Thailand’s AstraZeneca plan stumbles again as third wave rises

[webfact]

A medical staff member injects a dose of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine into the arm of a man from the Klong Toey community at a school in Bangkok on May 4, 2021. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

 

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

In October last year, the government chose the AstraZeneca vaccine as its main weapon against COVID-19. However, arming itself with AstraZeneca shots has proved difficult, and it now looks like the shortage will last longer than expected.

 

This week, top government figures stopped assuring the Thai public that millions of doses would be ready when mass vaccination starts in less than two weeks on June 7.

 

And on Wednesday, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) suspended the country’s main jab-booking platform, Mor Prom, on the pretext that other apps had been launched to respond to the fast-changing situation. CCSA promised that people who had already made Mor Prom bookings would get their jabs but stayed silent on whether this would be on their chosen date and locations.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-astrazeneca-plan-stumbles-again-as-third-wave-rises/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-05-27

 

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[Denim]

Anutin and Prayuth have a master plan to cover this situation.

 

They are going to treat the public like mushrooms.

 

Keeping them in the dark and feeding them on BS.

[RotBenz8888]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

stopped assuring 

By now, I think most sane people are a bit skeptic to their "assurances"... 

[Enzian]

"it now looks like the shortage will last longer than expected."

Longer than expected by whom? Anyone who has expectations here needs their head examined.

[mtls2005]

"Stumbles".

 

That's being very, very generous.

 

 

A coin-toss would be more accurate and reliable than this regime.

 

 

I mean I thought that the trains would run on time with this sort of "government"?

 

Efficient, no corruption, military-like precision and leadership. Oops.

 

 

Another example of the failure of nepotism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[foreverlomsak]

8 minutes ago, Denim said:

Anutin and Prayuth have a master plan to cover this situation.

 

They are going to treat the public like mushrooms.

 

Keeping them in the dark and feeding them on BS.

while they act like ostriches with their heads in the sand themselves.

 

the PM will have another master plan, pass the buck onto Anutin and sack him.

[Pattaya Spotter]

[T]he Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) suspended the country’s main jab-booking platform, Mor Prom...CCSA promised that people who had already made Mor Prom bookings would get their jabs but stayed silent on whether this would be on their chosen date and locations.

 

All the members who were banging on for weeks because they couldn't register for a jab on the Mor Prom app ????????????

Edited May 27, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[madmitch]

9 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

while they act like ostriches with their heads in the sand themselves.

 

the PM will have another master plan, pass the buck onto Anutin and sack him.

Anutin might have been sacked long ago but his party is vital to Prayut therefore the man is untouchable.

[Dmaxdan]

The phrase "They couldn't organize a booze up in a brewery" springs to mind.

[DLock]

That's odd, because just 5 hours ago, Anutin had this to say...

 

"The Thai government is expecting to receive AstraZeneca vaccine locally produced by Siam Bioscience for its mass vaccination campaign starting on 7th June. Mr Anutin said AstraZeneca is obliged to source the vaccine from other manufacturers to fulfill the order of the Thai government, should the local plant fail to make the expected delivery."

 

Bighead may be in for a serious fall soon. The confidence in SB and AZ seems to be waning on many fronts.

 

If SB miss June and don't deliver the 6-10million, and AZ cannot source from elsewhere, Thailand will find themselves in a real pickle with only Sinovac to fall back on.

 

This could get really interesting really fast.

 

 

[clivebaxter]

So SiamBioscience was a wrong choice then? and no plan B, apart from various claims of ordering vaccines but with no details of delivery dates. 

[edwinchester]

As this farce rolls ever onwards one would hope that all charges previously aimed at Thanathorn merely for raising his concerns about the Thai Govts vaccine strategy will be dropped.

[mtls2005]

2 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

As this farce rolls ever onwards one would hope that all charges previously aimed at Thanathorn merely for raising his concerns about the Thai Govts vaccine strategy will be dropped.

 

Prosecutors were said to drop those charges back towards the end of March. But this is Thailand, old charges can be revived, and new charges fashioned out of thin air. There is always a law or three which can be applied to an individual.

[Phuketshrew]

40 minutes ago, DLock said:

Mr Anutin said AstraZeneca is obliged to source the vaccine from other manufacturers to fulfill the order of the Thai government, should the local plant fail to make the expected delivery."

Is this really true? AZ have a contract that they will have to stump up vaccines due to the the ineptitude of the Thai administration? ... I doubt it.

[Gold Star]

Perhaps they can now get on to end this pandemic in Thailand by stepping out of the way and providing the options of Pfizer and Moderna.

Sinovac and AZ will keep someone from getting seriously ill, but it won't stop continued infections.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Chulabhorn Institute has been given sweeping powers late last night.

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/27937/chulabhorn-institute-given-sweeping-healthcare-powers-in-late-night-announcement/

[Cake Monster]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

This week, top government figures stopped assuring the Thai public that millions of doses would be ready when mass vaccination starts in less than two weeks on June 7.

And all week we have a stream of Tosh from Anutin stating the AZ vaccine would be on time Etc Etc.

Maybe he is not a top Government Figure any longer.

