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

[jollyhangmon]

49 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sometimes I think that's the point. Like we're test subjects in a psych ops attack.

 

... yeah, now waiting for them to spike the water with LSD ... no, wait, not that easy here ... guess I'll leave a tank out front over night, just to make sure there's appropriate access, 555 ...

 

[holy cow cm]

YO... You will be included.... YO.... You will not be included. PING.... You will be included.... PONG You will not be included. Ridiculous Junta, doesn't know it's left from its right, or its mouth from it's rear-end. Easier if they took a flower and pulled the petals off one by one to get their answer. We love foreigners. We don't love foreigners. We love foreigners. We don't love foreigners. We love foreigners.... HEY we love foreigners! : ) Sawadii Khun Somchai, better get a new flower, the big guys upstairs didn't like the outcome as we don't want them to know if they are coming or they are going...

[ThailandRyan]

35 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I believe the CCSA is the top government Covid-19 policymaking body so this should be pretty authoritative. 

Did they not switch the hospital procurement three times so far. I would hope it's true but until it's in the gazette........

...well....

[ukrules]

It's amazing what a swift kick in the balls will do to a governments policy.

 

[ukrules]

44 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Its main source of vaccines will be a local manufacturer set to produce AstraZeneca's vaccines after June.

 

I guess they decided against purchasing / importing the first 20 to 30 million doses as was widely reported last year and went for the cheap option instead.

 

The current situation being the result of that decision.

 

[holy cow cm]

This is beyond fickle, more like absurd being ludicrous. They are doing it to the Thai public as well. Are they trying to keep everyone confused until their master Siam Bioscience scheme comes to fruition?

[Smokegreynblues]

Foreigners come in so many categories:-

Foreigners with Social security card

Foreigners with Private insurance

Foreigners with work Group insurance

Foreigners UNDER MOU with neighboring countries+ Pink card

Foreigners as bonafide tourists with 1m dollar covid insurance

Foreigners as retirees

Foreigners with PR 

Foreigners on emergency covid extensions

Foreigners as dependents not included in any of the above. 

They should specify "WHICH" Category of foreigner

[Smilermike]

I give up with this . Either they are OR they are not. Its like working with children!!. Who ever is  in charge of the country . Say it and thats it!! 

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, Smokegreynblues said:

Foreigners come in so many categories:-

Foreigners with Social security card

Foreigners with Private insurance

Foreigners with work Group insurance

Foreigners UNDER MOU with neighboring countries+ Pink card

Foreigners as bonafide tourists with 1m dollar covid insurance

Foreigners as retirees

Foreigners with PR 

Foreigners on emergency covid extensions

Foreigners as dependents not included in any of the above. 

They should specify "WHICH" Category of foreigner

Then there is the rock band Foreigner...maybe this is whom they are talking about...

[grandpa]

The Falangs Quadrille  (with apologies to Lewis Caroll)

 

"Will you walk a little faster?"

Said Anutin to the Czar

"There's a farang close behind us

And he's gaining on my tail"

 

See how eagerly the old one's

And the sick ones all advance,

They are waiting for their vaccine,

Will you let them join the dance?"

 

Will you, won't you,
Will you, won't you,
Will you, won't you,

Let them join the dance?

 

Will you, won't you,
Will you, won't you,
Will you, won't you,

Let them join the dance?

[friendofthai]

Do you remember the early 2020? What did we read every day? Something like "lockdowns and quarantines will be ended in May" After that they said "... in June" and "... in July"
Why didn't they just say the truth that lockdowns and quarantines will be for years? Just to avoid panic - nothing more.
Now everyone who has calculator knows that 1 million doses of vaccine that Thailand receives every month means 12 millions per year or 66 millions of Thai people vaccinated per 5.5 years.
And don't forget that in the next year you should vaccinate the already vaccinated people for the second time. This means that the government have to find more vaccine suppliers just to maintain the same vaccination speed.

Of course we will see promises every month. But let's be more realistic - we will not be vaccinated here if vaccine bought at the same speed. 

[mfd101]

As my b/f says to me at least once a week: Lelak! Lelak! Nutting happen fass in Thailan.

[petedk]

4 hours ago, scotinsiam said:

The UK Ambassador in Thailand has just tweeted about this after a meeting with the Czar

 

 

 

 

That's what the PM says.

