Thai health ministry denies they are giving free jabs to expats - Thais come first

[Surelynot]

4 minutes ago, madmitch said:

My guess is that when the AZ vaccine is ready, private hospitals will be able to buy from an approved Government

I would guess the same....but that is so hypocritical (555 like they care)........every vaccine sold to a hospital is a vaccine not going into the arm of a Thai.

[Surelynot]

Just now, wensiensheng said:

The local producer will no doubt be exporting much of its production so it seems a bit up in the air to me.

Someone posted they are already contracted for some of the production to be exported.

[ikke1959]

I think I must be happy with this announcement. I will never accept an Chinese or home made vaccine in Thailand. Who knows for sure the AZ vaccine produced here will not have more side effects than the original and by the time they have found out who what happened.  Besides that I am happy I don't pay tax here. I was considering it, because it is cheaper than in my home country, but what do you get in return for it? And I thought about several months ago when the Government asked the expats to travel more to stimulate the Thai economy. Yes we are good to help the country but something in return is not done here. Besides that it is annoying to be called Falang or alien.. I am from Earth. I don't talk about the people in the community around me, They are loveable and good for me, but the Government and his cronies had to changed asap. If they want to be a touristic country again the first thing they have to learn to do is respect people and appreciate what they are doing for this country. So stop paying tax here, and try to give the Government as less as you can. It is about the money and that way we can touch them  

[mjakob007]

2 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

This is disgusting, plain and simple.

In one fell swoop, Thailand has proven that it is fifty years behind the rest of the world.

 

 

Hence, trying to attract wealthy foreigners.

who just spend and dont ask why!  

[bikerlou47]

I was able to register with Bangkok Bank so they would take my 800,000 baht..no problem!

Thank you Thailand for helping to  make my life easier so I can live here and educate your Thai children and provide a good home for their Thai family!

That 800,000 baht means nothing to me...chump change!

[jonclark]

19 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

I think most of us live with these double standards and accept them. I do. I expect to pay more than Thais. I expect Thai citizens to receive benefits that non-Thais cannot get. I don't expect nor do I seek to be accepted into Thai society. Even for the Covid shot, I'm willing to wait. I don't feel trapped. I have a roomy house in the suburbs of Bangkok, and a nice backyard to work in. Three 7 Elevens are within 100-200 meters, and a grocery I can easily walk to is 3.5 km away. When I saw this coming two weeks ago, I went to my physician and stocked up on my inner ear meds for two months. I can make it and am willing to wait. But that is for me. Many other foreigners on this forum are in a far more perilous situation. With Covid spreading, they need the vaccine now because of age, poor health, or medical complications. Their life is on the line. Why shouldn't they be bitter. I think they are justified to be bitter, angry, and desperate.

 

We are all in this together but, there are far far more Thais that have exactly the same perilous situation that you speak of, but economically are in a far worse situation. That is not a justification, just an observation. 

 

The entire vaccine procurement and distribution process has been a cluster <deleted> from the word go. I recall old Tanathorn making a big, song and dance about this months ago and he was politely threatened with legal action? 

 

We must remember that when the limited number of vaccines are distributed they are delivered on a needs basis and that need is based on local rates of infection (do you live in a cluster zone), age, underlying conditions etc. It is not a nice situation to be told you need to wait, but it is the right answer. 

 

It is also worth noting that those being Thais vaccinated have no choice over the vaccine they are given, you are ordered to turn up and you are given a vaccine. Astra Zeneca is pretty much used up (and is reserved for a few groups out of medical necessity). About 95% of the people in the current vaccine drive in Klong Toey will get Sinovac . Not having Sinovac is not an option either.

 

 

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, jonclark said:

We must remember that when the limited number of vaccines are distributed they are delivered on a needs basis and that need is based on local rates of infection (do you live in a cluster zone), age, underlying conditions

.....plus citizenship......which means, eventually, perfectly healthy Thai teenagers will come before expats at serious risk of death.

[Dialemco]

Best to understand if you are a foreigner living in Thailand you are only a guest. The problem is shortage of vaccines and of those

many have been wasted on your Thai's living in Phuket and Samui for  now failed attempts to restart Tourism. The vaccination programme must go ahead but will take some months before herd immunity this means everyone regardless of nationality must be vaccinated. 

[FritsSikkink]

28 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

I guess it is proper....for that day?

Maybe the foreign workers and companies should stop paying tax and delivering any services until the health department sees us as equals.

[rupert the bear]

this shows us what we are really living with,a population of predominately racists. a govt that definately is  and thats what gets them support.sad but true,unfortunately the govt experts at medical level have failed to tell the SS runned masses that covid cant tell the difference between a thai and an american, korean or japanese.so the racist pricing policies  should hardly be a surprise as this is a continuation of the same mindset.its about time the hypocritical pc scum in the embassies and media called this out,dont hold your breath on CNN and BBC mind,they have their agenda,prove me wrong please as we are all sick of this way back.vaccines thru the embassies well they vacced their own people in the embassies and thais working there too!but not their own people.even if they pay tax,its about time they stood up and did something decent ...just once

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, FritsSikkink said:

Maybe the foreign workers and companies should stop paying tax and delivering any services until the health department sees us as equals.

....or wait until hell freezes over?

[Pravda]

Some ideas for TAT

 

Free Sinovac with 5 year Elite Visa.

 

Free Astra Zeneca with 20 year Elite Visa.

