US plans to donate 2.5 million doses of vaccine to Thailand

[Isaan sailor]

1 hour ago, animatic said:

Well the French did it no problem.

 

USA citizens still pay USA taxes and deserve the same treatment as all other tax payers.

 

And consulates are there for citizens and potential visitors to the host country, even if embassies are inter-governmental.

 

Full stop.

Agree.  Not only do we still pay taxes to Uncle Sam—we also draw no Medicare, and therefore must either buy health insurance or self insure.  
Sure, we can hop on a plane for free vacs at any drugstore in the US—but we’d have to incur expenses for 3 to 4 weeks while we wait for the 2nd shot.  And returning to LoS, we’d still have to face a 10-day quarantine.

[WinterGael]

1 hour ago, chilly07 said:

Because I pay 20pc of my pensions in UK tax!

So what... so do I.  Doesn't mean I'm expecting anything. Friends and family back home in Canada ate right. My choice, so don't date ask for anything from the home country.

[placnx]

8 hours ago, JHacker said:

Some of what you say makes sense, but the US is arguably the wealthiest country in the world, and has a moral obligation to make the world a better place. The last epidemic with similar world-wide effects as COVID-19 was the Spanish Flu, a century ago. Embassies, indeed, are not in foreign countries for the SOLE benefit of their citizens, but they should provide benefits to their citizens when essential, and COVID-19 warrants that!

 

The Chinese government took care of their citizens in Thailand, and also benefited Thailand when the Chinese donated (I think) 500,000 doses of vaccine, stipulating that their citizens be vaccinated. The French government vaccinated their citizens 55 years and older, and those with underlying conditions. Kudos to both countries!

 

A conservative estimate of the COVID-19 deaths around the world is 4.2 millions! Knowing how politicians obfuscate, I take those figures with several tablespoons of salt! I think that in such a situation, the US is morally obligated to provide vaccines to its citizens abroad!

At least the US should do this in countries far from America and where US-approved vaccines are not readily available, such as countries in SE Asia, Africa, South America. In Thailand and other countries of SE Asia where the US has made or will make vaccine donations, it would not be awkward to send further doses specifically for vaccinating US citizens, just as the French have done.

 

If we had a serious crash program to augment the vaccine supply to needy nations, that would smooth the optics. It would be in the US interest to do so, to curtail new variants and to show that democracy can respond effectively to a pandemic.

 

Some anaylses estimate that real Covid deaths in India are 10 times the official numbers.

Edited July 29, 2021 by placnx
fill in omitted words

[placnx]

4 hours ago, kuzmabruk said:

According to the US Embassy's (Thailand) website ... 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. 

 

I booked my appointment yesterday to renounce my "born in USA" citizenship.  After 62 years of telling everyone "I am an American," I am now thoroughly disgusted to be American and to have come from what was once a great country.

 

Here is a great rant by a US entrepreneur on the state of overweight under educated people who call themselves Americans ... https://youtube.com/watch?v=HryiadpkssQ&feature=share

This does seem to be the fourth failed presidency in progress.

[placnx]

3 hours ago, malibukid said:

America wants Thailand to stay out of the hands of uncle Xi, lesser of two evils as far a America is concerned

Remember the Cold War and the autocrats we supported to wipe out local possibly Communist-inspired oppostion?

[placnx]

1 hour ago, 10baht said:

I had signed up for the AZ shot, scheduled for 26 Aug. I was told today, cannot get AZ until I take a Sinovac first, new gov't policy, then 4 weeks later I can get an AZ vaccine shot. 

So what age group are you?

[10baht]

34 minutes ago, placnx said:

So what age group are you?

73 and 68 wife both farang

[SuwadeeS]

Let's see what their next excuse will be to not vaccinate foreigners with Pfizer or AZ.

 

I bet thez will find another excuse to deny to foreigner. Even thought my wife is working for Thai government school. You remember, they should be vaccineted 2 month ago.

Thailand loses the face over and over again, day by day.

[Mavideol]

13 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Another 2.5 million vaccines donated.... At this rate Thailand won't have to purchase there own, and the money can go into the trough for all to share.... 

or to be used to buy more submarines from China

[gejohesch]

3 hours ago, animatic said:

Well the French did it no problem.

 

USA citizens still pay USA taxes and deserve the same treatment as all other tax payers.

 

And consulates are there for citizens and potential visitors to the host country, even if embassies are inter-governmental.

 

Full stop.

You've got a good point. Btw, French pay taxes in France on their French-based income. And to be perfectly exact, even if you are a Timbuktu citizen, if you derive any income from France, you will have to declare that to the French taxman (and he will hit you!). Unless, in very few cases I would think, there is a special agreement between France and the country of residence.

[RobU]

Excellent. Every little helps and with regards to Sinovac anything is better than nothing.

[Isaan sailor]

Don’t get your hopes up.  Total US Pfizer donation will be a bit more than 2.5 million.  And no clue when the 2nd shipment arrives.  But this cloud could have a silver lining.  Tomorrow’s delivery should total 1.54 million, I read.  That extra .04 million would make enough for double shots for about 20,000 American expats.  

Quote from a Dirty Harry scene:  “Well, do ya feel lucky, Chump?”