 

What does the Health Minister say? Do they talk together?

[samtam]

3 hours ago, Brunolem said:

Where's Harry when you need him?

Is that Harry, formerly known as "Prince"?

[samtam]

4 hours ago, scotinsiam said:

The UK Ambassador in Thailand has just tweeted about this after a meeting with the Czar

 

 

 

 

Sounds like a plan, said no one.

[Pilotman]

another utterly useless app on the way, how many  is that to date? 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Pilotman

[samtam]

1 hour ago, friendofthai said:

Do you remember the early 2020? What did we read every day? Something like "lockdowns and quarantines will be ended in May" After that they said "... in June" and "... in July"
Why didn't they just say the truth that lockdowns and quarantines will be for years? Just to avoid panic - nothing more.
Now everyone who has calculator knows that 1 million doses of vaccine that Thailand receives every month means 12 millions per year or 66 millions of Thai people vaccinated per 5.5 years.
And don't forget that in the next year you should vaccinate the already vaccinated people for the second time. This means that the government have to find more vaccine suppliers just to maintain the same vaccination speed.

Of course we will see promises every month. But let's be more realistic - we will not be vaccinated here if vaccine bought at the same speed. 

 

Which is why those that can are making other plans, in other countries, Thais and foreigners alike.

[Kiujunn]

4 hours ago, Kiujunn said:

By now, the big international hospitals that we all now have vaccinated their Thai staff (Sinovac).  Their foreign employees were not vaccinated. 

 

In another thread, the same was reported about a restaurant in Phuket.

 

So their is no need to read conflicting announcements every 6 hours. 

Just look, what they do. 

After I wrote this, some (I don't know how many) foreign hospital employees have been offered Sinovac.

[Neilly]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand says foreigners to get COVID-19 vaccines amid access concern

 

 

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand confirmed on Thursday that it plans to include 3 million foreigners living in the country in its mass vaccination programme to protect the entire population, amid concerns over the scope of vaccine access.

 

"Anybody living in Thailand, whether they be Thai or foreign, if they want they vaccine, they can get it," head of the disease control department, Opas Kankawinpong told a briefing.

 

The health ministry is working on other ways to include non-Thais in the vaccination programme, including via mobile applications or direct contact from hospitals, according to the foreign ministry.

 

I think that should read "The Health Ministry is looking at setting up a committee"...possibly, in the future, maybe ????

[connda]

Flip Flop Flip Flip
What the government says,
Can you believe it or not?
Flip Flop Flip Flop

[joloit]

7 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

Quite easy really

Dont believe anything, and dont believe anybody

..... and always expect the unexpected!!

[ikke1959]

I want a vaccine but not the <deleted> the offer now. I want Pfizer, Moderna or even Sputnik V but not the Sinovac or AZ

[Jingthing]

Just now, ikke1959 said:

I want a vaccine but not the <deleted> the offer now. I want Pfizer, Moderna or even Sputnik V but not the Sinovac or AZ

People over 60 won't be given Sinovsc. I don't understand the objections to Astra Zenica.

[Sheryl]

8 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

A full transcript of just exactly what the government spokeswoman said at the English language news briefing earlier today is posted here:

 

 

 

For anyone keeping count, there have now been three different public statements by the government at various points since February confirming that foreign nationals in Thailand WILL be included in the government's COVID vaccinations program.

 

AFAIK, the Bangkok Post  report the other day by a different official was an aberration. And I believe, there was some confusion in it between the issue of foreigners NOT being included in the current first phase of targeted vaccinations (which is correct), versus the policy all along to include foreigners in the general public second phase starting June and thereafter.

 

 

 

Foreigners have been included in Phase 1 already, as the spokeswomen noted.  (Mainly migrant workers in hot spots).

 

Phase II is registering now and will start vaccinating in June, aimed at people over 60 and with chronic diseases.  The spokeswoman here stated that foreigners are included in phase 2. But then acknowledged that systems to enable them to register are not yet worked out.

 

this would seem to imply that foreigners can be vaccinated in June if they managed to register,.

 

Which completely contradicts prior government statement

 

 

[Sheryl]

7 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Thailand confirmed on Thursday that it plans to include 3 million foreigners living in the country in its mass vaccination programme to protect the entire population, amid concerns over the scope of vaccine access.

