US plans to donate 2.5 million doses of vaccine to Thailand

[mtls2005]

6 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

So is this 2.5 million doses includes the previous 1.5 million doses, or is separate?

 

Separate.

 

1.5 mm today

 

2.5 mm soon

 

4.0 mm in total, so far.

 

 

That's how I read it, but now not 3,000% certain. 

 

OK, now not sure at all, could be 2.5 mm in total. Still sifting.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by mtls2005

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.  This thread is NOT about the role of an Embassy.  It's about the vaccines being given to Thailand.  It's also not about arms for other countries. 

 

Please stay on topic.  

 

[mtls2005]

Just now, Scott said:

It's also not about arms for other countries. 

 

I've got both of mine.

 

But could use two vaccines.

 

 

[Sydebolle]

How embarrassing for Thailand; not getting basic simple logistics and priorities right. All Thais could be vaccinated by now if not for such hick-hack among the various ministers and ministries.

Remember that when it is election time again ............. The Americans, Chinese, French and Swiss are pouring millions of their own taxpayers money into Thailand, so the Thai government can go and prioritize expenses on their own taxpayers money like submarines, airport extensions and feasibility studies on space programmes. 

What a forsaken desaster and nobody brings this madness in the Thai government offices to a screeching halt. When is enough ....... enough? 

[mtls2005]

Webinar (on which this story is based).

 

Sen. Duckworth at 22:30

 

Haven't watched it.

 

 

[Surasak]

20 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Thailand that boasts it's the hub of everything, but when in the mire it's a poor developing country....

What is it that Thailand is developing? In thirty plus years the only developments I have seen are more monster hotels and condo's, plus some shopping malls. As to the majority of the people, they are as poor as they have ever been.

[WEBBYB808]

2 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

Oh that's nice. How about taking care of it's own citizens first!

 

We had to fly to the states for a very, very expensive trip and are still in f'king quarantine as we speak, just to get vaccinated.

 

it shouldn't be that way.

 

Screw the US government. They just don't care about us.

But they want you to pay your taxes.

[Taco]

Good news! More freed up cash for submarines. Go Prayut and seal the deal. 

[asiaexpat]

Try 415,000 doses, not 4 Mil. Many news articles about it.

[sricabla]

Also...One of the reasons the US is donating to Thailand and other countries is that there's over 100 million Americans are afraid to take it or just refuse on principle, even though the vaccine is a life saver. 98% of the new infections are people that are not vaccinated.

[Scott3000]

6 hours ago, lujanit said:

Embassies are in foreign countries to

"The mission of the United States Embassy is to advance the interests of the United States, and to serve and protect U.S. citizens in Thailand."

 

--From the US Embassy in Thailand's website.

[Skeptic7]

Should be US citizens first...and only afterward, the excess to others. 

 

And here comes the bashing brigade. Before it starts...everyone knows this is exactly what Thailand would do in the highly unlikely event the situation was reversed and Thailand leading the way in something/anything, ever. 

 

 

[Emdog]

6 hours ago, lujanit said:

Before all the US expats say their country/embassy is not looking after them.  Consider this.

 

Embassies are not in foreign countries for the sole benefit of their citizens.  They may provide some services however they are not there for just you.

 

Embassies are in foreign countries to act as liaison between the host country and the government of country of the embassy.

 

Winge all you like but that is the truth.

"The mission of the United States Embassy is to advance the interests of the United States, and to serve and protect U.S. citizens in Thailand." and

"Integrity – Do the right thing.
Unity – Do it together, with respect.
Creativity – Do it a new way…better, faster, smarter."

That is straight from US embassy website. Of course any fool knows "Embassies are not in foreign countries for the sole benefit of their citizens." We are not asking for sole benefit we are asking embassy to "serve and protect" US citizens. Telling us to "depend on local resources" is near criminal abandonment of us. Bangkok US embassy mission statement

[crazykopite]

Did they promise not to manipulate the Thai baht in order to get these vaccines knowing the yanks there will be some sort of agreement 

[statman78]

As a US citizen when I moved to Thailand, I knew I would be giving up a lot of support from my government even though I still pay taxes.  My entire life I paid into the social security system and the Medicare system.  A5 least I get my social security payment.  I knew and accepted the fact that I don’t have Medicare coverage unless I go back to the US.

