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

[Derek B]

Private Hospitals should be allowed to import ANY vaccine approved by the WHO.

This would take the burden off the Thai State.

Any surplus can be offered to citizens of Burma, Cambodia or India currently in Thailand as expats or illegal migrants.

 

Note Chinese Covid vaccines are not currently approved by the WHO for their global distribution program.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Derek B
typo

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Derek B said:

This would take the burden off the Thai State.

This would embarrass the Thai state.

[Surelynot]

11 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

Think if you try putting the address all in lower case letters it might work - i.e :- "brian.davidson" ....etc etc it did for me!

 

Yep....correct...got a reply.

[Thjames]

before everyone starts bashing the Thai govt...

first let start with who published the false news to begin with...

 

err um ????????????  ☝️

 

When will these muppets realize that there is allot being discussed and nothing is official until its official...  dont imply anything is official from what you here in some back soi...

[kensisaket]

Not sure why any non-Thai would expect free medical care.  I think most of us want to know where's the line for people willing to pay for that vaccine. 

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, Derek B said:

Private Hospitals should be allowed to import ANY vaccine approved by the WHO.

This would take the burden off the Thai State.

Any surplus can be offered to citizens of Burma, Cambodia or India currently in Thailand as expats or illegal migrants.

 

Note Chinese Covid vaccines are not currently approved by the WHO for their global distribution program.

 

The Chinese vaccines are not approved by me for sticking in my arm too (I'm too old anyway).

 

The problem is where would these vaccines be coming from, pretty well every production facility is sold out for months? The potential for fake / expired / faulty supplies is massive, at least the government procured stuff should be ok.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

3 hours ago, Minime said:

I think all UK citizens here should email our Ambassador for Thailand (Brian.Davidson2 @ fcdo.gov.uk)   and express our disgust at this blatant discrimination, after all the UK is offering free test and vaccines to all Thai nationals residing in the UK and that is a fact.

Thank you Minime for the above email address.  I have today sent an email to Mr Davidson requesting that he registers his strong protest at this decision, which surely is blatant rascism, which would be banned in the UK.

[Surelynot]

11 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

As regrettable as that will be, it is inevitable that some people will die no matter what roll out strategy is used.

True......call me Shirley......but I would prefer one that minimizes deaths......crazy I know.

[meshborg]

They just can't stop being racist.Is their a vaccine for that.?

[holy cow cm]

38 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Any Falang who thought that they would be treated on an equal basis to any Thais has been delusional.

 

Actually it depends on the who for the foreigners. For most in the high up in the ruling party of all departments no. But I do know some well placed people and business factory owners who I am well accepted. Never liked foreigners using the Thai word Farang. Just doesn't sit well. 

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

Thank you Minime for the above email address.  I have today sent an email to Mr Davidson requesting that he registers his strong protest at this decision, which surely is blatant rascism, which would be banned in the UK.

 

[Kaopad999]

I just had a feeling that this would happen. 
How often have we seen the same thing here time and time again. 

if it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. 

[spidermike007]

Your honor, I rest my case. We are indeed second class citizens. 

 

Perhaps ex-pats should be given a bit more credit, in this formula? We do bring in alot of stable income.  Even the rural folks benefit. Alot of the nicer houses in the poorer farming areas were built with money from expats. Alot of trucks, cars and income is from expats. Countless business employing many. To say it is insignificant, is a blatant misunderstanding of Thai economics. Thousands of hotels, restaurants, countless airlines and many tour companies, also benefit.

 

By comparison, an average ex-pat spends how much per month? I would say most of us spend 50,000 to upwards of 100,000 baht a month. I know I do. No value in that? 

[Havefunme]

If your not dead already what's the rush me I prefer to pick my own jab and pay for it myself I'm in chonburi and staying safe but won't accept any job 

[Cake Monster]

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

Actually it depends on the who for the foreigners. For most in the high up in the ruling party of all departments no. But I do know some well placed people and business factory owners who I am well accepted. Never liked foreigners using the Thai word Farang. Just doesn't sit well. 

Whether it sits well or not, you are what you are in the eyes of all Thai..... A Farang

If you are not a Farang in Thailand, what are you ?

[robert888d]

Imagine if the UK had said only English first, all other nationalities later!

They said all people over 70

All people over 60 etc.

[jonclark]

53 minutes ago, whiteflight said:

In 6 months time a lot of people will have died who did not have to die.
That may be an "acceptable loss" to you, it is not to me or to those who have no choice

because there is currently no vaccine available while an outbreak rages.

Thailand, unlike many other countries, did NOT make any major purchase agreements

with the main vaccine providers, as you can tell by Thailand not being able to start general vaccinations of even high risk groups until June.  That is something to be outraged about, as well as about your callous disregard for human life.

 

Please read all my previous post before editing and paraphrasing otherwise you seem rather uninformed.

