FILE PHOTO: An empty hotel and beach which have opened for visitors is seen in Karon, Phuket Island, Thailand March 31, 2021. Picture taken March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand expects to offer the Moderna vaccine to most of its population soon as it steps up the rollout of its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, a health official said on Saturday.

 

The latest drive comes amid growing public criticism of the slow rollout of free vaccinations offered by the government, which stands at 1.73 million shots so far - less than 1% of its population.

 

Health authorities have yet to start mass vaccinations even as the tourism-reliant country struggles with a third wave of infections.

 

The government expects 61 million shots of AstraZeneca to be produced locally from June. But these vaccinations and those from Moderna will not be offered free.

 

Moderna last month applied for vaccine registration in Thailand, which should be approved soon, said Withoon Danwiboon, head of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.

 

"What we expect from Moderna is its commitment on how soon they will bring in their vaccine," he said.

 

India's Bharat Biotech has started the application process for vaccine registration while China's Sinopharm has yet to apply, he said.

 

Thailand has so far approved the vaccines of Sinovac Biotech, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thailand would try to secure more vaccines, on top of existing orders of about 65 million.

 

"Our current target is for 100 million doses of vaccines, but Thailand should have 150 million doses or more," he posted on his Facebook page on Saturday.

 

Thailand's latest outbreak has been exacerbated by the highly transmissible UK coronavirus B.1.1.7 variant, leading to more than 52,000 infections and 288 fatalities in just over five weeks.

 

On Saturday, 2,419 new coronavirus cases were reported, with 19 new deaths.

 

($1 = 31.04 baht)

 

(Reporting by Orathai Sriring and Panarat ThepgumpanatEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-09

 

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I plan to get vaccinated again, even though I have had 2 jabs of Moderna. Getting a different type of vaccine later this year may both extend my immunity and give me wider protection against future mutations. 

 

Or I might die from the combination. 

9 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thailand would try to secure more vaccines, on top of existing orders of about 65 million.

 

Impressive how fast he's working... ????

1 minute ago, RotBenz8888 said:

14 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thailand would try to secure more vaccines, on top of existing orders of about 65 million.

Impressive how fast he's working... 

A studious little beaver.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-wants-covid-vaccine-patent-waiver-benefit-world-not-boost-china-biotech-2021-05-08/

28 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Health authorities have yet to start mass vaccinations even as the tourism-reliant country struggles with a third wave of infections.

 

The government expects 61 million shots of AstraZeneca to be produced locally from June. But these vaccinations and those from Moderna will not be offered free.

Ah there is the rub.  I was waiting on this little morsel of information.  Yes everyone will be vaccinated, but then you must pay for it.  Thank you for the options now.  I will not pay for Sinovac, or even AZ, but if I must pay then bring in all of the vaccines and let me choose my poison.  The WHO and the rest of the world still have not even approved SINOVAC as a vaccine, yet Thailand is pumping it into bodies, well at least a million so far.

18 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Impressive how fast he's working... ????

Yep he has been at it almost a year in buying vaccines up, well at least he claims to be, but the proof is in the pudding as my grandmother would say.

"Moderna last month applied for vaccine registration in Thailand, which should be approved soon, said Withoon Danwiboon, head of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization."

 

What are they waiting for?

30 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thailand would try to secure more vaccines, on top of existing orders of about 65 million.

 

"Our current target is for 100 million doses of vaccines, but Thailand should have 150 million doses or more," he posted on his Facebook page on Saturday.

Is he going to be praying for more vaccine too?

 

"Prayuth’s government is promoting a prayer session at Buddhist temples and online on May 11, in the stated hope that it bring people peace of mind and help them get through the coronavirus crisis together."

 

source: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/05/08/govt-wants-to-buy-more-vaccines-as-surge-worsens/  

Someone lit a fire under his posterior.

 

 

 

 

in his yesterday statement he did not mention moderna import.

but they have applied in middle of match, so some 2 months ago.

 

also his figures jump all over. First he was sure 63mln, later 100mln, yesterday 120mln, but on fb 150mln.

He is truly trump copycat

Dragging their feet until the home grown version is ready  for SALE.

44 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

I plan to get vaccinated again, even though I have had 2 jabs of Moderna. Getting a different type of vaccine later this year may both extend my immunity and give me wider protection against future mutations. 

