Leaked letters show AstraZeneca vaccine commitment not as Thailand claimed

[webfact]

FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled "Astra Zeneca COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine" and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo, in this illustration photo taken March 14, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

 

By Panu Wongcha-um

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - AstraZeneca Plc has told Thailand it should be able to supply around 6 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine per month, leaked correspondence showed, contradicting assertions by Thai officials that the government had been promised 10 million.

 

Thailand's push for 10 million monthly doses comes as it considers imposing vaccine export curbs on Thai-manufactured vaccine to shore up domestic supplies, a move that could create problems for its neighbours, some of which are battling similar or more severe coronavirus crises.

 

But a June 25 letter by AstraZeneca to Thailand's health minister showed that the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker had offered to supply just 5-6 million doses a month to Thailand from a local plant, or one third of the amount produced by its partner Siam Bioscience.

 

"I hope you will be pleased that this is nearly twice the volume we discussed during our meeting," AstraZeneca's vice president of global corporate affairs, Sjoerd Hubben, said in the letter, referring to a September 2020 meeting with Thai officials.

 

At that meeting, the government officials estimated Thailand required around 3 million doses per month, Hubben wrote.

 

The correspondence was first reported by Isara news agency and later seen by Reuters.

 

AstraZeneca also explained at the September meeting that Thailand had an opportunity to procure more via the international COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme, Hubben said in the letter.

 

Thailand, which never made supply deals with COVAX, instead decided in January to buy 26 million doses from AstraZeneca and another 35 million doses in May, the letter showed.

 

The director-General of the Thai Disease Control Department, Opas Karnkawinpong, confirmed on Sunday that the letter was authentic. He told reporters the 3 million figure had been a rough estimate and Thailand had formally asked AstraZeneca in April 2021 to provide 10 million monthly doses.

 

He did not say whether AstraZeneca had agreed to that, and said it was understood that vaccine availability depended on output and volume might need to be agreed on a monthly basis.

 

AstraZeneca had no comment on Monday on the leaked letter.

 

The letter also detailed AstraZeneca's supply commitments of nearly 114 million doses elsewhere in Asia - a supply chain that has become uncertain due to potential export restrictions by the Thai government.

 

It planned to supply 50 million doses to Indonesia, 30 million to Vietnam, 16.5 million to the Philippines, 10 million to Taiwan and 6.4 million to Malaysia, the letter showed.

 

Opposition lawmaker Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn said Thai authorities were prepared for neither a global supply shortage nor the severe impact of variants of concern.

 

"The government was over-confident about the situation when making these plans," he told Reuters on Monday. "They have been very slow and careless."

 

Thailand has inoculated just 5.2% of its population so far.

 

A source with knowledge of Thailand's AstraZeneca agreement said 61 million doses, or about a third of the local factory's agreed output, would be delivered to Thailand overall, but no monthly volume commitment had ever been agreed.

 

(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-20

 

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[Olivie]

Thailand, like a lot of asian countries, where the first/second waves were not that hard, did not order enough vaccine.
Europe and USA which had big and deadly firsts waves purchased a lot of vaccine.

Results: Europe and USA will have a "normal" life with much less restriction than a lot of asian countries during 2022.

[Soikhaonoiken]

The Government lying once again, all to save face, and think the minions won't notice, 

And to quote the PM "we have everything under control" 

[Gold Star]

If an elected government was in charge of this disaster, there would be a coup.

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"They have been very slow and careless."

Add the word "incompetent" and it perfectly describes this government's handling of the Covid situation ! 

[JamieM]

Lieland

[scubascuba3]

A very expensive mistake

[Laughing Gravy]

In any 'normal' country someones head would roll for this from the government. Here the person who leaked it will be hounded and it will probably be described as fake news.

[JonnyF]

It must be a shock to these arrogant, pontificating Thai officials to have someone contradict them with facts. 
 

In Thailand they get to lie with impunity while everyone nods along, terrified of calling them out in case it causes loss of face. 

[colinneil]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

june 25 letter by AstraZeneca to Thailand's health minister showed that the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker had offered to supply just 5-6 million doses a month to Thailand from a local plant, or one third of the amount produced by its partner Siam Bioscienc

Once again the twisted arrogant bunch running the country are proved yet again to be nothing short of liars.

[ikke1959]

Mismanagement by the Government without consequences???? And they are looking for fake news.. Start at the top, t is obvious

[Somtamnication]

Well well, someone is so upset that they are releasing these emails. More to come, for sure!

[Thailand]

As I posted on another thread this situation could be resolved by a few pricks, in the arm!

 

The ptb comprise of multi pricks so should not be a difficult task.

[edwinchester]

"He told reporters the 3 million figure had been a rough estimate and Thailand had formally asked AstraZeneca in April 2021 to provide 10 million monthly doses."

 

Whoever made the original estimate of requirements seems either misinformed of the situation or incompetent to get it so far wrong.

[mtls2005]

That the health minister deliberately misled the public, and that action has led to worst self-inflicted catastrophe the country has suffered in its history, demands that he step down.

 

In a real country he would be prosecuted.

 

anutin will go down as perhaps the biggest failure in the history of Thailand. He's certainly responsible for more deaths than any General here.

 

Good to see honest citizens leaking documents.

 

 

 

 

[edwinchester]

1 hour ago, Laughing Gravy said:

In any 'normal' country someones head would roll for this from the government. Here the person who leaked it will be hounded and it will probably be described as fake news.

