Pattaya: Huge numbers swamp sports stadium for first day of Sinovac vaccine

[webfact]

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

Sophon Cable TV reported on Facebook that large numbers of people had arrived unannounced  by 8 am yesterday for the first day of vaccination at the Eastern Seaboard sports stadium. 

 

They were hoping to vaccinate 3,965 people with Sinovac - part of a 20,000 dose batch for 10,000 frontline people. 

 

At 8am there were 250 people who had a queue number and 250 (the maximum) who had just arrived as walk-ins. 

 

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

Consequently the authorities there were swamped. 

 

Some posters on the story were positive, others critical of what transpired fearing the possibility of Covid infection while going along to be vaccinated. 

 

Dr Charnchai Limthongcharoen, deputy director at Bang Lamung Hospital urged people to register on Mor Prom beforehand. 

 

This vaccine rollout is a small lot of the Chinese vaccine before bigger supplies become available next month from Siam BioScience (AstraZeneca).

 

Other places where the vax is being done this week are three main Pattaya hospitals and in Pong District. 

 

Pattaya's mayor Sontaya Kunplome and Bang Lamung District Chief Wutisak Singhadecho were at the stadium yesterday. 

 

Sontaya put a brave face on the scene saying there had been some difficulties at the entrance to the stadium but that otherwise it had gone smoothly according to plan. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-21

 

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[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

This vaccine rollout is a small lot of the Chinese vaccine before bigger supplies become available next month from Siam BioScience (AstraZeneca).

How certain is this?

I hope it's not a prediction by our illustrious leader, or Big Nut.

[darksidedog]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

Some posters on the story were positive, others critical of what transpired fearing the possibility of Covid infection while going along to be vaccinated. 

To be honest I had expected to see an unruly mob of people gathered though from the photos, it seems at least some distancing was organised. However, had they ensured everyone booked in advance, the numbers present at any one time would have been lower, if appointments were scheduled throughout the day, rather than having everyone turn up at the same time.

[clivebaxter]

Good news then we NEED large numbers turning up and if organised properly it will not be a swamp. If they cannot cope with a mere 500 turning up they need to find people who can

[bluesofa]

27 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

To be honest I had expected to see an unruly mob of people gathered though from the photos, it seems at least some distancing was organised. However, had they ensured everyone booked in advance, the numbers present at any one time would have been lower, if appointments were scheduled throughout the day, rather than having everyone turn up at the same time.

Not if it's anything like the appointment system at our local government hospital. My wife has been attending a clinic there.

 

Everyone gets an appointment card. It will say either 08:00 or 13:30.

Everyone turning up for 'the' morning appointment has to get there early to be first in the queue for the 08:00 appointment.

We arrive at 06:30 to be in the first half-dozen for 08:00.

The doctor arrives at 09:30, by which time there will usually be 150+ 08:00 appointments in the queue (I've counted them while waiting).

 

Apart from that, it all works like a dream.

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by bluesofa
grammar

[nightfox]

Thai media is so confusing as just couple days ago didn't the prime minister put a halt on all walk in vaccine centers and another story last week was that Pattaya had no vaccines available till June?

Edited May 21, 2021 by nightfox

[sandyf]

10 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Everyone gets an appointment card. It will say either 08:00 or 13:30.

Everyone turning up for 'the' morning appointment has to get there early to be first in the queue for the 08:00 appointment.

We arrive at 06:30 to be in the first half-dozen for 08:00.

The doctor arrives at 09:30, by which time there will usually be 150+ 08:00 appointments in the queue (I've counted them while waiting).

Just like the way it was at my hospital, my wife ignored the appointment time saying they took the first first.

When they opened the new building the waiting room wasn't so large and they started to write your queue number on the appointment card. With the doctor arriving about 9.30 and a queue number in the 20s, fairly obvious you are not going to be seen before about 11am. The message got through and I have forgotten the last time I seen the waiting room more than half full even with the distancing. Not long ago I had to do a walk in appointment, got seen just before they shut for lunch about the longest wait ever.

The blood test is different, that is first come first served. That is 2 tier, you get a number and have to wait downstairs until your number comes up on the screen, then you can go to the waiting room at hematology.

It is a bit of a catch 22, about 2 hours for the results and see the doctor irrespective of queue number. Go early and see the doctor on time, or go late and get blood straight away then wait for the doctor.

[ben2talk]

Thai organization is amazing.

Register first - but that's not really a working system, or maybe the system is designed to filter people out.

Get appointments - right, when I go to hospital I have to schedule 2 hours for local private, or all day for a Thai hospital...

e.g. appointment 1pm, turn up 11am for test, wait - 1pm still not starting my doctor's queue - maybe start 1.30 and wait until 3pm to see him, then another 2 or 3 hours to get medicine and pay the bill.

Appointments are notoriously ridiculous, and people aren't really expected to turn up on time - they're expected (normal Thai culture) to wake up stupid early and turn up stupid early and wait wait wait.

 

[Thomas J]

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

LHS Thais.......RHS farangs.....?

[smedly]

considering that it takes 4 weeks before any of these vaccines start to offer limited protection these vaccine centers could easily turn into "Super Spreader" centers and over the coming weeks have the opposite effect intended. 

