Academics: Thai govt does not provide enough vaccine options for citizens and insists on buying the Sinovac vaccine

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

Academics stated that the Thai government does not give its citizens enough options for Corona vaccines, noting that the Thai government’s decision that the Chinese Sinovac vaccine will be the primary vaccine for Thailand, and its insistence on buying more of the Sinovac vaccine, raises questions and doubts among many about Chinese companies paying money to the Thai government to accept Sinovac as the main choice for vaccines in Thailand, although many Thais prefer European and American vaccines after confirming the weak effectiveness of Sinovac compared to other vaccines.

 

-- © Copyright A24 News Agency 2021-07-04

[smedly]

more intelligent voices 

 

 

falling on deaf ears with little inbetween 

[JamieM]

Maximum respect to this lady for speaking the truth and pointing it out.

[sirineou]

Are, Moderna  and Pfizer as available for purchase and delivery as Sinovac and at the same price? And is Moderna  and Pfizer as easy to ship and maintain in provincial settings?  

Edited July 3, 2021 by sirineou
typo

[ezzra]

I'm sure that the Sinovac is being bought in some kind of a barter for other Thai goods while the others are for cash and there is in high demand and not enough of it to go around so for the moment Thailand is stuck with the Chinese products...

[JamieM]

37 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Are, Moderna  and Pfizer as available for purchase and delivery as Sinovac and at the same price? 

They didn't seem to want them to begin with did they? we can speculate as to why perhaps pressure and or brown envelopes from Beijing? as the academics are suggesting, coupled with the health ministers obvious distaste for foreigners, who knows? but one things for sure, they really didn't seem to want to sign up for COVAX to start with.

 

Thailand defends decision not to join COVAX vaccine alliance:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand-idUSKBN2AE0CZ

 

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by JamieM

[sqwakvfr]

"Are, Moderna  and Pfizer as available for purchase and delivery as Sinovac and at the same price? And is Moderna  and Pfizer as easy to ship and maintain in provincial settings?  "

 

Ahh, the government of Government just recently announced it's intention to purchase Pfizer and Moderna.  A little late to the party. Transporting and storing these two vaccines are challenging but at least the major cities of Bangkokn, Chiang Mai and Pattaya would have been a good start.  A good start like maybe in March or April of 2022.  Then this new wave might not have been as bad.  By the time Pfizer and Moderna actually arrive in Bangkok it might be too late to the save the Thai Economy.  Realistically Pfizer and Moderna will arrive in late 2022.  This could mean another "high season" will be not possible.  

 

Also, what price would anyone pay to save the country?  Go cheap and save money or Go Big and save the country and economy?  

[morrobay]

" raises questions among many .. about chinese companies paying money to thai govt. to accept sinovac".  Isn't there a term for this that starts with k ?

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Chinese companies paying money to the Thai government to accept Sinovac as the main choice for vaccines in Thailand

I think this the problem.. Moderna and Pfizer J & J won't pay so they stand at back of the line..

[Pattaya Spotter]

A senior ranking nurse friend of mine insists it's because a certain "influential" Sino-Thai family has a financial interest in the production of the Sinovac vaccine. (They also happen to have a little convenience store side business.) But I keep telling her she's being paranoid ????

[ThailandRyan]

This government promised its citizens enough vaccines so everyone could have a third shot, well Anutin did at least.  They have stated they have ordered Moderna and Pfizer as well but that turns out to be a lie. The promised multimillion doses of AZ have failed to be produced as stated. So this is just more fuel to the fire knowing now that those who were vaccinated with Sinovac are testing positive for the Delta variant. Not very comforting.

[JamieM]

14 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

A senior ranking nurse friend of mine insists it's because a certain "influential" Sino-Thai family has a financial interest in the production of the Sinovac vaccine. (They also happen to have a little convenience store side business.) But I keep telling her she's being paranoid ????

I heard the same rumour.

[Sandy Bottom]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

"Are, Moderna  and Pfizer as available for purchase and delivery as Sinovac and at the same price? And is Moderna  and Pfizer as easy to ship and maintain in provincial settings?  "

 

Ahh, the government of Government just recently announced it's intention to purchase Pfizer and Moderna.  A little late to the party. Transporting and storing these two vaccines are challenging but at least the major cities of Bangkokn, Chiang Mai and Pattaya would have been a good start.  A good start like maybe in March or April of 2022.  Then this new wave might not have been as bad.  By the time Pfizer and Moderna actually arrive in Bangkok it might be too late to the save the Thai Economy.  Realistically Pfizer and Moderna will arrive in late 2022.  This could mean another "high season" will be not possible.  