 

My first post is on page 3. It seems to agree with your entire 2nd paragraph. 

[rwill]

I'd expect to see 3-4 more waffles on this before it is over.

 

My wife finally got her appointment for the vaccination next month at the local government hospital.  We talked to the hospital today about if I could get the vaccination at the same time.  They were not sure.  They said to check back next week and they would let us know after they asked some higher ups.  Also said I might have to pay if allowed to get it.

 

Another note:  When she booked her appointment there was a drop down list to pick which hospital you wanted to go to in your area.  The private hospitals were listed but if you selected one there were no dates you could pick for them.  So in effect you could only get an appointment at a government run hospital.

[spidermike007]

4 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Whether it sits well or not, you are what you are in the eyes of all Thai..... A Farang

If you are not a Farang in Thailand, what are you ?

A fellow human being? Too much to ask, to be regarded as such? 

[raccos21]

No worries! Soon the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer could come in the form of pills and patches probably can get it from 7-11.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/pfizer-vaccine-pill-covid-19-end-of-year/

 

[pokerface1]

Just stand in the queue with a brown paper envelope and they will race you to the front of the line. It's not rocket science!!

[bougnat]

I am stunned when I see that certain farangs living in thailand for more than 10 years have finally discovered it ... There are 70 million health ministers here. Last year 90% of them did not want foreigners in their home anymore.The message was however clear ...

[WaveHunter]

22 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

True......call me Shirley......but I would prefer one that minimizes deaths......crazy I know.

Well, I'm guessing that is the goal of public policy makers as well.  If you have a plan in mind that would better achieve that, you should make it known. 

 

It's not so hard to criticize public policy when you're not actually responsible for making life & death decisions; I'm guessing it's a lot harder when the burden of those decisions is all on your shoulders.

Edited May 5, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Phulublub]

11 minutes ago, robert888d said:

Imagine if the UK had said only English first, all other nationalities later!

They said all people over 70

All people over 60 etc.

 

I would imagine the Scots, Welsh and N.Irish would (rightly) call the UK Government out for being as racist as you are.

 

PH

 

[Surelynot]

Just now, WaveHunter said:

Well, if you have a plan in mind that would actually achieve that, you should make them known.  It's not so hard to criticize public policy when it's not your job to make life & death decisions; I'm guessing it's a lot harder when the burden of those decisions is on your shoulders.

Pimps.....copy the UK model regardless of nationality, race....with some targeted vaccinations in hot spots like Khlong Toei......that easy...........all we need now is some.........vaccines.

[IamNoone88]

Why is this so unexpected? Expats should know that they cannot rely on the Gov't. The Embassies will do very little either. So, as always. they are on their own. It is the nature of the game. So we must seek out another solution.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Phulublub said:

 

I would imagine the Scots, Welsh and N.Irish would (rightly) call the UK Government out for being as racist as you are.

 

PH

 

The English are the superior race though......

Edited May 5, 2021 by Surelynot

[vandeventer]

4 hours ago, John Drake said:

This had to happen. I've seen the same thing occur when I worked in a notable Thai institution. Farangs think they've found a loophole to acquire the same benefit as Thais, and a few weeks later, word comes saying, no. Nothing to be done about it. I expected this and said as much four days ago. It is really, really terrible that some expats who need to be in the front of the line will not get the vaccine. Stupid and immoral. But I could easily see someone going up for their "appointment" and being pulled out of line and told to go home. My rule: if it looks like the authorities are trying to exclude you, they are trying to exclude you, and they will exclude you. 

So let me take this in, when 95% of the Thais over 60 reject the jab, and that may be out of shelf life  before they offer it to us, it just may be  for FREE? It's getting better and better.

[PEE TEE]

4 hours ago, Minime said:

I think all UK citizens here should email our Ambassador for Thailand (Brian.Davidson2 @ fcdo.gov.uk)   and express our disgust at this blatant discrimination, after all the UK is offering free test and vaccines to all Thai nationals residing in the UK and that is a fact.

have tried to email him but the em address is not recognized nor the on on his webpage 

[TigerandDog]

4 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.

agreed they don't give a damn, but if they get bombarded with enough emails telling them that by doing nothing for their citizens here it is a total dereliction of their duty, and demanding that they tell the Thai Govt to include foreigners in the high risk groups OR Thai civilians in our countries will also be excluded from our home country rollouts.  I've already emailed the Ambassador, the foreign affairs and health ministers in my home country advising them of this latest Thai Govt announcement and requested that they actually prove they are concerned for the welfare of their citizens here in the high risk groups and to put pressure on the Thai Govt by making it quite clear that Thais in my home country WILL be excluded from the rollout until such time as we are included in the Thai rollout.

 

Don't expect it to come to anything, but if you don't try you'll never know.