Foreign residents WILL be included in COVID-19 vaccination program: CCSA

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

Thailand's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has moved to reassure foreigners that they will be included in the country's vaccination program.

 

Recent reports in the media to the contrary had been taken out of context, the CCSA spokesperson said during Thursday’s media briefing.

 

Some foreign residents in Thailand have already been inoculated in the first phase of vaccinations, but the Thai government’s first priority is to vaccinate all frontline medical personnel, the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and those living within high risk zones.

 

The first phase began in February and will be ongoing until the end of May, the spokesperson said, while phase two is due to start in June and will continue until the end of the year. 

 

It is during phase two that foreigners in Thailand will be vaccinated, based on their risk group.

 

Regarding reports of some foreigners being able to register for the vaccine using the Mor Prom platform, the spokesperson said that the platform was not intended to be used by foreigners.

 

However, the Health Ministry is working on a number of options to enable foreigners in Thailand to register to receive the vaccine. 

 

One of the options includes the creation of a mobile app to facilitate registration. 

 

The government is also continuing to work on ways in which the private sector can procure vaccines. 

 

In the event that private hospitals can administer vaccines, this is likely to take place during the second phase also.

 

More information regarding foreigners being able to purchase vaccines from private hospitals will be released at a later date.

 

Watch the English language briefing in full below.

 

 

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-06

 

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[scubascuba3]

Will this get reversed tomorrow?

[cnx101]

6 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Will this get reversed tomorrow?

Unbelievable 

[SiamRead]

Don't know what or who to believe ????

[Jimbo2014]

Really? - other papers just published (moments ago) that the Health Minister reinforced his statement that foreigners weren't included.  The government really is consistent in their approach to contradictory statements.

[Almer]

They will they wont, they will they wont, they will NO THEY WILL NOT,

yawn yawn yawn????????????

[Crossy]

For Flip-flop's Sake guys.

 

At least get your story straight!

 

 

[DrMJA]

Nevermind!

Edited May 6, 2021 by DrMJA
N/A

[internationalism]

every day contradicting story.

this is just madhouse.

no point following it, no point of registering. It just nerve wrecking, lowering immune system, mood and wellbeing.

Just taking care of the other vaccines, like flu, pneumonia, and many others, as well as not mixing with crowds have to suffice for the time being, probably till the end of year.

The majority of expats are not able to pre-register with the pink card.

Some more in here

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/05/06/officials-say-foreigners-in-thailand-will-get-vaccine-jabs-someday/

[DrMJA]

Exhausting .... Make up your mind! 

[Cake Monster]

3 minutes ago, SiamRead said:

Don't know what or who to believe ????

Quite easy really

Dont believe anything, and dont believe anybody

[WineOh]

looking forward to tomorrows reversal. 

 

Popcorn at the ready! ???? 

[John Drake]

When you're in line and approaching the nurse to get your shot, the nurse will then see a foreigner and think, "Am I more likely to get in trouble if I give this farang a shot or if I tell him/her to go home?" Wonder what she will decide to do?

[Sheryl]

 

 

[Sheryl]

11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Will this get reversed tomorrow?

 

I don't know about tomorrow but I can pretty well guarantee there will be not one but several more contradictory statements within the next few week.

 

What hospitals will think they are supposed to do, when expats with appointments show up next month, is anyone's guess.

[Sheryl]

6 minutes ago, internationalism said:

every day contradicting story.

this is just madhouse.

no point following it, no point of registering. It just nerve wrecking, lowering immune system, mood and wellbeing.

Just taking care of the other vaccines, like flu, pneumonia, and many others, as well as not mixing with crowds have to suffice for the time being, probably till the end of year.

The majority of expats are not able to pre-register with the pink card.

Some more in here

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/05/06/officials-say-foreigners-in-thailand-will-get-vaccine-jabs-someday/

 

My favorite part of that article:

 

The government is also hoping to procure 5 to 10 doses of Pfizer vaccines to meet its immunization target by the end of this year, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha had said earlier on April 20.  (sic)

[Brunolem]

9 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

 

One of the options includes the creation of a mobile app to facilitate registration

Considering how the 90 day report app works, or not, after years of efforts, this looks like an optimistic proposition.

 

Why not safely assume that both apps won't work most of the time, and instead give a shot to foreigners when they show up to do their 90 day report in person.