 

Also, what price would anyone pay to save the country?  Go cheap and save money or Go Big and save the country and economy?  

[Peterw42]

"Academics stated" ?????

 

What academics stated anything, who is the woman in the video, where is she from, what are her credentials ???? Who is the A24 news agency ????

 

This is just hearsay verging on conspiracy, an anonymous woman gives a vague unsourced opinion. The Thai Gov 'appears" to prefer sinovac and the Chinese Gov may/maynot be paying bribes, 

 

I dont think the Thai government has ever declared sinovac as the preferred/primary vaccine, its just the one that's been immediately available, cheap, accessible etc. All things being equal, the preferred vaccine would probably be the locally manufactured AZ vaccine.

 

I can find videos on youtube of anonymous people saying the world is flat.

[JamieM]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

"Academics stated" ?????

 

What academics stated anything, who is the woman in the video, where is she from, what are her credentials ???? Who is the A24 news agency ????

 

Are you ok? take 10 deep breaths

[Pravda]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

"Academics stated" ?????

 

What academics stated anything, who is the woman in the video, where is she from, what are her credentials ???? Who is the A24 news agency ????

 

This is just hearsay verging on conspiracy, an anonymous woman gives a vague unsourced opinion. The Thai Gov 'appears" to prefer sinovac and the Chinese Gov may/maynot be paying bribes, 

 

I dont think the Thai government has ever declared sinovac as the preferred/primary vaccine, its just the one that's been immediately available, cheap, accessible etc. All things being equal, the preferred vaccine would probably be the locally manufactured AZ vaccine.

 

I can find videos on youtube of anonymous people saying the world is flat.

 

I am sorry I had to read this and quote this post

[Bkk Brian]

More sense being talked by academics who join the health professionals and business leaders urging those in charge to come expedite the purchase of better vaccines. Sinovac is good at stopping serious illness but not good enough to stop the pandemic with the delta variant, thereby putting herd immunity out of reach. 

[mikebell]

The only thing going for Sinovac is it's available; which begs the question WHY?  Follow the money.  Watch newly rich politicians resign or are dismissed once their pension pots are full.

[mtls2005]

When Thanatorn raised this issue back in January, it prompted the police to begin filing 112, 116-117 and CCA charges.

 

Being prescient, honest and strong? Bad Thai.

 

Also reveals that the regime was correct to fear him, and smart to take him off the table.

 

21 minutes ago, mikebell said:

The only thing going for Sinovac is it's available

 

Well, it's expensive too. ~ 3X AZ per dose. 

 

 

 

Best not to...

 

21 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Follow the money.

 

 

The skim on this is MASSIVE.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by mtls2005

[poohy]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

"Academics stated" ?????

 

What academics stated anything, who is the woman in the video, where is she from, what are her credentials ???? Who is the A24 news agency ????

 

This is just hearsay verging on conspiracy, an anonymous woman gives a vague unsourced opinion. The Thai Gov 'appears" to prefer sinovac and the Chinese Gov may/maynot be paying bribes, 

 

I dont think the Thai government has ever declared sinovac as the preferred/primary vaccine, its just the one that's been immediately available, cheap, accessible etc. All things being equal, the preferred vaccine would probably be the locally manufactured AZ vaccine.

 

I can find videos on youtube of anonymous people saying the world is flat.

Not had your medicine yet ?

[BestB]

Would appear that even Thais started to wake up and realise what is happening and why it’s happening . What’s more important is that they starting to talk openly about it..

 

Bkk protests of people not paid being there is a good indicator of the changes in thai thinking . It’s no longer red or yellow but us and them.

[Enzian]

Wasana Wongsurawat is an assistant or associate professor of modern Chinese history at Chulalongkorn University-google has the details. I've seen her speak two times, at the FCCT Club and at the Siam Society. Her recent book gives 2020 as publication date, thought I think I actually bought it toward the end of 2019. The title is The Crown and the Capitalists, and the subject in brief is the symbiosis between the Thai monarchy and wealthy Thai Chinese over roughly the past 200 years. Although the subject is obviously touchy, she doesn't seem to have got in trouble for it, at least yet. My impression is that she is highly respected. 

