I fear that I smell an expat vaccine access loophole in the making

[Jingthing]

Namely -- the definition and documentation requirements of RESIDENCY. 

 

While I know this is going to sound paranoid to some particularly the Thai-ier than thou rose colored glasses brigade but I am picking up strong hints that something is afoot that would rationalize and justify excluding large chunks of expats from vaccine access or at least adding unnecessary additional hoops to jump through to gain that access.

 

What am I talking about?

 

Three things.

 

First the expat booking tool that is supposedly coming. 

 

I guarantee part of that tool will be about proving residence. What exactly will they require? Possibly a trip to our embassies to get a document when embassies are closing their services?

 

Secondly  there was quite a bizarre news item here I think yesterday where a Thai authority said they would provide a site in Bangkok for embassies to provide vaccines with vaccines that the embassies import themselves. A hopeful item or the beginning of an excuse not to need to vaccinate expats through Thai channels?

 

Also troubling in that item which was really the big RED FLAG trigger for this topic is that it said expats would need to PROVE their residency and suggested that we could get documents for that from our embassies or from provincial health authorities.

 

What is going on folks?

 

Our passport stamps show whether we are legally here or not!

 

One more. 

 

This link.

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/27237/vaccines-to-be-extended-to-resident-foreigners-from-june/

 

It says legal residents are eligible.

What's their definition of legal resident?

What specific proof are they going to actually require?

 

Yes I know those with pink cards think you've got this covered and maybe you do but most expats don't have pink cards.

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

See my comment here

The authorities will ultimately give up wasting their time on their silly games and doctors will just act on medical need i.e. everyone will be vaccinated for free. Those trying identify exemptions' are in the tiny minority, most officials (and the public) recognise the pan of pandemic.

[Jingthing]

19 minutes ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

See my comment here

The authorities will ultimately give up wasting their time on their silly games and doctors will just act on medical need i.e. everyone will be vaccinated for free. Those trying identify exemptions' are in the tiny minority, most officials (and the public) recognise the pan of pandemic.

So you're optimistic. I'm not feeling that at the moment.

[CharlieH]

As usual there are and will always be variations and localised interpretations. This as always fuels speculation.

 

Those with Yellow/Blue tabien baan will have no issue with residency proof. Those with Pink ID cards same, as would those with long term rental agreements. All of the above verify residency etc to Immigration, so its reasonable to assume they would/could apply those same rules.

 

Being "legally here" and being classed as "resident" are not necessarily the same. You can bs legally here on a 30 day stamp, but in that event you are unlikely to have any of the afore-mentioned items.

 

[Jingthing]

People don't come to Thailand for vaccine tourism. Setting up any barriers to people that are here to get access is just wrong.

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

People don't come to Thailand for vaccine tourism. Setting up any barriers to people that are here to get access is just wrong.

What "barriers" have been established ?

[Sheryl]

None.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

What "barriers" have been established ?

 

None... I think our <removed> friend is feeling the ‘lockdown’ and needs to relax a little. 

 

He is reading doom and gloom into every announcement and breaking down the semantics of transliterated announcements.

 

Of course, disagree and we are suddenly accused of being 'Thai-ier than thou rose colored glasses brigade’....

 

 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

What "barriers" have been established ?

I suspect we are going to have to prove legal residence and it's my strong suspicion at this point in time that their rules are probably going to explode many expats that shouldn't be excluded. We shall see.

 

[richard_smith237]

59 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It says legal residents are eligible.

 

People living here.

 

59 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What's their definition of legal resident?

 

People living in Thailand with a valid visa. 

 

59 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What specific proof are they going to actually require?

 

Passports.

 

59 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes I know those with pink cards think you've got this covered and maybe you do but most expats don't have pink cards.

 

Passports will be fine. 

 

 

The government have said they are working on a registration system for foreigners. I know you don’t believe them and think something far more nefarious is going on.... you can speculate, speculate and then speculate some more. 

 

Ultimately if you really do not believe that foreigners will be allowed to receive vaccines in Thailand, what are you doing about it ???? 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

None.

 

 

Sorry that you don't understand my concern. They are clearly going to limit this to legal residents yet we don't know what the definition of legal resident is or what documents they will require.

Concern my mention of the proposal for an group embassy site where it was specifically mentioned that UNDEFINED documents would be needed from either our embassies or provincial public health authorities. That makes no sense! Again our passports show whether we are here legally or not.

[CharlieH]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I suspect we are going to have to prove legal residence and it's my strong suspicion at this point in time that their rules are probably going to explode many expats that shouldn't be excluded. We shall see.

 

Just as many currently do under the various visa extensions. The items listed previously cover most scenarios. Those here legitimately I woukd suggest will have no issue.

Perhaps you are looking for problems where none currently exist, and until they do, its really quite pointless, IMHO.

[Sheryl]

13 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sorry that you don't understand my concern. They are clearly going to limit this to legal residents yet we don't know what the definition of legal resident is or what documents they will require.

Concern my mention of the proposal for an group embassy site where it was specifically mentioned that UNDEFINED documents would be needed from either our embassies or provincial public health authorities. That makes no sense! Again our passports show whether we are here legally or not.

Not only is it not clear that they will limit it to legal residents, they have been immunizing foreigners who are here illegally for over 4 months now under Phase 1

 

They cannot control the epidemic without doing so and they know this.

 

Stop spreading rumors.

[CharlieH]

To avoid rumors and any further possible scaremongering

 

This topic is now CLOSED.