 

They way we are treated by our government makes me feel less than a second class citizen. In this case all US citizens are entitled to a free vaccine.  The vaccines are coming from the US to Thailand.  US citizens should be able to access these vaccines.  There are plenty extra to cover many Thais.

 

Illegal immigrants in the US, foreign visitors to the US and even Mexican factory workers near the US border are getting free vaccines from the US government.  Other countries are also receiving free vaccines from the US.  I’m not against any of this but US citizens living overseas should have access to US vaccines in the countries where the US is sending them for free.  The French did it.  The Chinese did it but the US doesn’t care.

[elektrified]

2 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

Oh that's nice. How about taking care of it's own citizens first!

 

We had to fly to the states for a very, very expensive trip and are still in f'king quarantine as we speak, just to get vaccinated.

 

it shouldn't be that way.

 

Screw the US government. They just don't care about us.

No you did not have to fly to America to get vaccinated. You CHOSE to. You could have been vaccinated in Thailand. I've met several farangs who have received their vaccine (some have even received the 2nd dose already), right here in Thailand.

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Webinar (on which this story is based).

 

Did not see any mention of vaccine donations.

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Good to see the U.S. doing right by Thailand.

and it will probably be repaid by even stricter visa requirements and 4x pricing at national parks. 

[arick]

6 hours ago, lujanit said:

Before all the US expats say their country/embassy is not looking after them.  Consider this.

 

Embassies are not in foreign countries for the sole benefit of their citizens.  They may provide some services however they are not there for just you.

 

Embassies are in foreign countries to act as liaison between the host country and the government of country of the embassy.

 

Winge all you like but that is the truth.

Poor us citizens! 

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Isn't Britain also donating an enormous amount of vaccines to Thailand in the next couple of weeks? 

Nine million. Ah, the loss of face for Thailand, having to rely on foreign donations because the country can't cope by itself.

[raccos21]

Great news! Get vaccinated but make sure wear mask, get tested and self quarantine if your are exposed to an asymptomatic person.
That was what CDC said new studies show that fully vaccinated people who become infected carry as much virus as unvaccinated people do, suggesting they may be able to transmit the infection to others.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/cdc-set-unveil-revised-mask-guidance-vaccinated-americans-sources-2021-07-27/

 

[wwest5829]

6 hours ago, lujanit said:

Before all the US expats say their country/embassy is not looking after them.  Consider this.

 

Embassies are not in foreign countries for the sole benefit of their citizens.  They may provide some services however they are not there for just you.

 

Embassies are in foreign countries to act as liaison between the host country and the government of country of the embassy.

 

Winge all you like but that is the truth.

Agreed, not JUST to serve the American citizens resident in a foreign country but ... it is part of the expectation that the American citizens would be attended to as much as what would be expected if lives were being threatened by other means, as they are in this case. As an American citizen, full-time resident in Thailand, I will continue to lobby for some healthcare attention to the current threat ... I do not consider this "whining".

[pseudorabies]

6 hours ago, lujanit said:

Before all the US expats say their country/embassy is not looking after them.  Consider this.

 

Embassies are not in foreign countries for the sole benefit of their citizens.  They may provide some services however they are not there for just you.

 

Embassies are in foreign countries to act as liaison between the host country and the government of country of the embassy.

 

Winge all you like but that is the truth.

This is not about embassies but about how countries look after their expats abroad. China and France have arranged for their citizens to be vaccinated here outside of their respective embassies.  What we're not talking about is an embassy opening its gates to allow citizens in to be vaccinated by hired staff.

 

Regarding the US, contrast that government's treatment of its expats here with how they are treating the unvaccinated in the US.  They are conducting door-to-door campaigns in some areas to try to convince people to accept a jab on the spot.  Many and, in some areas, most won't get vaccinated under any circumstances. Here in LOS you have expats begging for vaccines, many who would happily pay for it.  It's hard to imagine a more disproportionate treatment.

