Phuket Opinion: Pushed to the end of the line

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

PHUKET: If one thing is clear in Phuket today is how the island’s expat community is feeling extremely marginalized in the ongoing saga of when, where and how a foreigner in Phuket can be vaccinated for COVID-19, and likely rightly so.

 

The lack of information being delivered to expats is appalling. Natapanu Nopakun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information and Deputy Spokesman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, announced more than a week ago that foreigners will be able to register at the hospitals where they have their own health records kept, or at other designated facilities. Even that announcement came as tensions rose of anti-foreigner sentiment in Bangkok.

 

Since then there has not been one word of confidence from local officials that this will happen from officials in Phuket. It can’t be that hard, there are only nine hospitals on the island, and this is just for registering, not actually administering any injections. When foreigners in Phuket might actually receive a vaccination injection remains unsaid.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-opinion-pushed-to-the-end-of-the-line-80155.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-05-30

 

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[Deli]

AFAIK all foreigners with a WP can get the free Chinese jab. That's ok for the moment, though many will wait for quality stuff comng in. No benefits so far if not having it.

[Pattaya Spotter]

Is this really a pressing concern on an island with single digit daily cases? 

[MasterBaker]

is it Phuket only? c'mon, how many times this government already flip flopped on this issue?

[PETERTHEEATER]

Soon to be a major motion picture.......

[ukrules]

Phuket deserves everything it gets.

[brommers]

Oh, more moaning farangs! We chose to live here, we know that government is inherently racist, so deal with it. I am in no hurry to have the Chinese junk or the second rate alternative and will happily wait until I have a better option.

[fdsa]

2 hours ago, Deli said:

AFAIK all foreigners with a WP can get the free Chinese jab. That's ok for the moment, though many will wait for quality stuff comng in. No benefits so far if not having it.

I was offered a free vaccine for my WP but refused for the very reason you stated - I'll better wait for the quality stuff.

 

12 minutes ago, brommers said:

We chose to live here, we know that government is inherently racist, so deal with it.

this

[RobMuir]

3 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The lack of information being delivered to expats is appalling

 

I don't know about that. I think Phuket is one of the better provinces regarding looking after expats and with vaccinations.

What I find appalling is the self entitled Karens that for some reason think that we should be prioritised over the local citizens.

 

Harping on with non stop complaining isn't going to help the situation at all and I am embarrassed by this selfish attitude being displayed.

 

3 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

the island’s expat community is feeling extremely marginalized in the ongoing saga

Speak for yourself mate, everyone I know is quite relaxed and acknowledges that we are better off here than in our home countries.

 

3 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Even that announcement came as tensions rose of anti-foreigner sentiment in Bangkok.

Not something I have experienced but with entitled people carrying on all the time you could hardly blame them.

 

We are in a pandemic, the Thais have introduced special visa arrangements for us, will be vaccinating us and have kept us safer than if we were "back home".

 

People need to pull their heads in, harden up, stop carrying on trying to stir up trouble and wait their turn like everyone else. This behaviour is cringeworthy ANC disgraceful.

 

 

[sbf]

4 hours ago, RobMuir said:

4 hours ago, RobMuir said:

What I find appalling is the self entitled Karens that for some reason think that we should be prioritised over the local citizens.

Speak for yourself mate, everyone I know is quite relaxed and acknowledges that we are better off here than in our home countries.

And indeed you are of course also speaking for yourself and your home country. My home country has had almost no deaths ( less than 30 I believe ) and has organised an effective response to Covid 19 so far. There has not been the pressure to vaccinate because of high disease pressure that other countries have had and now the country is slowly vaccinating the entire population who want to be vaccinated with a quality Vaccine,  Pfizer. I note that this is being done for all present in the country, citizens, visitors whomsoever, strictly on the priorities worked out by the public health officials for at risk groups. My feeling is that this is a distinct point of difference with the Thai situation. 

 

I think that you are mistaken about expats wanting to jump to the front of the queue, rather they are complaining about being shoved to the back. 

[Somtamnication]

Good article, but no Thai govt official will read it, so there....

[beechbum]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

Phuket deserves everything it gets.

It's an article about people living in Phuket, if you don't like it then you know what you can do, but then again your probably to f'n stupid to get it.

[beechbum]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

Phuket deserves everything it gets.

Would hate for you to get cancer tomorrow....

[The Farang]

6 hours ago, RobMuir said:

 

I don't know about that. I think Phuket is one of the better provinces regarding looking after expats and with vaccinations.

What I find appalling is the self entitled Karens that for some reason think that we should be prioritised over the local citizens.

 

Harping on with non stop complaining isn't going to help the situation at all and I am embarrassed by this selfish attitude being displayed.

 

Speak for yourself mate, everyone I know is quite relaxed and acknowledges that we are better off here than in our home countries.

 

Not something I have experienced but with entitled people carrying on all the time you could hardly blame them.

 

We are in a pandemic, the Thais have introduced special visa arrangements for us, will be vaccinating us and have kept us safer than if we were "back home".

 

People need to pull their heads in, harden up, stop carrying on trying to stir up trouble and wait their turn like everyone else. This behaviour is cringeworthy ANC disgraceful.

 

 

Agreed.  If you're an expat living in Thailand you know how it is.  Remember this is not your country so don't expect another country to cater to you.  Many Thais have way worse than you in this pandemic.  If you don't like how you're being treated, leave.

[bkk2rob]

Perhaps Jonathan should show us the official numbers he has assembled that speak to this. Otherwise it's all just hearsay. Oh wait, I forgot, this is Phuket News, the tabloid of Phuket journalism. As more than one poster has said in as many words above "if you don't like the rules, leave."

[mlmcleod]

11 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

When foreigners in Phuket might actually receive a vaccination injection remains unsaid.

I suspect the delay is to encourage farangs to either leave Thailand or to encourage them to pay a hefty fee for their vaccine.  Originally, the PM stated that farangs would receive AZ just like he did.  However, the rumor mill says that SInovac is going to be administered to everyone anyway.

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

is it Phuket only? c'mon, how many times this government already flip flopped on this issue?

Same thing in my province west of Bangkok, went to the local government hospital to try to register in person, told to wait for government announcement later on foreigners.

I think the issue is there simply aren't enough of the vaccines to go around, so they are stalling the registration so as not to give out false appointments that can't be kept.

[hansgruber]

Bickering on the internet over stuff nobody wants. 

Spend your time enjoying the beaches whilst it's quiet. Go outside.