US expats plead for vaccine help in viral Thailand

[mberbae]

Most posts have missed the point entirely.

The US Government is NOT vaccinating US

Citizens in Thailand for the Simple reason it

has NOT been given permission to do so by

the Thai Government. My Australian neighbor

was told the Same when she called Her Embassy

in Bangkok last week.

Only the CHINESE have been allowed to vaccinate

its citizens here.

[Thomas J]

2 minutes ago, shortstop2 said:

Worst USA foreign policy move from my personal perspective was giving the Philippines independence.  Would be nice if I could use Medicare in the Philippines.   The Guam option doesn't seem to appealing but I should find out more about living in Guam

I "think" there is some catch up for premiums not paid.  However I don't know how that is calculated.  I was paying about $150 per month for plan B and kept it after moving to Thailand thinking the same as you that is was cheap insurance should I ever have to go back for medical treatment.  When it got bumped to $600 I cancelled it thinking for $7,200 per year it would be more likely that I could get medical care here in Thailand for less than the $7,200 for 1 year.  I am now on my third year so my care in a Thai hospital would have to exceed $21,600 for me to lose out and that does not include my costs to fly back to the USA and be domiciled there for some period of time. 

[RocketDog]

3 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

 I know that Medicare Part B is optional.  I dropped it because one year I took a large 401(k) distribution and it pushed my Medicare Part B premium to almost $600 per month.  

I don't know about what happens if you reinstate it.  I heard they boost the premium.  However now I am strictly on social security income so I don't know how that calculation is figured since the Part B premium is based on your income. 

If you don't enroll in Part B and Part D drug plan when you start taking social security, you are penalized with higher premiums for life, around 30% more if I remember.

 

I was self-employed most of my adult life and didn't have (or need thankfully) any health insurance until I was 56. For the next ten years I had insurance from my employer.

 

When I retired I enrolled in Medicare and bought a supplemental plan as well, which I pay for monthly despite living here for the last five years. Recently I bought Pacific Cross insurance for two reasons : I needed it for my Non OA retirement extension and I needed it because Medicare doesn't cover me in Thailand of course.

I can afford all this insurance and figure by skating with none for so many decades my amortized costs over 71 years are still low. I gambled and won but don't want to gamble any more; time catches up with all of us eventually.

[placnx]

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

"It's a pandemic dear.

They could if they wanted to add a temporary new item to the price list.  

Covid19 vaccine."

 

1) I am not a dear

2) So you would wait in line to enter the Embassy on Wireless Road and pay 3000 to 5000 Baht for a vaccine and come back 3 or 4 weeks later and do it again?  Both Pifizer and Moderna require 2 doses(Pfizer 3 weeks apart and Moderna 4 weeks apart).  J&J (the one dose vaccine) is limited in supply.  

 

The minute some Americans are told the Covid 19 Vaccine is not free at an Embassy some might blow a gasket and cry discrimination?  

 

Always a "Catch 22' when it comes to pleasing us Americans.  

 

 

 

It would be nice if you would do as everyone else, and push the QUOTE + so that readers could go back to see the context which you are quoting from, rather than the snippet that you cherrypick. I think that jingthing said this. In another post, he/she also suggested using the single-done J&J vaccine.

[10baht]

7 hours ago, starky said:

Well said. Thanks. If American citizens are that concerned for their safety in this country then naturally they should leave.

It is not about getting a free shot- it is about the deplorable way the Embassy is not helping in this crisis. You are missing the point. What if next time it is a genocide issue, and that is not in there little book of instruction?

[Eric Loh]

21 minutes ago, placnx said:

In February this sob story about US diplomats unable to get vaccinated appeared in Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/state-department-coronavirus-vaccine-diplomats/2021/02/17/ec507e84-70d5-11eb-a4eb-44012a612cf9_story.html

While it's ancient history, the part about US diplomats getting anal swabs in China provides a bit of irony for the rest of us. The complaints about another agency, HHS, controlling the vaccines may have been enough to get the whole lot serviced by April.

