Pattaya City. *** But *** In the case of having a Thai ID card (blue card), you can register.

Maybe blue card means farangs who have residency, either way I can't apply, they are excluding farang as per usual

[Leaver]

20 hours ago, TaaSaparot said:

 

Are you being serious?

 

If so, you really need to do some education on this pandemic.

 

Yes, I am being serious, and it's perhaps you that needs to research how fast covid spreads, especially when it is not compartmentalized.

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

thailandintervac.com is NOT a viable option at this time for jabs anywhere. 

This isn't the history channel.

 

That's an ignorant thing to say; they will open again for another round soon.

 

You might want to use the downtime to make up your mind about whether you want to continue to lament a lack of options in Pattaya, or bite the bullet and make an appointment in Bangkok instead next time around. If you mentally prepare yourself for that decision, you'll be in an excellent position to secure an appointment once available.

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

That's an ignorant thing to say; they will open again for another round soon.

 

You might want to use the downtime to make up your mind about whether you want to continue to lament a lack of options in Pattaya, or bite the bullet and make an appointment in Bangkok instead next time around. If you mentally prepare yourself for that decision, you'll be in an excellent position to secure an appointment once available.

It's ignorant to post facts such as stating a registration site being non functional that actually is non functional and has been  non functional for a long time?

 

I think we live on different planets about what's ignorant or not.

 

So thailandintervac.com will become functional again soon, you say?

That's certainly a possibility but what do you base that prediction on exactly? 

 

I'll ignore your snarky unsolicited psychological advice.

[Caldera]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's ignorant to post facts such as stating a registration site being non functional that actually is non functional and has been  non functional for a long time?

 

I think we live on different planets about what's ignorant or not.

 

So thailandintervac.com will become functional again soon, you say?

That's certainly a possibility but what do you base that prediction on exactly? 

 

I'll ignore your snarky unsolicited psychological advice.

 

Let's stick to the facts then. I registered on June 11th and advised others on here to do the same. Including Pattaya expats willing to get their jabs in Bangkok, pointing out that there's no proof of address involved. Other expats who also managed to secure an appointment also shared this information pretty much in real time.

 

That you missed that chance and NOW lament that the site is NOW closed really isn't my fault. Your snarky remark that this isn't the history channel was uncalled for. What you can do NOW is to prepare to be more decisive next time, so that you won't fail again.

 

As to the future of Thailand Intervac, personally I think it's a given that it will reopen soon, but that's an educated guess, not a fact. We'll see and best of luck next time.

[WaveHunter]

40 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

That's an ignorant thing to say; they will open again for another round soon.

 

You might want to use the downtime to make up your mind about whether you want to continue to lament a lack of options in Pattaya, or bite the bullet and make an appointment in Bangkok instead next time around. If you mentally prepare yourself for that decision, you'll be in an excellent position to secure an appointment once available.

They were never really open for a 1st round for registration of all but a VERY few expats living in Bangkok!  As for a resident of Chonburi being allowed to get vaccinated in another province from where they actually reside...think again.  It is against the rules!