"The director-General of the Thai Disease Control Department, Opas Karnkawinpong, confirmed on Sunday that the letter was authentic"

[Buffy Frobisher]

37 minutes ago, Thailand said:

As I posted on another thread this situation could be resolved by a few pricks, in the arm!

 

The ptb comprise of multi pricks so should not be a difficult task.

And therein lies the conundrum. The whole mess is being caused by a few pricks!

[Gottfrid]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

AstraZeneca Plc has told Thailand it should be able to supply around 6 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine per month, leaked correspondence showed, contradicting assertions by Thai officials that the government had been promised 10 million.

So be it. The problem is not if they got 6 or 10 million per month. The problem is where the vaccines are. Let´s say they got at least 50 million doses since Sept 2020. How come only 3,5 million of the population got full vaccine (7 million doses) and another 7 million only one shot (7 million doses)? That´s a total of 14 million doses. Where are the other 36 million that should have been administered?

[mtls2005]

12 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Let´s say they got at least 50 million doses since Sept 2020.

Sorry, what are you on about?

 

"They" haven't received 50 mm AZ doses, that's the entire problem.

 

I think that you're completely misunderstanding the situation.

 

~14.3 mm doses administered, the mix is ~ 62% sinovac, 38 % AZ.

 

 

[WineOh]

The Thai government are barefaced liars then eh.

 

Who would have bet on that??? ????

[ftpjtm]

It's fantastic to see this plethora of leaked documents. Obviously many of Prayrut's former supporters are fed up with this train wreck of an administration. 

 

I think I'm feeling the winds of change...

[Pattaya Spotter]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

In Israel the country with the most vaccinated people in the world about 80%, the delta strand is wrecking havoc there right now and everyday many hundreds are getting infected and scores fully Pfizer vaccinated people are Dying

The current 7 day average deaths is two, with deaths two days ago being 3...so two-three deaths is "scores"?

 

[Gottfrid]

15 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Sorry, what are you on about?

I don´t know. It was good as long as it lasted, though. 

[sharecropper]

I'm guessing these leaks are coming from a "company" close to Astra Zeneca, and who tower over the government in the background, who have a vested interest in not having the "company" being scapegoated and lied about by politicians.

[Cake Monster]

1 hour ago, edwinchester said:

"He told reporters the 3 million figure had been a rough estimate and Thailand had formally asked AstraZeneca in April 2021 to provide 10 million monthly doses."

 

Whoever made the original estimate of requirements seems either misinformed of the situation or incompetent to get it so far wrong.

Business does not run on " rough estimates ", no Business will supply to a Customer under an " Estimated Usage ".

The Letter clearly showed a figure of 3 Million was ordered by MOPH Thailand.

This would have been a firm, committed order, and there was no indication at all of any request, or firm order from Thailand for 10 Million Doses per Month.

However, AZ did suggest to the Thai Authorities that by joining the Covax Scheme, they would have more access to the Vaccines.  This is something Thailand never did, and are now paying a heavy price for their Ignorance and arrogance.

[atpeace]

 

 

No issue with intelligently criticizing a nations government but non-sensical rants that are borderline racist only exposes the poster's lack of perspective and character flaws.

 

Sure, my experiences are anecdotal but no worry on my end.  I hope the situation in Thailand remains as bad the next few months because bad seems pretty good from my vantage point.  Just curious, what countries in Europe or the Americas handled Covid better than Thailand?  Hmmm, none... but the current vaccine missteps sure makes a few posters orgasmic.

[Laughing Gravy]

1 hour ago, edwinchester said:

"The director-General of the Thai Disease Control Department, Opas Karnkawinpong, confirmed on Sunday that the letter was authentic"

If you have been in Thailand long enough, what is said one day, is often retracted, so what he said today may not be the same tomorrow or next week.

[atpeace]

5 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Business does not run on " rough estimates ", no Business will supply to a Customer under an " Estimated Usage ".

The Letter clearly showed a figure of 3 Million was ordered by MOPH Thailand.

This would have been a firm, committed order, and there was no indication at all of any request, or firm order from Thailand for 10 Million Doses per Month.

However, AZ did suggest to the Thai Authorities that by joining the Covax Scheme, they would have more access to the Vaccines.  This is something Thailand never did, and are now paying a heavy price for their Ignorance and arrogance.

I've run many on rough estimates in lieu of sticking my head in the sand.  Just have to be brave and make a decision.    As for the 3 mil, maybe this was the best rough estimate and at the time, I could see this being an overestimate.  Life isn't 100% predictable and now Thailand is paying the price - I agree with you on that.  

[madmitch]

No comment from AZ, also no comment from Anutin or any Government official...not even someone denouncing this as fake news.

[mtls2005]

7 minutes ago, madmitch said:

also no comment from Anutin or any Government official...not even someone denouncing this as fake news.

 

Even in Thailand the toothpaste cannot be put back in the tube.

 

Although they do try often enough.

 

 

Now let's see the unredacted contract between THL and AZ. A redacted version is out there, haven't found it, yet.

 

On another front, the crisis demands more transparency and not less. It took an MP from Move Forward Party, Wiroj Lakkana-adisorn, to secure a heavily redacted Oxford-Astrazeneca contract by using rights under the Information Act. Crucial information such as the price, amounts of doses ordered and delivery time could not be seen. That was Monday. The agreement paper could have been made public last year. Fast forward to Thursday, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha announced that the delivery of the main COVID-19 vaccines, which is 61 million doses of AstraZeneca, will be delayed by up to six months and reduced by half per month for many months from now.

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/?p=0