HHS moved a whole lot faster after Biden's appointment for Secretary HHS Xavier Becerra was appointed on March 19,2021. His Assistant Surgoen General DR Vivek Murthy came in with lots of past experience. Sharp contrast with the HHS team prior. Meanwhile, vaccination for expats in China started in April. As one US expat put it "we're not vaccine snobs here, we just take what we get". Mostly Chinese vaccines with no complaint.  

[Thomas J]

6 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

If you don't enroll in Part B and Part D drug plan when you start taking social security, you are penalized with higher premiums for life, around 30% more if I remember.

My situation is a bit different.  I did start part B when I started to take social security and had it for several years.  I stopped when I took a large distribution from my 401(k) and my Part B premium jumped from $150 to about $600 a month.  

So now I did enroll in Part B at the time of starting social security but I don't know the adjustment for a person who stops it and then starts again.   Again, given Social Security covers zero in Thailand it is preferable to use the Part B savings to buy an insurance policy here. 

[placeholder]

13 minutes ago, mberbae said:

Most posts have missed the point entirely.

The US Government is NOT vaccinating US

Citizens in Thailand for the Simple reason it

has NOT been given permission to do so by

the Thai Government. My Australian neighbor

was told the Same when she called Her Embassy

in Bangkok last week.

Only the CHINESE have been allowed to vaccinate

its citizens here.

The Chinese are not vaccinating their citizens. Their citizens are being vaccinated by the Thai public health system. The Chinese made a deal that in return for an excess amount of vaccine via a donation, its citizens could jump to the head of the line and be vaccinated.

[Caldera]

Interesting one. I don't generally think that distributing vaccines to expats is an embassy's duty. But this isn't a normal situation, and there's also a political angle, as China is vaccinating Chinese people abroad. Do we really want them to be seen as more caring?

[10baht]

7 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Last time I checked the US Embassy does not provide vaccination or any other medical services.

Last time I checked the world was not in the grips of a pandemic. And I believe someone said similar things but invading Europe before D-Day. 

[placnx]

54 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

"the vaccination czar will no doubt take care of all this, once orders come from the top. 5555

 

Seriously, I wish that you would offer serious reasoning instead of straw man argumentation."

 

"Straw Man" argument?  Your opinion.  Really can't argue against an opinion.  

 

Michael G. DeSombre, who coauthored the WSJ article, is currently an ambassador without a posting.  I wonder who might be angling for the possible of the upcoming State Department Position of Overseas American Vaccination Czar? Ok.  I am being sarcastic but stranger things have happened.  Just look at who the current "Climate Czar" is?  Career Diplomats are good at one thing: Lobbying for their next appointment and in some cases creating their next position.  Not saying this is going to happen but "sometimes truth is stranger than fiction".  Worked on several State Department Contracts and was never impressed with any of the DOS career types. 

 

Mr Zients is the vaccination czar. 

[Thomas J]

5 hours ago, oslooskar said:

if the U.S. can send aid to India to combat Covid-19 then it has no excuse for not making vaccines available to its own citizens living abroad.

No question the mindset was better 70 years ago when Americans didn't think they were "entitled" to everything.  

Need I remind those who make choices - There are consequences to those decisions. 

Borrow money for Student Loans - You are required to pay them back
Drop out of school because it is hard - You may find your choices of jobs is limited
Have unprotected sex with a prostitute - You may get HIV

Move to a foreign country because you desire it - You may not get the same benefits as those who chose to stay in the USA.  

[bkkcanuck8]

6 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Interesting one. I don't generally think that distributing vaccines to expats is an embassy's duty. But this isn't a normal situation, and there's also a political angle, as China is vaccinating Chinese people abroad. Do we really want them to be seen as more caring?

Yes, the US should be more like China...????

[RocketDog]

6 hours ago, jippytum said:

I'm a long term resident and in the 'high risk ' group .I am prepared to wait until the vaccine of my choice is available and so are most of my friends in the same age group.The yanks sound like a load of wimps

And then there are the non-Americans whinging about the Americans whinging.

 

Guess what. From a distance they sound the same.

[placnx]

24 minutes ago, mberbae said:

Most posts have missed the point entirely.

