U.S. embassy in Thailand rejects citizens' appeal for vaccines

[Andy from Kent]

Just now, dukeandduke said:

That's all that an "argument" citing "these commies" deserved. Btw, real commies (China) are vaccinating citizens here while my country (the USA) is not.

 

Write a complaint letter  to your congressman.

[dukeandduke]

1 minute ago, Andy from Kent said:

 

Write a complaint letter  to your congressman.

I did. So have many others, such as Democrat and Republican groups in Thailand.  Notice how effective that has been.

[placnx]

On 6/25/2021 at 6:42 PM, WaveHunter said:

Look, there are plenty of reasons to establish a legal domicile if you no longer have a physical address in the US but want to maintain legal resident status. 

 

The linked information you provided only pertains to voter registration, and not to any other things that may require you to prove that you are a legal resident of the United States.

 

It is INDEED a valid and legal approach to solving many problems that would arise without it, particularly if you are an expat.  Again, why don't you just do a google search and learn something instead of doubting what I already know is true and more importantly, what is vital for many expats to be aware of.

I thought that the main point was voting. It's true that since 9/11 it's become complicated with some financial institutions to mention a foreign residence address.

[placnx]

8 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Hypothetically speaking how long would it take to plan, coordinate and launch a program to vaccinate all overseas Americans?  How would the countries be prioritized?  How would Americans in Thailand feel if other countries with American Citizens were given priority and those of us in LOS are told to wait and be patient?  Based upon the principle of fairness(I still believe in that) if such a program was to be launched Thailand would not be the first country to get vaccines for it's citizens.  I believe there are American Citizens in Taiwan and I have not heard if any of the 2.25 million doses donated by the US Government are reserved for them?  

 

I have lived and worked in several countries where there were and are many Americans and the pandemic is much worse there than in LOS.  

 

I commend the French Government for vaccinating it's citizens in Thailand so quickly but does the same hold for French citizens in other parts of the world as well?  I have not heard if French Citizens are getting vaccinated in Vietnam or even in French Territories? 

 

I think the biggest issue holding the US Government back from vaccinating overseas Americans is "what country do we begin with?".  Doubt Thailand would be the first country.  There are a lot of Americans in Mexico, Brazil, Haiti and in India.  I doubt an American will get vaccinated by these governments? 

The people who are against vaccinating American expats like to talk about vaccinating all overseas Americans. Why? It should be obvious that Americans in Europe, Mexico, Canada, don't have a compelling need for service. They can get help from the host government or easily return to the US. There should be a priority placed on countries like India where Covid is out of control and vaccination cannot be provided soon. Thailand may soon have the Indian variants (Delta, Delta+) overtaking the UK variant, and that should qualify Thailand as well. There are countries in Africa and South America, others in South Asia, of serious concern. Does anyone have access to statistics for American expats by country?

[placnx]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

This tax thing is a diversionary red herring.

The USA has surplus vaccines for days.

The contrast to the rest of the world is obscene.

Appropriately the US is donating lots of vaccines globally. But not nearly enough.

Anyway the US expats that are being denied jabs abroad and or blatantly discriminated against as in Thailand would represent well under 1 percent of donated doses.

So in effect by the US denying us this help during a historic pandemic we're being thrown under the songthaew by BOTH governments!

I felt that the donation announcement was more to impress the domestic audience than to make a difference for the world.

[sqwakvfr]

Placnx, I have doubts because I can just see the Career Diplomat types having discussion after discussion about where to send vaccines first?  A priority list of where to send vaccines so Americans can be vaccinated could take some time for the State Department to establish.  I worked as a contractor for State some years ago and making important decisions in a timely manner is not one of their strong traits.  The best way for this program to get going would be to let the Defense Department  handle it.  But this will not have happen because DOS and DOD do not get along and they have a long history of "turf wars".  Just look at how Iraq and Afghanistan turned out?  I have worked in both(Iraq as a DOD contractor and Astan as a DOS contractor) there were always conflicting priorities.  

[Jingthing]

47 minutes ago, placnx said:

I felt that the donation announcement was more to impress the domestic audience than to make a difference for the world.

I don't really agree. It was actually part of Biden's America is Back tour of Europe to try to convince allies that the US is finished  with isolationism.

[Heng]

3 hours ago, bradiston said:

Try the school at the bottom of Pattaya Tai opposite the temple. You never know!