[paul1804]

4 hours ago, jeffandgop said:

No. That is not the truth at all.  The two State Department mission requirements are not mutually exclusive.  It's BOTH.  Represent the US national interests AND provide/promote safety for its' citizens in said country.

In most cases this is. correct, to be a representitive for both country and its citizens!!! 

[elektrified]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Meh.

 

Yes, the Biden administration announced a global mega-vaccine donation plan - COVAX + non-COVAX

 

Yes, Thailand was to be part of that (non-COVAX portion)

 

Yes, 1.5 mm doses were the first tranche, due today.

 

Yes, the news of additional doses was mentioned last week.

 

This announcement merely reinforces the commitment, volume, and allows Bangkok-born Sen. Duckworth to present some good news as part of an event.

 

I did not know about this new donation until seeing this article.

 

I guess your point is, sheesh, I don't know.

 

 

For those who don't know, Tammy Duckworth is a Thai/American U.S. Senator. She is a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. She was a combat veteran of the Iraq War, she served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. In 2004, after her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, she suffered severe combat wounds, including the loss of both of her legs and some mobility in her right arm.  The woman deserves respect and clearly this is a positive step for the benefit of Thailand.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, tandor said:

...since when is Thailand a developing country!..we didnt join Covax cause we have a wealthy middle class and elite class, who can afford to purchase their own vaccines. More like the 2.5 US vaccines are about to expire due to the low vaccinate rate in the US (50%).

A few tall shiny glass buildings in Bangkok does not make Thailand a developed country. Thailand, alone in SE Asia I believe, didn't join Covax because in its arrogance decided it didn't need help from outsiders - loss of face and all that.

Wealthy middle class is an oxymoron - you are either wealthy, or middle class. Perhaps you meant comfortable, not wealthy. But even comfortable might not fit, as many are deeply in debt as the personal debt figure even in 2020 stood at almost 90 percent of GDP and is probably higher still now. Eventually, as in 1997, that debt will be called in and the pack of cards will collapse again.

[wwest5829]

3 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

Oh that's nice. How about taking care of it's own citizens first!

 

We had to fly to the states for a very, very expensive trip and are still in f'king quarantine as we speak, just to get vaccinated.

 

it shouldn't be that way.

 

Screw the US government. They just don't care about us.

I hope you will join me in lobbying for both a US national healthcare program like all other western democracies provide for their citizens and for equality medical coverage of earned Medicare with those who have earned military retirement global medical coverage (looking for equal treatment).

[trainman34014]

Thailand is the 'Hub' of cheap talk and nothing else.  Any country that cannot supply its Citizens with clean drinkable Tap Water, Guaranteed Electrical supply, a proper Sewerage System with Treatment Plants and Pumping Stations cannot call itself anything but 'Third World' or a 'Developing Country'.   They can't even get the Cables underground throughout the country and are still allowing Overhead Wires in New Housing Developments, crazy !

 

All these things could be provided if they stop the silly purchases of Military Equipment which will never be used for anything apart from killing their own people and cut down or eradicate the disgusting levels of Corruption which run through the country from the very top to the very bottom !

[Eric Loh]

53 minutes ago, sricabla said:

Also...One of the reasons the US is donating to Thailand and other countries is that there's over 100 million Americans are afraid to take it or just refuse on principle, even though the vaccine is a life saver. 98% of the new infections are people that are not vaccinated.

Pfizer is very strict on expiry date as they don't have enough information to ensure that the doses would still be safe beyond their current expiration dates. Israel requested to extend the expiration date on over a million of its vaccines and was flatly rejected. Thanks to these misinformed anti-vaxxers in US, others will benefit. 

[WingFat]

To all you US-hating expats in LOS,  just how many doses of a QUALITY vaccine is YOUR home country donating to LOS or anywhere else ???

 

And further FYI, the high quality vaccines developed and produced in the US that the rest of the world wants, were part of Trump's "Warp Speed" vaccine program, which I think many of you ridiculed at the time. Now, go look in the mirror who to ridicule now...and enjoy your lockdown in LOS.