US Embassy Health Alert: COVID-19 Vaccine Opportunity for U.S. Citizens

[Why Me]

15 minutes ago, wasabi said:

Since the pandemic began up to now the best way for US citizens to get vaccinated is to go back to a US State or territory.

A CM thread had someone reporting from a vaccine trip to Guam. Apparently the closest US territory and flush with vaccines.

Edited July 17, 2021 by Why Me

[vinci]

US embassy is not the only one on this vaccination, load of other embassy on the same boat, that mean all western foreigner register all together, what a joke, it's just a publicity stun for embassy to let you know they did something instead of being a dead beat 

[DogNo1]

The American donation of the Pfizer vaccine came with no stipulation.  At first, the Thai Government said that 20% of the Pfizer doses would go to foreigners (not exclusively to Americans.)  This was later reduced to 10%.

 

IMO, this latest allocation of AZ doses is a continuation of the foreigner torture scheme as we have seen at various hospitals.  Give the foreigners 15 minutes to compete for a few doses.  Oh, my!  Look how they struggle and strain.  They really seem upset!  Ha, ha!

[wasabi]

21 minutes ago, Why Me said:

A CM thread had someone reporting from a vaccine trip to Guam. Apparently the closest US territory and flush with vaccines.

I considered going to Guam but after reviewing flight costs and the need for lodging while I waited for both doses of the vaccine I determined going all the way back to SFO was more affordable. Rent prices came down significantly since I was last here so my wife and I were able to get a fully furnished 6 month sublet for a decent price. We've been fully vaccinated over a month now. I'd like to return to Thailand when this short term lease is up in November but if that's not realistic that's okay.

[DogNo1]

A rhetorical question: Will Thailand ever have an adequate supply of vaccines?  How will it get them?  It doesn't seem able to produce enough nor willing (or able?) to buy enough.  

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, DogNo1 said:

A rhetorical question: Will Thailand ever have an adequate supply of vaccines?  How will it get them?  It doesn't seem able to produce enough nor willing (or able?) to buy enough.  

Yes, because so many people will be infected waiting, fewer will be needed. 

[elgenon]

On 7/16/2021 at 8:05 PM, longball53098 said:

Just went to the link and its full  !!

Who received the doses Biden sent? The government?

[rupert the bear]

21 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Last week. 

saturday

[Heng]

3 hours ago, elgenon said:

Who received the doses Biden sent? The government?

Interesting that there hasn't been one of those 'photo op' stories yet where cargo handlers are unloading the donated doses.    

 

[Jingthing]

52 minutes ago, rupert the bear said:

saturday

Before the policy changes.

[chilly07]

Anybody actually get jabbed today?

Still waiting for UK embassy to notify us!

[DogNo1]

A German friend of mine was contacted by a Thai colleague by phone last night and told that a reservation had been made for him to be vaccinated at the SCG Headquarters in Bang Sue today at 9:00.  He drove his motorcycle there and found the place to be very crowded.  He took a seat with the many other people waiting there.  Everyone was given a form to fill out, had their blood pressure taken and their information entered into a computer.  After an injection of the AZ Vaccine, people waited for 30 minutes and then were free to go.  My friend was told that he would receive an SMS message regarding his second dose when it was ready.  

This appeared to be a mass vaccination event with no previous registration necessary.   My friend said that both the SCG Headquarters and Bang Sue Grand Station were extremely crowded.  Judging by the large number of people there at the early hour, the event must have been announced in the Thai media.

[YT3k72Em]

On 7/17/2021 at 3:34 PM, rodknock said:

how many vaccination slots were available 10

105,000 according to news reports.  

 

I received an email from joint Chamber of Commerces and another one from my embassy.  Email on Thursday, confirmed on Friday, vaccine on Saturday. The vaccination center was well organized and well attended

[YT3k72Em]

19 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

This appeared to be a mass vaccination event with no previous registration necessary.   

Same experience as your friend, but pre-registration definitely was required as you said in your post it was done for your friend by his colleague.

[DogNo1]

Probably was required.   He saw some people whose registration didn't appear to be checked.

[DogNo1]

YT3:. What is your nationality?  I received no notification from the US Embassy.  Didn't actually didn't need it as I qualified for being over 75.

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

I received no notification from the US Embassy.

They sent out emails out to those signed up for STEP. See: https://step.state.gov/step/

They also posted a tweet on Twitter early yesterday morning.

[mackayae]

I got there at 2:30 pm, left at 6:00pm. Well organized but very crowded.

[DogNo1]

Thanks, Joe.  I signed up for STEP.

[elgenon]

20 hours ago, Heng said:

Interesting that there hasn't been one of those 'photo op' stories yet where cargo handlers are unloading the donated doses.    

 

America is not good at the PR thing with other countries. And Thailand wouldn't want to be seen as getting "welfare". IMHO

 

I remember reading a book about how the Chinese are taking over Africa (over 1 million Chinese there when the book was written) and growing food there and Chinese shopkeepers where importing cheap Chinese goods and putting local merchants out of business.. The Chinese government was trading infrastructure builds for control of ports etc. Also putting government into debt with them.

America wanted to do an infrastructure project for a government. But no American company was interested in doing the construction. So a Chinese company was hired and they put up signs saying it was a Chinese project. Sigh!

[Heng]

2 hours ago, elgenon said:

America is not good at the PR thing with other countries. And Thailand wouldn't want to be seen as getting "welfare". IMHO

Considering the political situation, from the Thai side, it of course looks bad that the first Mrna batches are donated.   From the US side, there's of course the *sorry US expats, we really didn't have you in mind, don't forget to vote and file on time though* angle.   The only plus out of this was the initial announcement to 'counter' the Chinese vaccine donations everywhere.