 

If you go and ask nicely (I've been unable to register, the system isn't taking my info, I'm here hoping that you have excess stock or someone doesn't show up), you never know.   

[WaveHunter]

7 hours ago, AquaThai said:

Exactly..  just like at the end of my Soi in Pattaya they just put up an Awning  and in Thai it reads that tgey will be giving vaccines on the 28th Of June.  But if I hadnt posted it here, or you haven't rode by the sign, and if you dont read Thai you wouldnt know that they are going to give out the vaccine  that day.  I have one Thai tell me no not vaccine they will give out food is what sign say.  So does it mske sense that they will give out food one day only, or that they will possibly  be vaccinating on that day.  If you arent Thai you arent told and you arent informed. 

That's pretty amusing... you, having a conversation...with YOURSELF LOL!  I'm glad that the two of you were able to agree with each other.  I can't imagine what it would have been like if you and the other you had disagreed, and then the two of you had ended up getting into a nasty argument with each other.  Now that would really have been entertaining!

 

No offense intended, just having a little fun with you, since I'm not entirely sure if you realized you were responding to your own post ????

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by WaveHunter

[oslooskar]

12 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

 I'm not entirely sure if you realized you were responding to your own post ????

 

I'm still mystified as to why AquaThai would respond to one of my comments with the following comment of his own when I hold the view that the U.S. government should be making every effort to get its expatriate citizens vaccinated.

 

"No its over your head the email clearly  said they are donating 50 million  around the world by the end of June.  It clearly said you will get vaccinated with the local nationals, which is not happening.  China a communist country  is Vaccinating  its people and supplying  does ti do so wven if its the Synovac.  The French are doing the same.  So they are puttting their citizens first.  The US clearly  is not.   The US is giving the vaccine to other countries to win the global campaign, and crossing their fingers that these countries will be fair and include US citizens in the que when they vaccinate.   Countries are already showing and proving that they are not equally vaccinating foreigners with their own local nationals.   Alrrady there was a que for foreigners  to sign up two days ago for the Moderna vaccine in October at a cost of 2000thb.  I clearly would have been willing to sign up and pay, if  One they had advertised and informed expats.  But in less than one hour they closed it down and said they could take no more.  Now it is advertised in the media that someone  must answer and explain why there were so few signed up, and why there were so few allocated for foreigners.   So dont put your false hope that the US can do anything other than ask that the citizens be given an equal opportunity to get the vaccine, when it clearly already isnt happening.  Its not that hard to send additional  vaccines to the Embassy and vaccinate its US citizens.   Send some army doctors along with the vaccine  to administer.   The email clearly says that US citizens  abroad are on their own and will not be given the same opportunity as its citizens  at home.  Clearly the same as taxation  without representation. If they can give away vaccines,  and other countries can vaccinate  their citizens  at their Embassy,  then whats the problem with the US?  If you think that you will be given the same opportunity to get tge vaccine here, well I will pray for you, because you arent high on the list.  The US government should prioritize  getting its citizens vaccinated  abroad just as the opportunity is given at home.  I paid my taxes, I served my country honorably,  and should be given the same opportunity at the vaccine  and not be left up to the country that was given the donations to vaccinate.  And so should all my other fellow expats. "

 

[jerrymahoney]

The letter sent by US Senators to Secretary of State Blinken had 4 Republican co-signers. If the Administration is maybe saying they do not have the authority to do as above, maybe Congress can then give them that authority.

 

https://www.murphy.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/6.24.2021 Vaccinating AMCITs Letter FINAL.pdf

Edited June 27, 2021 by jerrymahoney

[Neeranam]

On 6/23/2021 at 8:07 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Imagine every country in this world would supply vaccines to all their citizens which are in other countries in this world. That would be a lot of vaccines flying around the globe. And for what? Most (all?) countries work on the vaccination of all the people in their individual countries. It just takes some time.

 

As far as I see there is no foreigner in Thailand who didn't voluntarily come to Thailand, maybe except from prisoners. Many foreigners are in Thailand because they enjoy that Thailand is different from home. But then some complain that x and y and z is not like home. Make up your mind! What do you want? Thailand with all the good and all the bad? Or only those parts of Thailand which you like and otherwise your home country should take care of you. Really? 

You nailed it ???? 