The US Government is NOT vaccinating US

Citizens in Thailand for the Simple reason it

has NOT been given permission to do so by

the Thai Government. My Australian neighbor

was told the Same when she called Her Embassy

in Bangkok last week.

Only the CHINESE have been allowed to vaccinate

its citizens here.

This embassy excuse seems dodgy.

[placeholder]

25 minutes ago, mberbae said:

Most posts have missed the point entirely.

The US Government is NOT vaccinating US

Citizens in Thailand for the Simple reason it

has NOT been given permission to do so by

the Thai Government. My Australian neighbor

was told the Same when she called Her Embassy

in Bangkok last week.

Only the CHINESE have been allowed to vaccinate

its citizens here.

Technically speaking, I don't know if Thailand has the authority to do that. Under international law, the US Embassy is United States territory. I don't know what the rules would be for items brought in under diplomatic rules. It also seems strange to me that the Thais would want to antagonize the USA unnecessarily. 

[bkkcanuck8]

18 minutes ago, 10baht said:

It is not about getting a free shot- it is about the deplorable way the Embassy is not helping in this crisis. You are missing the point. What if next time it is a genocide issue, and that is not in there little book of instruction?

It is not the function of the Embassy.  If you were arrested, the most they will do is pressure the government to have a fair trial (if there is a question) and provide you a list of (unvetted) lawyers that provide services to foreigners. 

 

If there there is an 'emergency' straw-man genocidal destabilization, they will try to organize emergency transportation out of the country.  It will then likely transit through Germany (military base) where if you require emergency medical -- they will triage you and possibly debrief you.  You will then be transported back to the United States mainland.  Not all people will accept emergency transport out of the country because the US government may require reimbursement for such services (which will definitely not be cheap).

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

It is not the function of the Embassy.  If you were arrested, the most they will do is pressure the government to have a fair trial (if there is a question) and provide you a list of (unvetted) lawyers that provide services to foreigners. 

 

If there there is an 'emergency' straw-man genocidal destabilization, they will try to organize emergency transportation out of the country.  It will then likely transit through Germany (military base) where if you require emergency medical -- they will triage you and possibly debrief you.  You will then be transported back to the United States mainland.  Not all people will accept emergency transport out of the country because the US government may require reimbursement for such services (which will definitely not be cheap).

It is currently not the function of the Embassy. If the authorities in Washington decide that it is now the function of the embassy, then it will be. These rules aren't set in stone. Not even in law.

[mtls2005]

The CCSA spokesman mentioned that the MFA has started some efforts with the Vaccine Swap program. He also mentioned the U.S. in his list of potential swap partners.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001471

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought a vaccine swap arrangement with other countries in addition to the Covax Facility, such as Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Australia, the United States and South Korea, and the Thai proposal is under consideration, he said. Some countries, such as Australia and South Korea, have already informed that they are still facing a shortage of vaccines in their countries, the spokesman said.

 

 

If there is a swap with the U.S. hopefully a portion would be administered by the Thai government to U.S. ex-pats.

[bkkcanuck8]

2 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Technically speaking, I don't know if Thailand has the authority to do that. Under international law, the US Embassy is United States territory. I don't know what the rules would be for items brought in under diplomatic rules. It also seems strange to me that the Thais would want to antagonize the USA unnecessarily. 

You would never be vaccinated on embassy grounds... there are multiple issues with it.  They would have to transport the vaccine here, and according to my sister (posted to an embassy in eastern Europe) it would be problematic transporting controlled substances (i.e. unapproved vaccine or vaccine outside of normal in country channels).  If the embassy were to violate the countries sovereignty and smuggle in the vaccine through diplomatic pouch, she does not even know if there is any that would handle the required cryogenic storage temperatures required for such vaccines.   So yes, the embassy is on sovergeign US territory, but it is still in a sovereign country.   Then of course, although COVID vaccines are safer than COVID itself, it will never be 100% safe as  there will always have a small percentage of people that may have adverse effects.  I don't know of any Embassy that has their own medical hospital on grounds, and injecting someone with an unregistered or unapproved drug would have both potential diplomatic consequences as well as not having the medical facilities to handle such cases, so the local hospitals should have the information available  ahead of time (be aware of it) to handle such cases.  Because of that fact there will be a larger number of people at risk than normal.