 

Of course, with immigration officers being part of the police corp, there will always be the risk that the word "shot" might be misinterpreted, but on the other hand such an arrangement would help killing two birds with one stone, or shot...

[madmen]

Straight after, elderly, the sick, hot spots, general population, soi dogs, farang 

In other words surplus. Same same as before they just worded it different. 

[ChrisKC]

17 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Will this get reversed tomorrow?

Might do, might not do!

[CharlieH]

As usual., consistently inconsistent is the M.O in this country!

[John Drake]

24 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

One of the options includes the creation of a mobile app to facilitate registration.

 

Registration fee of 4000 baht coming right up.

[jonclark]

After the mass hysteria and rants yesterday in a different thread about foreigners being excluded (which was never actually said,) it is nice to see that common sense has prevailed.

 

I have several large helpings of humble pie???

[WineOh]

8 minutes ago, jonclark said:

After the mass hysteria and rants yesterday in a different thread about foreigners being excluded (which was never actually said,) it is nice to see that common sense has prevailed.

 

I have several large helpings of humble pie???

save your 'humble pie.'

 

Tomorrow it will be reversed. 

I'm willing to wager that not a single expat I know, myself included, will wind up receiving a free jab in the land of smiles. 

[DirtyHarry55]

Well that's still as clear as mud!!
Does this mean high risk Foreigners will get vaccinated at the same time as high risk Thai's or After?
 

Quote

Thai government’s first priority is to vaccinate all frontline medical personnel, the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and those living within high risk zones.

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by DirtyHarry55

[ikke1959]

What ever.. I will take the Moderna vaccine as soon as it is available.. Thai Government is totally unreliable. yes, no, yes, next no and than yes again, and you will never know what they will give you.

I trust myself and pay for something good and working..

[friendofthai]

25 minutes ago, John Drake said:

When you're in line and approaching the nurse to get your shot, the nurse will then see a foreigner and think, "Am I more likely to get in trouble if I give this farang a shot or if I tell him/her to go home?" Wonder what she will decide to do?

Of course it is not easy to vaccinate a foreigner. When a foreigner come to a vaccination room, he want to get vaccinated very much. But after that the second personality of a foreigner suddenly appears. The alter ego of the foreigner starts arguing with the doctor. He tells the doctor that Sinovac is a very bad vaccine and he also demonstrates "proofs" from "credible news sources" to the doctor. So the mental hospital stuff and expensive equipment are needed in these cases in order to complete the vaccination process.

[MadMac]

Till tomorrows news then. What a farce.

[ChrisKC]

From the point of view of Western Foreigners, about 200,000, it seems to me, that number can be easily accommodated for the vaccine  without creating special dispensation and wasting a lot of time messing about contemplating what needn't be momentous decisions.

 

This is not doing us any favours - we are just as likely to become infected and maybe even more so given the average age of us all, with or without underlying medical conditions.

 

 

[Sheryl]

3 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

From the point of view of Western Foreigners, about 200,000, it seems to me, that number can be easily accommodated for the vaccine  without creating special dispensation and wasting a lot of time messing about contemplating what needn't be momentous decisions.

 

This is not doing us any favours - we are just as likely to become infected and maybe even more so given the average age of us all, with or without underlying medical conditions.

 

 

 

I think it is important to understand that when government talks about "foreigners" they are not talking about only or even primarily Western expats. Why should they?

 

The majority of foreigners in Thailand are migrant workers from neighboring countries. Over 2 million of them by most estimates.

 

From an epidemiological perspective, numbers matter which makes western expats of much less concern than these other groups.  It is migrant workers that the spokeswoman referred toi when she said some foreigners have already been vaccinated in Phase 1.

 

Very, very few migrant workers are over age 60 or have chronic diseases, which may be one reason why planning for Phase 2 did nto focus on foreigners.

[ChrisKC]

Just now, Sheryl said:

 

I think it is important to understand that when government talks about "foreigners" they are not talking about only or even primarily Western expats. Why should they?

 

The majority of foreigners in Thailand are migrant workers from neighboring countries. Over 2 million of them by most estimates.

 

From an epidemiological perspective, numbers matter which makes western expats of much less concern than these other groups.  It is migrant workers that the spokeswoman referred toi when she said some foreigners have already been vaccinated in Phase 1.

Yes, I know, I deliberately left out was less than about 4.5 million migrant workers many of whom may not qualify given their frequent comings and goings from their respective Aean countries, but even adding them is still a small percentage of the total making the decision easy to include them!