Thailand’s vaccine director apologises for ‘slow, inadequate’ vaccine rollout, promises to join COVAX

[jerrymahoney]

6 minutes ago, Bkktodd said:

Posting for you might be a bore because your voice wont matter.  Many of us are in relationships (living in Thailand).  Our families  have been directly affected with this government screwup.  So this IS real for many of us as well.  This forum is for getting insight into daily events and for expats that need assistance.  I try to ignore the doom and gloom know it alls or negativity.  

There is lots of sound information available on this website. I for many years pre-COVID worked for an NGO in Thailand that dealt with disadvantaged populations. But some of the epidemiological dilettante postings on here are indeed a bore.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 minute ago, ArcticFox said:

I was talking with my wife yesterday about this.  To paraphrase her she said that virtually every Thai in the country, with perhaps the exceptions of die-hard Bangkok yellow-shirts supporters, understand exactly who is doing what, who's in charge, what's actually is going on, and who's to blame. But - big problem for Thai people is they can't speak out publicly.  This does get discussed at the grass-roots level.  People talk among themselves, not on social media.  Face to face discussions.  Personal discussions like the type that are being labelled as "Covid spreading" and "should be avoided according to the rules" (hummm). Average Thai are not happy.  But they all put on their happy Thai faces and underneath their cool, calm demeanor the pressure cooker with a broken release valve simmers ever so slowly and inexorably.

Absolutely my experience too. Every single person my wife knows despises every single thing about this government. They also know that their chance of changing anything is slim to none after the constitution was changed to ensure that the military will always have the upper hand in Parliament, no matter what the result of any elections.

[Derek B]

The chosen photo makes him look like he is smiling....................................

 

[Dasekel]

3 hours ago, StevieAus said:

I think there are many on this forum and perhaps you as well who take the view that all comments have to be critical and that a balanced view is not allowed.

From some of the posts I read about many different subjects one would think that that Thailand is hell and the rest of the world Utopia.

We know that Thailand has handled the situation appallingly but it has been far from perfect elsewhere.

 I take my own country Australia where despite having sufficient vaccines the handling of the Covid situation has been disgraceful and that’s in an advanced developed country.

I often wonder why if people are so critical of everything in Thailand they want to live here.

Sorry, but that is nonsense. Vaccine procurement and pandemic response management (at least in 2021) has been completely mismanaged by the Government with disastrous consequences for everybody and for the regular Thais maybe with even much worse implications than for farangs. But that does not mean we are criticising everything Thai. It is a stupid simplification to blame those who are critical of an issue to criticise all and everything in Thailand. Why are you and some others seemingly feel so compelled to accept everything regardless of how wrong or stupid it may be just because "it is their country" (which also nobody disputes) and criticise others who are stating their views? Have you not learned that there is not only black and white in life but many shades of grey?

[Derek B]

It is one thing not to order vaccines en masse however quite another not to have a game plan (namely registration) well thought out for mass immunisations of the entire population subsequent to the MERS & SARS outbreaks.

[TKI]

please, can you donate some vaccines, we planned out our budget for new submarines and the conquest of space

[ArcticFox]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand moves to join COVAX to address vaccine shortfall

So where is Anutin (There are no shortages. We have vaccines of every type for every Thai person) Charnvirakul.  He's conspicuously absent.  Perhaps he can divert attention by allowing more rich people to grow cannabis while cussing out foreign expats? 

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

...adding that there had been “many agencies and many regulations involved with the procurement.”

Too many snouts in the trough, eh?

 

Why doesn't he tell us something we don't know?

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The mutations (of the virus) were something that could not be predicted, which have caused a more rapid spread than last year.

Anyone who publicly claims that they were unaware of the high likelihood that a coronavirus will mutate doesn't deserve to be running any sort of entity related to public health.

 

[law ling]

10 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Absolutely my experience too. Every single person my wife knows despises every single thing about this government. They also know that their chance of changing anything is slim to none after the constitution was changed to ensure that the military will always have the upper hand in Parliament, no matter what the result of any elections.

Indeed ... the Thais find themselves in a "military-dominated" hole they can't get out of. 

 

And the powers that be seem determined NOT to order vaccines of sufficient quality and in sufficient quantity ... just ordering small batches here and there. Even in the OP (from the top vaccine guy), he talks about "next year" and an uncertain hope for free vaccines.