 

 

 

 

"mass vaccination program to protect the entire population" = Phase III. Planned to start August at soonest/

 

Still uncertainty as to whether  foreigners who meet Phase II criteria (>60 or chronic disease)  can be vaccinated in Phase II (June - July).  Quite a few are already registered, and plenty more would quickly register if hospitals got a clear signal that it was OK to let them do so. At present many hospitals report being under instructions to the contrary.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

31 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Foreigners have been included in Phase 1 already, as the spokeswomen noted.  (Mainly migrant workers in hot spots).

 

Phase II is registering now and will start vaccinating in June, aimed at people over 60 and with chronic diseases.  The spokeswoman here stated that foreigners are included in phase 2. But then acknowledged that systems to enable them to register are not yet worked out.

 

this would seem to imply that foreigners can be vaccinated in June if they managed to register,.

 

Which completely contradicts prior government statement

 

 

 

The prior statement was the report in the BKK Post a few days ago, which the government disavowed today, saying the comments had been taken out of context in that report.

 

In all now, apart from the lone BKK Post report, there have been three different direct public statements by the government (not filtered thru a news report) as far back as February that foreigners (meaning expats, because the comments were addressed to the English language audience) would be included in the government's vaccination program, with the latter ones of those (today and another earlier this month) further clarifying they meant in the second half of this year.

 

The commitment to include foreigners/expats was repeated today by the government spokeswoman in their daily English language news brief, by the director of the Department of Disease Control in a prior televised Thai language announcement, and apparently by the Prime Minister, based on a report by the British Ambassador who met with him earlier today.

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Sheryl]

Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The prior statement was the report in the BKK Post a few days ago, which the government disavowed today, saying the comments had been taken out of context in that report.

 

In all now, there have been three different public statements by the government as far back as February that foreigners (meaning expats, because the comments were addressed to the English language audience) would be included in the government's vaccination program, with the latter ones of those (today and another earlier this month) further clarifying they meant in the second half of this year.

That (now disavowed) statement was in more than the Bkk Post. It was also specific to Phase II prioritization - it did not say foreigners would never be vaccinated, just that they were not included in Phase II which instead prioritized only Thais meeting the high risk criteria.

 

The government has always said foreigners could be vaccinated, just never committed to a timeline nor specifically ruled out a "Thais first" approach in terms of prioritization.

 

Things came to a head when registration for Phase Ii actually opened up a week ago.  In some locations hospitals or local health volunteer register expats, in others (including private hospitals in Bkk) hospitals told people they were under instructions to register only Thais.  The app of course was in Thai and clearly not designed for use by non-Thais though it worked for those foreigners who have a pink Thai ID card, were able to type in entries in Thai and were really persistent at it.

 

Then we got the infamous statement, and now we get this.

 

I would say that it remains unclear if foreigners who meet the Phase Ii criteria will  be vaccinated in June-July and also unclear if they will be eligible in Phase III at the same time as Thais.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

I would say that it remains unclear if foreigners who meet the Phase Ii criteria will  be vaccinated in June-July and also unclear if they will be eligible in Phase III at the same time as Thais.

 

 

The specific commitment made in the English language statement today:

 

"Now that Thailand has been successful in procuring more vaccines, in the second phase of innoculation, which is going to start in June and will run until the end of this year, we have expanded within this phase... to include the general public... as well as foreign residents in Thailand based on their membership in the risk groups..."

 

Either rightly or wrongly, what many people took from the BKK Post report was that the government was no longer promising that foreigners/expats would be eligible for the government vaccination program. I think that notion has pretty well been put down... But the specifics of just how the second half of the year will play out..remain to be seen, other than that foreigners are supposed to be part of that somewhere in some numbers.

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Albert Zweistein]

9 hours ago, jvs said:

go see a doctor,your medication needs to be re  evaluated!

A shrink be better.

[Jingthing]

Yeah words are words.

We've been getting a lot of conflicting words.

Actions are actions. 

Not much of that to inspire confidence.

I've been telegraphing for days now on different threads that the defining issue now is whether expats over 60 / health conditions are to be included in the phase starting in June on the very same timeline as Thais in that same group.

Yes?

Or

No?

We really don't know. 

Only actions will tell the tale.

The clock is ticking.

If yes, that bodes well for all expats.

If no, not well.