[stuandjulie]

8 hours ago, ThaiFelix said:

Proof in  just one sentence!  Unbelievable!

Surprised you dont advocate the bombing of Thailand if US nationals are not vaxxed first.....protecting US (greedy) interests of course.

The won't bomb Thailand, no oil to 'liberate' ????

[sqwakvfr]

Mr. DeSombre would become the “overseas vaccination Czar”.  

[sqwakvfr]

Yes sir I will get right on that.  Anything you would like me to do?

[GinBoy2]

Anyone who is that concerned, get on a plane and stop off at the nearest Safeway and get a shot.

 

I suspect 50% of the whiners belong to the "I'm against big government" brigade.

 

Now's the time to step up and prove you believe in that.

 

....Oh but wait a minute, that only applies to 'other' people!

[placeholder]

15 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Mr. DeSombre would become the “overseas vaccination Czar”.  

Only if you believe that Donald Trump is still President.

[koratkarlos]

I am American.  I don't expect vaccine help from the US but it would be nice.  I worry about vaccination here and it may get worse.  

 

Next month when I pay my US taxes I would feel better knowing that the US stills cares about us expat patriots.  I agree with Mike K.  If the US can vaccinate the Koream army maybe they could cover our backs too.  Thank you Uncle Sam.

[ThaiFelix]

8 hours ago, RocketDog said:

Anybody receiving USA social security payments and Medicare pays taxes on it.

Minimum Medicare payment (taken from your SSA stipend) is around $105/month if income is minimal, more for higher incomes. From the beginning of the vaccinations they were free to Medicare recipients in America but not expats abroad. So we paid for it but don't get it, as with Medicare itself except when I'm home. Don't forget inheritance tax either. Americans are subject to taxes on income for life, regardless of where they live and earn money. Only two countries in the world are like this.

 

In that case I wouid guess most Americans here pay, or are subject to, taxes; I certainly do.

 

That said, I'm enough of a realist not to expect much from my government beyond increasing taxes/ inflation/ property taxes/ bureaucracy, and decreasing police protection and social services, all reasons that I'm here.

 

I fully expect to dodge the virus in semi-quarantine until I can get and pay for a REAL vaccine here, probably near year end.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

Its the same with my Australian government.  Because I'm an expat I am not entitled to any services, no health care, pension refused etc but still want their pound of flesh in taxes from a rental property I still have there and tax on money I may earn here?? 

[Ginner]

11 hours ago, AndyFoxy said:

Hard luck. They aren’t the only ones hoping for the vaccine.

What is it about Americans, they usually expect/demand countries to bend over backwards to accommodate them. I am registered for the vaccine in Thailand, I will wait until I'm called forward to receive the jab. I'm not going to demand the Brit Embassy vaccinate me. Have the same problem with Americans teaching in Thailand, only their way is the correct way and demand everyone knows it.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, skorp13 said:

LOL. The U.S. is supposed to send personalized vaccines to each citizen in every other country?. Wow, talk about entitlement syndrome.

 

I'm not sure why some folks here are presuming that any such U.S. vaccination program for its expats would necessarily involve EVERY country where Americans live abroad.

 

Rather, presumably, it would ONLY involve those countries where COVID vaccines are not otherwise currently available for whatever reasons, which certainly includes Thailand.

 

Somehow, the PRC was able to launch and operate a worldwide vaccinations program for its citizens living abroad, including here in Thailand where the Thai government opened a special clinic for the Chinese using Chinese donated vaccines.

 

Just saying... if the Chinese could manage it under the current circumstances, it's hard to figure how the U.S. would not be able to do the same...if it had the political will and desire to do so.

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[atpeace]

"It's a pandemic dear.

They could 

2) So you would wait in line to enter the Embassy on Wireless Road and pay 3000 to 5000 Baht for a vaccine and come back 3 or 4 weeks and do it again?

 

======================================================

 

 YES.  I'm not even slightly fearful of the virus but want this to end.  Don't want to be stuck at this resort for another 3 months waiting for a jab.

Edited May 31, 2021 by atpeace