[kurtmartens]

Working in development I am routinely amazed by what I see, but for once I was left a bit speechless this morning while reading the news from Washington, DC.  President Biden was announcing the latest aid package to prop up the failing administration in Kabul - soon to be toppled by the Taliban (a different topic).  It included the usual and expected BS - $226 million is USAID, $3.3 billion in additional defense aid and then I read ... 3 million doses of J&J vaccine?!  Normally I wouldn't care, but just this week I got that ridiculous letter from the Embassy telling us how they can't provide vaccines to expats because of the logistical nightmare (my words, not theirs) etc, etc - which is also complete BS as any 3rd rate project manager could plan it out - but now we are sending 3 million doses to Afghanistan in the middle of withdrawing our troops and walking away after 20 years.

 

I worked there for 9+ years and managed operations there as part of my region for 15 years in total.  There is no way on God's green Earth that the Afghan Ministry of Health is going to be able to manage to vaccinate 3 million people in an orderly fashion - I wouldn't be surprised if most of the vaccine is either sold on the blackmarket or ends up being useless due to improper storage. 

 

And yet, the US Government can't take care of its expat community, because of "logistical" issues.  I doubt it, but I hope someone from State is reading this who can answer why we are sending 3 million doses to Afghanistan and can't help American expats at all.  Sending 3 million doses to a failed country that our administration is in the middle of abandoning ... so much for America taking care of its own.

[jerrymahoney]

These are final sentences from the bi-partison letter to Sec. State Blinken which at least for Americans would differ from some of the "you nailed it" comments above:

 

In recognition of the challenge of vaccinating up to nine million private citizens overseas, we urge you to explore coordination
with the Defense Department to maximize U.S. government capacity.

The administration has made remarkable progress in vaccinating Americans at home and U.S. officials overseas. As the attention shifts to global vaccination efforts, we urge you to explore all 
viable options to support vaccination of the millions of Americans living abroad.

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by jerrymahoney

[kurtmartens]

6 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

These are final sentences from the bi-partison letter to Sec. State Blinken which at least for Americans would differ from some of the "you nailed it" comments above:

 

In recognition of the challenge of vaccinating up to nine million private citizens overseas, we urge you to explore coordination
with the Defense Department to maximize U.S. government capacity.

The administration has made remarkable progress in vaccinating Americans at home and U.S. officials overseas. As the attention shifts to global vaccination efforts, we urge you to explore all 
viable options to support vaccination of the millions of Americans living abroad.

 

 

 

Its a joke.  At least in Thailand, all the USG needs to do is contract out with Bangkok Hospital (for example) and provide the vaccines.  The hospital can then administer the vaccines and track the inventory, etc, etc.  As I said any 3rd rate PMP could plan this out.  Fact is the USG gets more PR out of using the vaccines as part of aid packages vs taking care of its expat community.  Which normally I could live with, but sending 3 million doses to Afghanistan - a country that we are in the middle of abandoning (after 20 years) and is about to fall to a terrorist organization was the final straw for me.  For once America should be taking care of its own when we have plenty of stocks.

[jerrymahoney]

You will note the letter quoted in part above mentions how to handle vaccinating 9 million private citizen Americans overseas not just those in Thailand.

[kurtmartens]

55 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

You will note the letter quoted in part above mentions how to handle vaccinating 9 million private citizen Americans overseas not just those in Thailand.

I know, but still in general any decent program manager can figure it out.  And if there isn't someone with the correct logistics background in State to put it together then there is a bigger problem.  ????

[John Drake]

I don't know if the moderators will take this down or not. But some guy tweeting on the US Embassy/ACS twitter account has started a petition to get rid of the US charge, Michael Heath. https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-remove-chargé-d-affaires-michael-heath-thai-ambassador?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_29562697_en-US%3A7&recruiter=1212929547&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

 

His letter:

 

Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath recently wrote a letter to the American expats in Thailand. He outlined how the US is unable to help its citizens during a pandemic. It can be found here.

"The U.S. Department of State is unable to provide vaccines to the millions of Americans who reside outside of the United States. For those who wish to return to the United States to be vaccinated, information on vaccine availability at the state level is available at www.vaccines.gov"

The US most certainly is not unable to handle the logistic of providing vaccines to its expats citizens worldwide. This is an outright lie to the people looking for you in need and help during a global pandemic. America can deploy its military worldwide in 18 hours but we are unable to ship vaccines and orchestrate queue.  America was more than capable of shipping vaccines to South Korean soldiers who would interact with American soldiers, the Embassy staff, and many countries including Thailand, but not its people who are not treated equitable when it comes to access in Thailand. 