 

Or I might die from the combination. 

This is beign assessed at the moment - if you can mix and match. I think it will become a yearly dose over time, for a few years al least. There are variants, and it will take tweaking of the vaccine to deal with them. But what we have so far, it seems most of the varients are not escaping their effect. 

"The government expects 61 million shots of AstraZeneca to be produced locally from June. But these vaccinations and those from Moderna will not be offered free."

 

Wow. Just wow.

 

The locally owned and locally produced COVID vaccine is going to charge Thai people to use it? 

 

They just slipped that in there when they thought no one was reading. This will come back to haunt them.

 

...but, but, but...

 

52 minutes ago, prism said:

"Moderna last month applied for vaccine registration in Thailand, which should be approved soon, said Withoon Danwiboon, head of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization."

 

What are they waiting for?

payola

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Ah there is the rub.  I was waiting on this little morsel of information.  Yes everyone will be vaccinated, but then you must pay for it.  Thank you for the options now.  I will not pay for Sinovac, or even AZ, but if I must pay then bring in all of the vaccines and let me choose my poison.  The WHO and the rest of the world still have not even approved SINOVAC as a vaccine, yet Thailand is pumping it into bodies, well at least a million so far.

I hope, and I think, that Reuters has its information wrong. Every other press release has stated that vaccines will be free.

 

 

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Our current target is for 100 million doses of vaccines, but Thailand should have 150 million doses or more

Did they put the guys from TAT in charge?

Thailand likes the words: should, expected , hope, targeting, soon, ... but unfortunately.... it takes very long to act quickly for  anything

Edited May 9, 20215 yr by ikke1959

Quote

The government expects 61 million shots of AstraZeneca to be produced locally from June. But these vaccinations and those from Moderna will not be offered free

I expect this statement where it says the AstraZeneca would not be free is incorrect.     

I'd buy it. Moderna is one of my favorites I would choose - if given the choice!

 

Smoke and mirrors through his famous lip service that means absolutely zilch. Stall tactics until SB making the AZ is probably able to kick out 90% of the 2 jabs needed. Anything this guy says you have to think exactly the opposite.

Bottom line....less than a million Thai people have been fully vaccinated...

 

that’s all you need to know how sorry shape their vaccination program is in...

 

nothing but words....

No thanks

1 hour ago, Pib said:

I expect this statement where it says the AstraZeneca would not be free is incorrect.     

I certainly hope it is incorrect, every government/country in the world that I know of is vaccinating its people free of charge, Thailand was chosen as the manufacturing/distribution centre for SEA, now they want to charge their people for a vaccine that they were given the permission to make and distribute on a non profit basis!!! If it's true then that is disgusting. ????????????

Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has been approved here for weeks, but there is never any mention of efforts to procure any.

J&J orders are never mentioned or listed in the government’s plans for importation. What is the reasoning behind approving a vaccine and then sitting on your hands and not buying any?

something is amiss.

3 hours ago, DLock said:

"The government expects 61 million shots of AstraZeneca to be produced locally from June. But these vaccinations and those from Moderna will not be offered free."

 

Wow. Just wow.

 

The locally owned and locally produced COVID vaccine is going to charge Thai people to use it? 

 

They just slipped that in there when they thought no one was reading. This will come back to haunt them.

 

...but, but, but...

 

They are not going to charge Thai citizens for AZ vaccine. The article was incorrect/misspoke.

 

Foreigners might be charged, this is still unclear.

 

And it is possible Moderna -- whenever it becomes available which is still an unknown - will be available only from private hospitals and at a fee. Possible, not decided. Not that Moderna is not even approved for use in Thailand yet.

I am not smart enough to make quantifiable decisions about what vaccine is best for me, I want my Doctor to have researched this subject and to recommend/advise me, based on a particular vaccine and me! I will take his advice whether such vaccine has to be paid for or not.

Yes, Thailand should have 150 million vaccines.  Why don't we?  Or, how about 15 million by now?  Just endless talk.  

4 hours ago, prism said:

"Moderna last month applied for vaccine registration in Thailand, which should be approved soon, said Withoon Danwiboon, head of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization."

 

What are they waiting for?

The launch of the new Mercedes s class ? ????

About bloody time!