[champers]

Good news for the food vendors parked outside. 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

This vaccine rollout is a small lot of the Chinese vaccine before bigger supplies become available next month from Siam BioScience (AstraZeneca).

Let them have the Sinovac, while I'm not overly chuffed with AZ I will take it as the only other option.

[CLW]

Didn't PM Prayuth cancel all walk-ins two days ago?

This whole vaccination drive is becoming a farce....

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

To be honest I had expected to see an unruly mob of people gathered though from the photos, it seems at least some distancing was organised. However, had they ensured everyone booked in advance, the numbers present at any one time would have been lower, if appointments were scheduled throughout the day, rather than having everyone turn up at the same time.

Same as an Thai appointment time.

Appointment 8.00 Am in a Hospital, and have to wait all day with a Hundred or more others with the same appointment time.

20 at  08.00, 20 at 10.00 and so on  not an option.

[Golden Triangle]

I watch TMN News every morning, it's supposed to start at 09.30hrs but not always ???? 

 

Anyway, they had a video shot at the Pattaya indoor arena this morning, the best word to describe it would be a ZOO, literally 100's of people with no appointment turned up to get a jab, social distancing didn't exist, people crowding around officials trying to get in the queue, why the hell they didn't have police or whatever at the main gate turning away people with no appointment, if I read it right then they have sufficient jabs for an additional 250 people (walk ins) 

 

It should be the first 250 let in, then unless you have an appointment you get turned away at the main gate and told to either make an appointment or come back tomorrow, what is wrong with the morons running this sh!t show ?? 

 

I believe if you Google TMN News you will see the video, I couldn't copy a link maybe someone with better IT skills can copy & paste the video.

 

Rant over ????

Edited May 21, 2021 by Golden Triangle
Extra info

[Gandtee]

7 hours ago, nightfox said:

Thai media is so confusing as just couple days ago didn't the prime minister put a halt on all walk in vaccine centers and another story last week was that Pattaya had no vaccines available till June?

You ting too mut.????

[rwill]

Half the seats are empty.  They must of been swamped.

[mrfill]

But the Thaivisa expert halfwits kept banging on about how no-one wants the Sinovac vaccine. How do they explain these 'huge numbers' now?

 

I guess it must be all the bleach they drink.

[Golden Triangle]

57 minutes ago, rwill said:

Half the seats are empty.  They must of been swamped.

Did you see the video ?

[Golden Triangle]

52 minutes ago, mrfill said:

But the Thaivisa expert halfwits kept banging on about how no-one wants the Sinovac vaccine. How do they explain these 'huge numbers' now?

 

I guess it must be all the bleach they drink.

That's because it's the only vaccine they are being given at the moment & as most are currently unemployed they can't afford to be choosy.

[Damrongsak]

2 hours ago, rwill said:

Half the seats are empty.  They must of been swamped.

Half the seats are full.

 

[realfunster]

11 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Not if it's anything like the appointment system at our local government hospital. My wife has been attending a clinic there.

 

Everyone gets an appointment card. It will say either 08:00 or 13:30.

Everyone turning up for 'the' morning appointment has to get there early to be first in the queue for the 08:00 appointment.

We arrive at 06:30 to be in the first half-dozen for 08:00.

The doctor arrives at 09:30, by which time there will usually be 150+ 08:00 appointments in the queue (I've counted them while waiting).

 

Apart from that, it all works like a dream.

 

 

 

That is such a spot-on observation. A reflection of a society retarded by perceived status/class/caste issues and broadly without a care for doing anything that might improve efficiency.

 

The plebs (who pay their salaries) shalt turn up hours in advance (wasting tens of thousands of man hours across the country every single day...) and subserviently doff their caps when the good doctor/government officer/immigration officer etc deigns to spend their valuable time with you.

 

Really quite amazing how people put up with it and how public servants are put on such a very high pedestal here. Mind you, I do see them as part of the overall bureaucracy/political system which so often fails Thailand, yet is quite happy with their own situation.

 

Amazingly, I've even had that style of queueing system at private hospitals as a paying customer.....only once though, as I never returned.

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, mrfill said:

But the Thaivisa expert halfwits kept banging on about how no-one wants the Sinovac vaccine. How do they explain these 'huge numbers' now?

 

I guess it must be all the bleach they drink.

 

There is no choice of vaccine at the moment.  

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Anyway, they had a video shot at the Pattaya indoor arena this morning, the best word to describe it would be a ZOO, literally 100's of people with no appointment turned up to get a jab, social distancing didn't exist, people crowding around officials trying to get in the queue, why the hell they didn't have police or whatever at the main gate turning away people with no appointment, if I read it right then they have sufficient jabs for an additional 250 people (walk ins) 

Because a problem has to be seen (2 or 3 times) before it is acted upon here.  Proactive is not in the vocabulary. The same happened at Immigration when Covid Extensions were offered, and also when the free food was being offered. I may be a fool, but I am staying home for a spell until the rush cools and organization starts to become apparent. Maybe then a civilized trip to BHP for a few thousand baht. 

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, mrfill said:

But the Thaivisa expert halfwits kept banging on about how no-one wants the Sinovac vaccine. How do they explain these 'huge numbers' now?

 

I guess it must be all the bleach they drink.

They were all Thais.... no TVF halfwit expats were there !!!

Thais can have the Sinovac.