Instead he encourages non-vaccinated people to travel. From a tax standpoint, US working expats cannot spend more than 35 days in the US or over international waters or we will be doubled tax. What about older adults? Families? People with jobs? This just fly to the US is an absolute tone deaf response. There are also numerous hoops to jump through to then return to Thailand. Sorry, we dont have a diplomatic password.

Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath no longer deserves to be the US ambassador to Thailand. If you agree, please sign the petition. I have it marked to go to the State Department and President Biden.

[jerrymahoney]

32 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

I know, but still in general any decent program manager can figure it out.  And if there isn't someone with the correct logistics background in State to put it together then there is a bigger problem.  ????

OK but first they have to WANT to figure it out -- and that may require some Congressional invovement.

 

As for the petition above to remove Chargé d’Affaires Heath, I doubt he would  have the authority to initiate a vaccine plan even if he wanted to.

Edited June 27, 2021 by jerrymahoney

[WaveHunter]

26 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I don't know if the moderators will take this down or not. But some guy tweeting on the US Embassy/ACS twitter account has started a petition to get rid of the US charge, Michael Heath. https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-remove-chargé-d-affaires-michael-heath-thai-ambassador?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_29562697_en-US%3A7&recruiter=1212929547&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

 

His letter:

 

Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath recently wrote a letter to the American expats in Thailand. He outlined how the US is unable to help its citizens during a pandemic. It can be found here.

"The U.S. Department of State is unable to provide vaccines to the millions of Americans who reside outside of the United States. For those who wish to return to the United States to be vaccinated, information on vaccine availability at the state level is available at www.vaccines.gov"

The US most certainly is not unable to handle the logistic of providing vaccines to its expats citizens worldwide. This is an outright lie to the people looking for you in need and help during a global pandemic. America can deploy its military worldwide in 18 hours but we are unable to ship vaccines and orchestrate queue.  America was more than capable of shipping vaccines to South Korean soldiers who would interact with American soldiers, the Embassy staff, and many countries including Thailand, but not its people who are not treated equitable when it comes to access in Thailand. 

Instead he encourages non-vaccinated people to travel. From a tax standpoint, US working expats cannot spend more than 35 days in the US or over international waters or we will be doubled tax. What about older adults? Families? People with jobs? This just fly to the US is an absolute tone deaf response. There are also numerous hoops to jump through to then return to Thailand. Sorry, we dont have a diplomatic password.

Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath no longer deserves to be the US ambassador to Thailand. If you agree, please sign the petition. I have it marked to go to the State Department and President Biden.

It certainly is a pretty stupid comment that he made, considering that the US is preparing to ship 500 MILLION doses all around the world to foreign countries.  The number of US expats is estimated to only be around 9 million at most. To say there would be a logistics problem in vaccinating expats is a total farce.

 

In truth, the push back against providings doses to expats has nothing at all to do with shipping logistics., and everything to do with politics.

 

It is ENTIRELY political!  What it really boils down to is that it would be a bad look for the Biden administration, which has already faced plenty of criticism over what many consider to be the United States'  apparent "vaccine nationalism". 

 

That's what this pushback against vaccinating expats is really all about.  And it's the same reason that 500 million doses are being provided to poverty stricken countries disguised as a great humanitarian effort on the part of the US, but actually just a way to counter international criticism that the US is hoarding vaccines.  In actuality it's all a politically motivated public relations effort, not a humanitarian effort.

Edited June 27, 2021 by WaveHunter

[John Drake]

1 minute ago, WaveHunter said:

It certainly is a pretty stupid comment that he made, considering that the US is preparing to ship 500 MILLION doses all around the world to foreign countries.  The number of US expats is estimated to only be around 9 million at most. To say there would be a logistics problem in vaccinating expats is a total farce.

 

In truth, the push back against providings doses to expats has nothing at all to do with shipping logistics., and everything to do with politics.

 

It is ENTIRELY political!  What it really boils down to is that it would be a bad look for the Biden administration, which has already faced plenty of criticism over what many consider to be the United States'  apparent "vaccine nationalism". 