 

 

[Dazinoz]

2 hours ago, Surelynot said:

 

I am, and we all should, write to our embassy/consulate and demand they put pressure on the Thai government over this issue.

 

If you are Australian don't waste your time. They have said they are NOT assisting Australians here to get their jabs. But they are donating something like 38 million baht for Thais to get theirs. Ashamed to be Australian.

[grumpy 4680]

Typical, Thailand is all take, take, take, but never give, give or give. Australia has given them 68 million baht to help, but Aussies are still back of the queue.

[law ling]

1. I smell a set-up: first leak that expats can get jabs, then the boss comes in and says "Thais first!" - showing that "he cares".

 

2. If Thais are first, that also excludes their large immigrant-worker population (here both legally and not) AND their stateless folk (nearly a million of them?).

 

3 I used to smile at the PM boasting about his 20-year road-map - seems like now they don't know what will happen next week.

[solent01]

Yet they want to encourage the high spenders to come here and bail them out.......... what a joke!!

[rupert the bear]

2 hours ago, Excel said:

And what parallel universe are you living in ? "write to our embassy/consulate and demand they put pressure on the Thai government over this issue" you say.  Most embassies don't give a Tinkers cuss about their nationals, certainly that is true of the British embassy,  so your statement is nothing but wishful thinking that will never happen.

unfortunately sir u are quite correct but......make enough noise and....also the media. the PC media by and large wont report it ,its not on the agenda.but some outlets will,flood them,its a story especially when foreigners are dying of it and thais are getting jabbed for free without racism across north america and western europe,i think the embassies need to bar visas to officials partaking in this type of racist practice that threatens lives

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Seems the system allowed anyone to register regardless of origin. Because a few farang slipped through the net we have people up in arms and the Government duly folded. I wonder the furore back home if out governments started denying people their allocated vaccine slot based on race?

Absolute rubbish, who exactly "allocated" these vaccine slots.

Did the NHS make announcements that all foreigners in the UK not registered with the NHS should put their names forward for the front of the queue? - No

Did people registered with the NHS have to wait to be invited for vaccination? - YES

 

What part of this in the OP did people find difficult? Waiting?

 

"Expats would have to wait for further details from the government though they were told there would be more alternatives later and not to worry."

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, rupert the bear said:

its a story especially when foreigners are dying

Good point....that could be a turning point in the whole affair......especially if it happened to be someone high profile......an Ambassador? That would help....555

[BernieOnTour]

Why should they ever consider to give a „free jab“ to any foreigner ?

 

1) 99% of us are guests in their country and do not support one Satang to their national health system

2) most of us are either tourists (which should be covered with a travel insurance) or retired and have to show proof of an income > 65k, far higher than the normal Thai 

3) when going to a Thai hospital with a broken leg, you also have to pay for yourself

 

If you are really so keen to get that vaccination,

pay for yourself !

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, jonclark said:

If vaccine availability is very limited (which is is) healthy teenagers will not be getting it now will they? Less hysteria and more common sense please. 

Is eventually a word you have not come across?

[bikerbri]

I’m out of here! Selling up and going to some where were me and my income is wanted.

[madmen]

And all the farang that felt sorry for all those that were stuck outside Thailand. I feel sorry for farang stuck in Thailand while the rest of  the world is getting back to normal and everyone getting quality vaccine, Thailand is stuck in reverse and a total <deleted> nightmare! 

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, jonclark said:

In six to nine months time every single expat who wishes to go to hospital and get a vaccine will be able to do so. 

Who says so? vaccines are not being released to hospitals......and will not be until Thais are vaccinated......each vaccine sold to a hospital is a vaccine not going into the arm of a Thai.

 

Expats get vaccinated when there is a surplus 

[DavisH]

39 minutes ago, madmitch said:

My guess is that when the AZ vaccine is ready, private hospitals will be able to buy from an approved Government source at an approved Government price, which could then be offered to foreigners at said private hospitals at a further inflated price. This enables everyone to make money: the Government, Siam Bioscience, corrupt officials and the hospitals, and we lowly farangs can get our jabs.

 

A win-win.

Then you would just go to a government hospital and get the jab there, at a less inflated price. 

[pixelaoffy]

1 minute ago, madmen said:

And all the farang that felt sorry for all those that were stuck outside Thailand. I feel sorry for farang stuck in Thailand while the rest of  the world is getting back to normal and everyone getting quality vaccine, Thailand is stuck in reverse and a total <deleted> nightmare! 

Yes they were all attaching the UK!! Suckers ! The guy who runs ajarn was one of them 

[DavisH]

Just now, Surelynot said:

Who says so? vaccines are not being released to hospitals......and will not be until Thais are vaccinated......each vaccine sold to a hospital is a vaccine not going into the arm of a Thai.

 

Expats get vaccinated when there is a surplus 

Hospitals will not be vaccinating Thais? Who does it then? 

[Surelynot]

6 minutes ago, jonclark said:

To make COVID-19 vaccines available for people residing in Thailand on a foundation of ethics, equality, academic-based evidences, accessible supply, and management capability in national context,

.....and I suspect, in the overall scheme of things, that means diddly-squat to the Thai government.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, DavisH said:

Hospitals will not be vaccinating Thais? Who does it then? 

Private hospitals will not be vaccinating paying guest.....

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Then you would just go to a government hospital and get the jab there, at a less inflated price. 

What makes you think a state run hospital will vaccinate a foreigner?