If not , why not ?

[poskat]

if only these clowns got their kickbacks based on the number of vaccines given rather than bought (sinovac) or produced (AZ).

[sathornlover]

1 hour ago, DLock said:

That's odd, because just 5 hours ago, Anutin had this to say...

 

"The Thai government is expecting to receive AstraZeneca vaccine locally produced by Siam Bioscience for its mass vaccination campaign starting on 7th June. Mr Anutin said AstraZeneca is obliged to source the vaccine from other manufacturers to fulfill the order of the Thai government, should the local plant fail to make the expected delivery."

 

 

If BS can't deliver anywhere near the promised quantity, and frankly I can't imagine any other scenario, then we can also conclude that the other 8 countries in SEA that are supposed to benefit from this deal have a similar problem.

 

As already known, the Thai contract manufacturer BS is supposed to produce a total of 200 million dosess year for this region as a whole.

Personally, I do not have the confidence of the Health Minister that AZ will be filling the "unexpected" shortfall in Thailand under other 8 countries involved from other sources.

 

The EU can tell you a thing or two about how reliably AZ fulfils its contractual obligations "with best efforts" ...

 

[internationalism]

a few days ago some health ministry employee said that only less than 3mln AZ will be available in june.

That's why prayuth got many millions of sinovac, they are already coming

[wensiensheng]

12 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Chulabhorn Institute has been given sweeping powers late last night.

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/27937/chulabhorn-institute-given-sweeping-healthcare-powers-in-late-night-announcement/

This might be an interesting development.

[connda]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

However, arming itself with AstraZeneca shots has proved difficult, and it now looks like the shortage will last longer than expected.

And yet the construction tycoon turned Heath Minister assures the public and press that there is no shortage of vaccines and everything is right on schedule.  You can find the articles in the TV Thai News section. 
Explain why this guy continually states claims in direct opposition to the current facts.
Then, he and others whing that they don't understand why the public doesn't trust them.  As well they don't understand why the public is "vaccine hesitant" when their so-call leaders can't be completely honest with them.
The more their "leaders" twist and turn while attempting to patch up short term screw-up to save face, then more these inept <deleted> lose the long-term confidence of every average person in Thailand.

The people at the top simply can not be trusted.  Every day the regional epidemic continues the more this becomes painfully obvious.

Edited May 27, 2021 by connda

[edwinchester]

40 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Prosecutors were said to drop those charges back towards the end of March. But this is Thailand, old charges can be revived, and new charges fashioned out of thin air. There is always a law or three which can be applied to an individual.

Last I read was on 30th March in an article that said he had been charged over the vaccine video.

[sathornlover]

15 minutes ago, internationalism said:

a few days ago some health ministry employee said that only less than 3mln AZ will be available in june.

That's why prayuth got many millions of sinovac, they are already coming

However, this will not compensate for the shortfall, because AZ originally reserved the 6 million for the elderly and people at risk. 

 

In the meantime, however, Phuket and other holiday destinations are to be supplied with an alleged herd immunity in 1-2 months.
And by the way, the whole of BMA and other hotspots are also to be vaccinated to 70 % in this short period.

 

Even if BS could consistently deliver the announced quantities over the months, the question should be asked as to how this is possible ...

 

[connda]

1 hour ago, DLock said:

Mr Anutin said AstraZeneca is obliged to source the vaccine from other manufacturers to fulfill the order of the Thai government, should the local plant fail to make the expected delivery."

Mr. Anutin knows he has painted himself into a corner with his promises and assertions that vaccines are plentiful.

When he makes statements about "contracts" with AstraZeneca and that AZ will need to step up and fulfill "contractual" orders if Siam Bioscience fails to produce, what he is doing is setting the stage to save his own bacon. 
When this house of cards folds on June 7th he'll be jumping up and down in feigned consternation loudly blaming AstraZeneca for the failure to fulfill their "contracts."  <pulls ass out of frying pan>

Yeah, I may be wrong.  I may see pigs flying overhead in the twilight migrating to the North tonight at sunset.

[Gecko123]

"I got a bad feeling on this one"

[Sheryl]

This makes  3 days of announcements each completely contradicting the statements of the previous day.

 

Anyone want to place wagers on how many days straight this will keep up?

 

 

[Disparate Dan]

40 minutes ago, sathornlover said:

The EU can tell you a thing or two about how reliably AZ fulfils its contractual obligations "with best efforts" ...

Exactly. AZ is in court in Europe trying to fend off punitive fines (EUR10/dose) for delays in delivering 300m doses, which it now does not expect to fulfil much before December.

 

Perhaps that delay is because they have dropped everything to attend to the wishes of Uncle and Anutin?

 

Or could it be that Thailand is at the back of that queue, looking at 2022 or even 2023 for delivery in the vacuum created by Siam BS (what an apt name...)?

[internationalism]

Chulabhorn Royal Academy will be selling imported Covilo Sinopharm. Some money to be made?

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001346

Edited May 27, 2021 by internationalism

[Pottinger]

Looks like there might be a good old behind-the-scenes Thai power struggle kicking off.