 

So that's their game-plan: we'll all have to just endure what comes.

[Molly Malone]

7 hours ago, smedly said:

apart from the chinese vaccines you did buy - 1st generation vaccines are effective against delta you just didn't buy them AZ being the exception but 3m a month you may as well not have bothered - now you are going to have revaccinate all those that have already recieved the chinese vaccine putting the whole program back months ................................well done

Ahh SIX MONTHS away, I counted on my fingers! How about BUYING some vax's in the meantime you egregiously inane dullard and your genius bosses!? 

Buy them, fly them in, jab the arms of the POOR people!!! No more meaningless committees/meetings, just do it you useless oxygen wasters!

 

Your Sandbox Phuket/Samui BS headlines are NOT fooling anyone, nor are they keeping alive the vulnerable Thai people.

[Dasekel]

2 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

So criticize the government all you want for their incompetence. What does that change?

OMG, so what are you saying? Unless whatever somebody is posting will have an impact on the government and will change things, he/she should just keep it for her/himself and don't say anything? Everything that you are saying is effecting changes?

[jerrymahoney]

23 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Absolutely my experience too. Every single person my wife knows despises every single thing about this government. They also know that their chance of changing anything is slim to none after the constitution was changed to ensure that the military will always have the upper hand in Parliament, no matter what the result of any elections.

The current power regime has a constituency of one and don't wee why it should take a Yank to explain it.

[Dasekel]

2 hours ago, watthong said:

Excuse me, jus one SMALL correction: 1st generation vaccines, regardless of their efficacy or lack thereof against delta, are ALL effective (in the high 90 %) in preventing death and hospitalization. Whether it is AZ or Sinovac, after you've got that, if delta or whatever other variants gets you (under the surface it's still good old Sars-cov2 virus) what you will have is a "mild flu" (instead of "wuflu.") You can recuperate in the comfort of your home, instead of having a tube shoved down your chest and lying in a bed (if you are lucky) in the ICU.

 

To those having their hair on fire whenever the word "Delta" is spoken: A variant is like a mask/maneuver that the virus puts on in order to evade the vaccine-induced antibodies. Some variant is better at doing its job vs some vaccines (and the antibodies that they triggered) are better at doing their job.  So restart your argument from there.

Really? Go and ask the hundreds of medical workers in Thailand (and also in other countries, e.g. Indonesia) who got infected after being fully vaccinated with Sinovac and many of them did not only get a mild infection. And tell those who even died that they could have recuperated in the comfort of their home!

[sawadee1947]

Again and again.... Promises and plans, and plans of plans. 

It's a shame. 

I wonder how long Thai people would accept that? ????

[law ling]

9 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Anyone who publicly claims that they were unaware of the high likelihood that a coronavirus will mutate doesn't deserve to be running any sort of entity related to public health.

Well said!

 

I was shocked when I read the OP, and assumed that that reason must be the kind of excuse that rings true and believable in the minds of the Thai psyche.

 

Anyway, now that this guy does know mutations do happen, what does he plan to do: there is no urgency in his press release, he just talks about "next year" (that could be 18 months away) ... in other words: steady as she goes on the same plan as now i.e. delay vaxing, let the public cope as best they might, or not, and see you at the other end (with all the others who were privilaged to be double-vaxed).

[Bkk Brian]

53 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

It is unwise for foreigners to get involved in Thai politics, signing a petition is a political act.

In the normal cause of events I would entirely agree, however you've taken it out of context to the thread I was in with the poster who stated that criticism does not change anything. I was giving an example of a legitimate platform where criticism can effect change. The fact that I also signed it was not a political one, its a health emergency one. If you want to see at as political fine. Then so be it.

 

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

saying mutations of the virus were unforeseen

???? really?

[Anant72]

6 hours ago, Lemonltr said:

So it couldn't have been forseen nor predicted!! What nonsense and usual non acceptance of blame. 

Many countries foresaw the need for vaccines and placed large orders. The media was awash with forecasts of variants. 

This half hearted excuse is insulting. 

Exactly. Where did this guy get his medical credentials? 