 

That's what this pushback against vaccinating expats is really all about.  And it's the same reason that 500 million doses are being provided to poverty stricken countries disguised as a great humanitarian effort on the part of the US, but actually just a way to counter international criticism that the US is hoarding vaccines.  In actuality it's all a politically motivated public relations effort, not a humanitarian effort.

 

Which is why I said earlier that the US will never climb down from its position of refusing to help its expats. Plus the imagery is just too good for the administration and State Department showing them kicking dirt in the face of their own citizens while elevating the concerns of other countries. There is a certain amount of trying to look good to the natives by disowning your own citizens in this. And, after all, Bwana Mike and the boys at the embassy have already got their Pfizer shots.

[WaveHunter]

18 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

Which is why I said earlier that the US will never climb down from its position of refusing to help its expats. Plus the imagery is just too good for the administration and State Department showing them kicking dirt in the face of their own citizens while elevating the concerns of other countries. There is a certain amount of trying to look good to the natives by disowning your own citizens in this. And, after all, Bwana Mike and the boys at the embassy have already got their Pfizer shots.

I hate to agree but the current administration since taking office has repeatedly taken actions that, have had detrimental effects on the American public, but they find will find acceptable if it  improves the power base of their Administration.  That is all that seems important to these political leaders today.  I won't go into specifics but anyone who follows current events would be hard-pressed to disagree.

 

What shock me more than anything is that when this happens there is no journalistic efforts for accountability from mainstream media.

 

Most people these days probably don't even know the meaning of the "Fourth Estate"  which is why I've linked the Wiki definition here.  It has always served as a sort of "checks & balances" on government and powerful interests that forces them to be accountable to the public.  That no longer seems to be the case, making it easy for government and powerful interests to say and do anything they wish without being accountable to "We, The People"

 

Anyone familiar with history knows that is always the first step in the destruction of a democratic republic.

Edited June 27, 2021 by WaveHunter

[kurtmartens]

55 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I don't know if the moderators will take this down or not. But some guy tweeting on the US Embassy/ACS twitter account has started a petition to get rid of the US charge, Michael Heath. https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-remove-chargé-d-affaires-michael-heath-thai-ambassador?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_29562697_en-US%3A7&recruiter=1212929547&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

 

His letter:

 

Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath recently wrote a letter to the American expats in Thailand. He outlined how the US is unable to help its citizens during a pandemic. It can be found here.

"The U.S. Department of State is unable to provide vaccines to the millions of Americans who reside outside of the United States. For those who wish to return to the United States to be vaccinated, information on vaccine availability at the state level is available at www.vaccines.gov"

The US most certainly is not unable to handle the logistic of providing vaccines to its expats citizens worldwide. This is an outright lie to the people looking for you in need and help during a global pandemic. America can deploy its military worldwide in 18 hours but we are unable to ship vaccines and orchestrate queue.  America was more than capable of shipping vaccines to South Korean soldiers who would interact with American soldiers, the Embassy staff, and many countries including Thailand, but not its people who are not treated equitable when it comes to access in Thailand. 

Instead he encourages non-vaccinated people to travel. From a tax standpoint, US working expats cannot spend more than 35 days in the US or over international waters or we will be doubled tax. What about older adults? Families? People with jobs? This just fly to the US is an absolute tone deaf response. There are also numerous hoops to jump through to then return to Thailand. Sorry, we dont have a diplomatic password.

Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath no longer deserves to be the US ambassador to Thailand. If you agree, please sign the petition. I have it marked to go to the State Department and President Biden.

That is just being ignorant.  Mr. Heath is a career diplomat NOT a political appointee he wouldn't have written that letter without sending it up the food chain to Washington.  He didn't get to his level by making mistakes. 

 

And whoever is tweeting this, is doing expats no favor by sending out a poorly written tweet frankly.  Although the sentiment is correct.  And he should check his tax facts before he start putting things in writing - international waters has nothing to do with what he is referring to in this case that is a reference for pilots and seafarers not for expats flying to/from the US - and there are some expats (myself depending on certain contracts) that actually pay full US taxes while overseas (if I am being paid directly by the US Govt) and unless he is paying Thai income tax he isn't being double taxed.  Just looks foolish sending out that tweet.  