[roobaa01]

The immulogist was inoculated with sinovac as Three others resulting in the Infecion with the delta variant thus no Herd Immunity possible ?? Better at the same price Sputnik v.

CheerS

Peter1

[unblocktheplanet]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I dont think the Thai government has ever declared sinovac as the preferred/primary vaccine, its just the one that's been immediately available, cheap, accessible etc.

So right. They just didn't advance order any others!

[herfiehandbag]

5 hours ago, sirineou said:

Are, Moderna  and Pfizer as available for purchase and delivery as Sinovac and at the same price? And is Moderna  and Pfizer as easy to ship and maintain in provincial settings?  

I rather suspect that purchasing Moderna and Pfizer on the open market (remember Thailand opted out of the international distribution scheme for reasons which whilst perhaps rather opaque, don't require the brains of an archbishop to understand) requires cash - up front. Chinese vaccines are quite likely accompanied by a "line of credit"!

Edited July 4, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[connda]

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Academics stated that the Thai government does not give its citizens enough options for Corona vaccines, noting that the Thai government’s decision that the Chinese Sinovac vaccine will be the primary vaccine for Thailand, and its insistence on buying more of the Sinovac vaccine, raises questions and doubts among many about Chinese companies paying money to the Thai government to accept Sinovac as the main choice for vaccines in Thailand

There must not be many economists in that lot of "Thai academics."  If there was they would note that first, Sinovac is not the primary vaccine for Thailand - Siam BS' AstraZeneca is.  And second, there is a major Thai stakeholder, CP, who directly benefits from the import and sale of Sinovac, just like Siam BS directly benefits from the manufacture and sale of AZ. 
Is Sinovac paying the Thai government under the table as noted in the article.  I'd rack that up as speculation, and unless proved, simple 'fake news' that actually borders on defamation. If I was the journalist writing this piece as well as the publisher, I would tread lightly with those allegations. CP as a for-profit business entity is going to sell as much Sinovac as the market will handle for the goal of making profits.  Same as Siam BS.
The only question that is obvious was all the foot-dragging to initially procure any vaccines but AZ and Sinovac which reeked of government protectionism.  It wasn't until the government received a boat-load of flak both domestically and on the world stage that the embarrassment and seeming lost of face greased the wheels to allow the procurement of relatively small amounts of Western vaccines that will be sold in private hospitals for extremely inflated prices.  A move that placated the critics and will milk that wallets of foreigners and well-heeled Thais.

[Geoffggi]

5 hours ago, sirineou said:

Are, Moderna  and Pfizer as available for purchase and delivery as Sinovac and at the same price? And is Moderna  and Pfizer as easy to ship and maintain in provincial settings?  

Possibly not, however they do work ....!!!

[Enzian]

If she doesn't get sued or in any sort of trouble for the things she says and implies in this video, then imo that will give one an idea of the relevance of the claims-those implicated will hope that it dies being tagged as fake news, instead of being subject to public interest and scrutiny. But maybe since those implicated have no accountability, they don't care anyway.

Further imo the government last year should have tried everything and thrown everything at the wall including spending whatever it would take to get as much of as many vaccines as possible. They could see what events in the rest of the world were telling them. The money is there, who does it belong to anyway? How important is this? What they did was stone age thinking for lack of a better term.

The very idea that anyone in this country should have to pay any money at all for vaccination, esp. with a long procurement wait, should put this government outside the pale of civilized nations.

[mlmcleod]

6 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

raises questions and doubts among many about Chinese companies paying money to the Thai government to accept Sinovac as the main choice for vaccines in Thailand

Doubts?  You can bet that the Chinese used the carrot and stick to convince the Thai government to risk their economy and citizens on Sinovac.  Basically I think the scenario went like this:  "If you do not accept Sinovac as your primary vaccine, we will curtail all Chinese tourists from coming to Thailand.  If you do accept Sinovac as your primary vaccine, there will be brown envelopes for all.  We Orientals need to stick together against all those dirty farang companies!"

[sirineou]

20 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Possibly not, however they do work ....!!!

In management there is a saying "don't let  the perfect be the enemy of the good, "

I have no idea if Thai politicians were bribed to go with Sinovac, but I know that it was more readily available, it was easier transportable and stored, and less expensive, So if I was in the Thai government I would have to make a decision. Do I want a bird in the hand, or wait for two in the bush.