[soalbundy]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

In the normal cause of events I would entirely agree, however you've taken it out of context to the thread I was in with the poster who stated that criticism does not change anything. I was giving an example of a legitimate platform where criticism can effect change. The fact that I also signed it was not a political one, its a health emergency one. If you want to see at as political fine. Then so be it.

 

 

It doesn't matter how I see it there are however others who do matter. Expressing dissatisfaction with the powers that be can have consequences and takes courage for a Thai let alone for a foreigner, I'd rather watch the walloping than receive it. ????

[BTB1977]

8 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

So whatever the gent may have done wrong or insufficient in the past, why not just sit back and let him do his job as best he can now. Because it is HIS job, not yours.

Just set back ? His best is not good enough.  

[Bangkok Barry]

4 minutes ago, Anant72 said:

Exactly. Where did this guy get his medical credentials? 

I'm convinced that some 'doctors' in Thailand qualify by buying a white coat.

[Hepbub]

No matter how many bolts or padlocks they use on the stable door, it's no good now the horse has well and truly bolted months ago!

[skippybangkok]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

saying mutations of the virus were unforeseen

Needs to ask for a refund on his Degree...  

[jerrymahoney]

11 minutes ago, BTB1977 said:

Just set back ? His best is not good enough.  

Ma ybe someone else could do a better job. But for now, he's got the job and all the ridicule heaped on this guy, which might be partly from a bad translation, does nobody any good.

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

promising that the country will join the COVAX program to receive donated vaccines next year.

So, joining for donated vaccines in 2022!!

For reference "Global Citizen" March 2021:-

 

 

"Cambodia has become the first country in the Western Pacific to receive COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility, an unprecedented initiative designed to ensure vaccines are available for everyone, not just wealthy nations who can afford them. 

The arrival of 324,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on March 2 marks the first batch of a total of 7 million doses that the country is set to receive."

 

 

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/cambodia-COVAX-vaccines/?template=next

 

Pro-active Cambodia, re-active Thailand!!

 

[gravia]

"adding that there had been “many agencies and many regulations involved with the procurement.”

 

Just like everything else in the badly managed  systems put in place by the people who cannot run this lovely country

[chilly07]

8 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

So, joining for donated vaccines in 2022!!

For reference "Global Citizen" March 2021:-

 

 

"Cambodia has become the first country in the Western Pacific to receive COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility, an unprecedented initiative designed to ensure vaccines are available for everyone, not just wealthy nations who can afford them. 

The arrival of 324,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on March 2 marks the first batch of a total of 7 million doses that the country is set to receive."

 

 

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/cambodia-COVAX-vaccines/?template=next

 

Pro-active Cambodia, re-active Thailand!!

 

Innactive Thailand!

[chilly07]

Wuflu is a mutation and will continue to mutate. Using this excuse 2 1/2 years after Wufluland launched this pandemic is intolerable!

[grantbkk]

I may not be the only one who read this article on the front page of the Post and after just a few paragraphs realized the only word to sum it up is, “scapegoat”.  The picture of Dr. Nakorn Premsri, picked by the Post or the government was a perfect scapegoat photograph too.  Poor Dr. Premsri gave a lengthy apology as the National Vaccine Institute Director for not only his part in the debacle but the government itself.

 

What is missing from the mea culpa were the actual culprits of the worst vaccine rollout since the pandemic of 1918. No mention of our Prime Minister of 7 years who singlehandedly took on the job of leading us out of this pandemic and took 100% of the credit for Thailand’s early success. Also conspicuously absent was the name of out esteemed Public Health Minister (not a doctor) who has said all is under control for the last year and a half.  I think everyone now realizes who is primarily responsible for the thousands of covid-19 infections and hundreds of deaths for their decision to forgo the immediate acquisition of proper vaccine for Thailand.

 

I want to let Dr. Premsri know that most of us understand what is happening and that he is mostly blame free for sinking the economy, tripling the suicide rate and causing the country to be locked down.  Your work is appreciated.

 

[ben2talk]

<deleted> - 'Sorry that we refused to join COVAX, we did our best'. Interesting contradiction...

'We did our best refusing all aid because we honestly believed that the opaque local production facility might just pull the rabbit out of the bag, so we bet heavily on that option instead...' There, fixed that for ya.

 

Or 'We did our best to take care of our own interests, you're not very important - now go away and stop asking questions'.