 

Plus the Embassy isn't making the policy.  The policy is coming out of Washington, don't blame the messenger ... but, certainly ask the messenger for a real explanation.  Which is what I want.  And I don't want some BS, "We are helping the people of Afghanistan" answer.  I want a real answer.  Even though I know the real answer.  (LOL)  

[kurtmartens]

25 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

I hate to agree but the current administration since taking office has repeatedly taken actions that, have had detrimental effects on the American public, but they find will find acceptable if it  improves the power base of their Administration.  That is all that seems important to these political leaders today.  I won't go into specifics but anyone who follows current events would be hard-pressed to disagree.

 

What shock me more than anything is that when this happens there is no journalistic efforts for accountability from mainstream media.

 

Most people these days probably don't even know the meaning of the "Fourth Estate"  which is why I've linked the Wiki definition here.  It has always served as a sort of "checks & balances" on government and powerful interests that forces them to be accountable to the public.  That no longer seems to be the case, making it easy for government and powerful interests to say and do anything they wish without being accountable to "We, The People"

 

Anyone familiar with history knows that is always the first step in the destruction of a democratic republic.

I agree with you.  I am no Trump fan, I think he is/was a fool and ruined my political party and made me embarrassed to be a Republican (especially with all his nutwing supporters who can barely string together a sentence).  However, the media was always quick to hold him accountable and now seems unwilling to hold President Biden accountable.  The media is supposed to be an unbiased watchdog and for years has failed in that.  On both sides.

[John Drake]

2 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

That is just being ignorant.  Mr. Heath is a career diplomat NOT a political appointee he wouldn't have written that letter without sending it up the food chain to Washington.  He didn't get to his level by making mistakes. 

 

And whoever is tweeting this, is doing expats no favor by sending out a poorly written tweet frankly.  Although the sentiment is correct.  And he should check his tax facts before he start putting things in writing - international waters has nothing to do with what he is referring to in this case that is a reference for pilots and seafarers not for expats flying to/from the US - and there are some expats (myself depending on certain contracts) that actually pay full US taxes while overseas (if I am being paid directly by the US Govt) and unless he is paying Thai income tax he isn't being double taxed.  Just looks foolish sending out that tweet.  

 

Plus the Embassy isn't making the policy.  The policy is coming out of Washington, don't blame the messenger ... but, certainly ask the messenger for a real explanation.  Which is what I want.  And I don't want some BS, "We are helping the people of Afghanistan" answer.  I want a real answer.  Even though I know the real answer.  (LOL)  

 

I agree that it's poorly written ("diplomatic password," for instance). But it no doubt reflects the writer's anger and perhaps fear. It is really about the sentiment and the fact that the American charge wrote a letter in what was basically a response to the French vaccinating their citizens that told Americans to lump it. And nobody likes a State Department careerist putting his name to such a dismissive letter that flies in the face of what the Chinese and French are achieving. Especially when the careerist has already received the vaccine he defends denying to expats. This response by the American government has forever changed the way I shall see my relationship towards them and my country. They simply do not care. So I will return that sentiment towards them. 

[kurtmartens]

4 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

I agree that it's poorly written ("diplomatic password," for instance). But it no doubt reflects the writer's anger and perhaps fear. It is really about the sentiment and the fact that the American charge wrote a letter in what was basically a response to the French vaccinating their citizens that told Americans to lump it. And nobody likes a State Department careerist putting his name to such a dismissive letter that flies in the face of what the Chinese and French are achieving. Especially when the careerist has already received the vaccine he defends denying to expats. This response by the American government has forever changed the way I shall see my relationship towards them and my country. They simply do not care. So I will return that sentiment towards them. 

I agree with that.  That is what annoyed me this morning and got me all started.  As I was laying in bed (there is an image you don't need) reading the morning briefs about Afghanistan I see this 1 line about 3 million doses and I remember this letter from the Embassy here and then the French bit and it hit me like a rock.  The FRENCH are taking care of their citizens and the US isn't!  And that is what got me going as well ... that plus the fact knowing Afghanistan and that those 3 million doses are just going to go to waste.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As the Senators' letter alludes, there are varying circumstances in the many foreign countries where American expats live and varying levels of access to local vaccines...

 

I thought these two charts would be informative... The first is a chart showing how Thailand is lagging behind even most of its fellow ASEAN countries in its tiny rate of having fully vaccinated its own population (less than 4% at this point). And most ASEAN countries already are lagging the rest of the world.