 

BTW, Thai Rath says the donated Pfizer will get here on July 29th.  So if ya'll want to turn up the pressure/complaints/protest at its arrival at BKK, there's still time.  Would love to get a STEP email saying you can just register and turn up at any of these XX hospitals for your Pfizer jab, just bring your passport.

 

[watthong]

According to one of our Aussie friends who got vaxxed Sunday, we now know who's responsible for this sudden "largesse:" (I'm cut-and-pasting part of his posting of his visit there, which can found in this thread:)

 

 

 

"Other Remarks: According to one of the SCG Supervisory staff onsite yesterday this batch of AZ came from last week's donation of 1M doses by the Japanese Govt which came with a condition to share a portion with foreigners resident in Thailand; I arrived there at about midday and was finished by 2:30PM; Was impressed by the efficient process and positive attitude of the Thai staff from SCG and the Health Authorities; No confirmed date for 2nd dose in October was provided however the staff said they will issue the 2nd dose appointment date via SMS during October.

 

"I estimate there would have been about 300 foreigners being processed whilst I was there, so for the whole today perhaps less than a thousand. Of the other foreigners there it seemed the Japanese were processed before lunch and in the session immediately after lunch I noticed Australians and Canadians mostly. I reckon a cap of 200 per nationality (which mostly seems to comprise Quad/5 Eyes allies of Japan excl. UK) under this scheme. " 

[HappyCanuckAy]

I'm afraid your embassy dropped the ball guys. I got a mail from the Canadian embassy at 7 PM Friday and registered with no problems. As stated elsewhere in this thread, the Thais were amazingly effective at managing the hundreds of ppl who showed up. PS there were no checkpoints either entering or leaving BKK (this may have changed now with the new dark-red restrictions coming into force)

[DrPhibes]

6 minutes ago, HappyCanuckAy said:

I'm afraid your embassy dropped the ball guys. I got a mail from the Canadian embassy at 7 PM Friday and registered with no problems. As stated elsewhere in this thread, the Thais were amazingly effective at managing the hundreds of ppl who showed up. PS there were no checkpoints either entering or leaving BKK (this may have changed now with the new dark-red restrictions coming into force)

I think it is more about the number of the other of us here in LOS from our respective countries.  Lot's more of us Americans here than our northern neighbors and from what we see the Thai Gov divided the vaccines evenly.  Agree that the healthcare troops on the ground are doing a great job!  It is the Government that is the problem.

[elgenon]

On 7/18/2021 at 11:15 PM, Heng said:

Considering the political situation, from the Thai side, it of course looks bad that the first Mrna batches are donated.   From the US side, there's of course the *sorry US expats, we really didn't have you in mind, don't forget to vote and file on time though* angle.   The only plus out of this was the initial announcement to 'counter' the Chinese vaccine donations everywhere.

 

BTW, Thai Rath says the donated Pfizer will get here on July 29th.  So if ya'll want to turn up the pressure/complaints/protest at its arrival at BKK, there's still time.  Would love to get a STEP email saying you can just register and turn up at any of these XX hospitals for your Pfizer jab, just bring your passport.

 

Yes, the administration is actually trying to counter some of the Chinese influence. But America is just not a match for the Chinese. I would say ruthlessness but I am not in the mood to be pounced upon.

[mtls2005]

Embassy tossed another bone today, fetch... actually a re-gift from the Thai govt

 

Expats aged 60 and over can now register for vaccinations to be administered at the Bang Sue Grand Station. Please register here:

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_M5LMBUrxjtqtiRjp0dmtAgXHxrOBYN5T__fj_wuUPwen9A/viewform

 

 

[DrPhibes]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Embassy tossed another bone today, fetch... actually a re-gift from the Thai govt

 

Expats aged 60 and over can now register for vaccinations to be administered at the Bang Sue Grand Station. Please register here:

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_M5LMBUrxjtqtiRjp0dmtAgXHxrOBYN5T__fj_wuUPwen9A/viewform

 

 

Only good for those in BKK.  Specifically says if you reside in another province to use the provincial resources or hospitals in your province.  Does nothing for us old dudes here in Chiang Mai who have been signed up with the local Wall of Chiang Mai registration for over 5 weeks and no appt.

[Port]

On 7/17/2021 at 10:19 PM, wasabi said:

I considered going to Guam but after reviewing flight costs and the need for lodging while I waited for both doses of the vaccine I determined going all the way back to SFO was more affordable. Rent prices came down significantly since I was last here so my wife and I were able to get a fully furnished 6 month sublet for a decent price. We've been fully vaccinated over a month now. I'd like to return to Thailand when this short term lease is up in November but if that's not realistic that's okay.

Thanks for the helpful insight.  Due to having good friends in Guam and their Visitors Bureau (basically their state tourism office, tasked with reviving their decimated travel industry), I'm trying to help them gauge need for vaccine travel among US citizens and US visa holders; and down the line, if sufficient, promote/ sell their vaccine tour packages; and, if substantial, charter flights out of Bangkok.  "Air V&V" info, in case anyone is interested:

 

Air V&V (vaccination & vacation):  https://www.visitguam.com/airvv/

Covid page & survey:  https://www.visitguam.com/about-guam/safety-tips/coronavirus/

 

They now have 3-day plans where you arrive on day 1, get injected on day 2 and depart on day 3.  Originally for J&J, but now, 3-day sched applies to either 1st or 2nd jab of Pfizer or Moderna as well. 

 

Best scenario is for none of this to be necessary and vaccines become widely available in Thailand asap.