 

 

And then by comparison, the fully vaccinated rates at various other countries where I'd imagine there are sizable U.S. expat populations. The comparison is striking and alarming:

 

 

The lowest rate among all of those other U.S. expat destination countries is Japan at just under 10% fully vaccinated, which is almost THREE TIMES the share fully vaccinated in Thailand. And Thailand's fully vaccinated rate is just about one-third of the 10.4% world average at this point.

 

The sizable U.S. expat populations in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines (with the latter two countries appearing even worse off) clearly are living in countries where they're going to need outside help if they have any hope of getting substantially vaccinated any time soon.

 

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Tony125]

23 hours ago, dukeandduke said:

I did. So have many others, such as Democrat and Republican groups in Thailand.  Notice how effective that has been.

It was and can be effective as article below shows. We need not care how the Embassy feels we can ask for help from our Senators and Congressmen. Plus they don't need ship to every country Americans are at. Those who are  in EU countries, Mexico, Canada have axcess to vaccines or in the case of Mexic/Canada can drive over the border

 

US senators call for vaccinating Americans who are living abroad

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-senators-call-for-vaccinating-americans-who-are-living-abroad/ar-AALpA0R?li=BBnb7Kz

 

 

 

https://www.fvap.gov/info/laws/voting-residence

 

Below is taken from above link

Citizens Residing Outside the U.S.

What is a voting residence and why is it important?

You need a voting residence to vote by absentee ballot — even if you are only voting for federal offices. Your election office needs your exact voting residence address to determine which offices and candidates you are eligible to vote for — and to send you the appropriate ballot for your voting precinct.

Your voting residence is your address in the state in which you were last domiciled, immediately prior to leaving the United States.

This residence may remain valid even if:

• You no longer own property or have other ties to that state.
• Your intent to return to that state is uncertain.
• Your previous address is no longer a recognized residential address.

Voting in an election for federal offices often may not be used as the sole basis of determining residency for the purpose of imposing state and local taxes.

If you cannot remember the address where you last physically resided, check old tax records, passports, or family correspondence. Sometimes election offices can help identify your address if you were previously registered.

To claim a new legal residence or domicile, consult legal counsel as there may be other factors to consider, such as tax implications.

.

 

[dukeandduke]

20 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

It was and can be effective as article below shows. We need not care how the Embassy feels we can ask for help from our Senators and Congressmen.

 

 

If it happens, it will have something to do with the shame the U.S. is feeling for its inaction while France and China act, and nothing to do with my email.

[kurtmartens]

46 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

It was and can be effective as article below shows. We need not care how the Embassy feels we can ask for help from our Senators and Congressmen. Plus they don't need ship to every country Americans are at. Those who are  in EU countries, Mexico, Canada have axcess to vaccines or in the case of Mexic/Canada can drive over the border

 

US senators call for vaccinating Americans who are living abroad

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-senators-call-for-vaccinating-americans-who-are-living-abroad/ar-AALpA0R?li=BBnb7Kz

 

 

 

https://www.fvap.gov/info/laws/voting-residence

 

Below is taken from above link

Citizens Residing Outside the U.S.

What is a voting residence and why is it important?

You need a voting residence to vote by absentee ballot — even if you are only voting for federal offices. Your election office needs your exact voting residence address to determine which offices and candidates you are eligible to vote for — and to send you the appropriate ballot for your voting precinct.

Your voting residence is your address in the state in which you were last domiciled, immediately prior to leaving the United States.

This residence may remain valid even if:

• You no longer own property or have other ties to that state.
• Your intent to return to that state is uncertain.
• Your previous address is no longer a recognized residential address.

Voting in an election for federal offices often may not be used as the sole basis of determining residency for the purpose of imposing state and local taxes.

If you cannot remember the address where you last physically resided, check old tax records, passports, or family correspondence. Sometimes election offices can help identify your address if you were previously registered.

To claim a new legal residence or domicile, consult legal counsel as there may be other factors to consider, such as tax implications.

.

 

That is correct, not every country where US expats live needs a US supply.  For example, my friend over in Laos.  Vaccinated.  Courtesy the Laos gov't.  Now that is embarrassing that he received a vaccination ahead of Thailand which is supposed to be one of the leading countries in Asia.  

 

At any rate, logistically it wouldn't be an impossible undertaking.  The issue is the vaccines are better used as part of foreign aid packages instead of our own expat community.  That is how State sees it.  And they are the ones charged with our welfare.  Period.  End of discussion.