[jwbrit]

16 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Another 2.5 million vaccines donated.... At this rate Thailand won't have to purchase there own, and the money can go into the trough for all to share.... 

Except they do need 100 million, or more,  doses

[khaowong1]

This headline is misleading.  Provide and Donate are two different situations.  Donate pretty much means, free.  Provide pretty much means, as in you owe me x amount of dollars for this.  "US Senator Tammy Duckworth revealed last night that the US government planned to provide 2.5 million doses of vaccine to Thailand."

[cncltd1973]

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

Too late for that. This Pfizer gift will not help either. The fact is China demanded its people be given priority in its gift of vaccines. And the result? Thailand ordered millions of more of doses from China and has recently gone into a partnership with China to develop an mRNA vaccine (according to an article a few days ago on this forum). Meanwhile the reluctance to order and work with the US on vaccines is readily apparent if you look at the order history this year. Otherwise, Thailand goes right on buying submarines and trains from China, while ordering a handful of APCs from the US. So tell me, who is doing better diplomatically, China or the US? Seems a clearcut winner for China to me. China looks strong in protecting its interests and its citizens. The US looks as if it is indifferent about its people and afraid to push the generals in any direction at all.

Don't forget the strong ties between CP Corp and China. That connection carries its weight in gold in Thai politics and looks to be one of the default solutions in a crisis. Plus, a recent worldwide anti-corruption report made many pharmas leary about doing business with Thailand. A couple more dots to connect. Maybe countries would rather donate to a corrupt country to avoid the tarnish of selling to it and then see the $$$ used for weapons?

But yes, the US looks indifferent to its citizens camping abroad, but I don't think they fear the generals tho, haha - not sure if any country does, except Thailand!

[placeholder]

7 hours ago, placnx said:

This does seem to be the fourth failed presidency in progress.

As miuch as I might like the US govt to step up and get us vaccinated, I think that's a bizarre criterion to judge a presidency by.

[thesetat2013]

22 hours ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Good ol' Tammy. She could've been President.

 

As much as I dislike it, when dealing with other govts, they must prioritize appeasing the other govts first, then serving their citizens. As in the larger scheme of things, making the other govts happy then helps us in turn. Remember it wasn't long ago, when everyone's visas were running out, that kicking us all out seemed a very real possibility.

And you watch , wait and see! When most of the thai are vaccines and foreigners are not.  The tables will turn and new strict rules will be imposed on those of us living here. Especially if a real western foreigner creates a hotspot dispensing covid.. which luckily has not happened yet.  If it had, all westerners in Thailand would be locked in their rooms or stopped on streets to be checked where going and with whom.. If history tells us one thing. Is that when something happens bad it's caused by a western foreigner. This country reacts in the most extreme measures and publicizes their blame on us so the rest of the country shuns us. 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

23 minutes ago, thesetat2013 said:

when something happens bad it's caused by a western foreigner.

Heh, Thai style man. Saving face.

 

Truck crash? Brake failure.

Shooting? Gun cleaning accident.

Farang falls from Pattaya balcony? Oh, GF was already asleep, and he was drunk.

CCTV catches group going into an alley, then one was murdered? Oh, it wasn't any of them, the killer got away.

No vaccines? The companies aren't sending them, they have shipping issues, production issues.

A school I worked for changes nearly their entire foreign staff every year. The kids aren't learning, because they can never get any good foreign teachers.

 

Just admit fault? Never.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

7 hours ago, cncltd1973 said:

Don't forget the strong ties between CP Corp and China. That connection carries its weight in gold in Thai politics

Some of my HS students even know about that. They say they no longer go to 7-11. Plenty of mom and pops to be supported here in the small town anyway.

[WaveHunter]

On 7/29/2021 at 2:57 AM, 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.

What you say about what the function of a foreign embassy is may be true, but the notion that US expats are wrong to expect that their government (not embassy) is looking out for them is just plain wrong (especially with regard to donated vaccines), and for anyone to pontificate to the contrary is ignorant and myopic at best.

 

U.S. expats are bona-fide citizens of the US while living abroad, and unlike many citizens of other countries, they still pay US federal taxes while living here in the Kingdom. 

 

Those taxes that they pay helped pay for the very vaccines that are currently being donated to Thailand, and yet most US expats will be denied recieving any but a very small percentage of them!

 

Thailand to date has made it extremely difficult if not impossible for most foreigners to even be abe to become registered into the system for the public rollout of vaccines, let alone actualy become vaccinated.  And I am speaking of many high-risk US citizens (elderly and those with co-morbitities)!

 

If one is not registered into the public rollout system, then they are effectively invisable to the whole public vaccination process, and that includes the donated vaccines that they helped pay for!

 

Just how can anyone consider it just and proper that US expats, who's tax dollars helped pay for these donated vaccines should be denied access to them, or any form of timely public vaccination?  That is EXACTLY the situation that many high-risk expats are dealing with right now, and it is just plain WRONG!

Edited July 30, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Banana7]

You can't trust the government to give it free to the hospital employees, and the elderly. Donated vaccine will most likely it will go to the military, police, politicians and their friends and supporters. If USA does donate, I hope they audit the distribution and ask for penalty if any is given to the military, police or politicians.

 

They only way to control the distribution, is to do it in a public forum, transparent, by non-Thai government so all can see who gets the vaccine!

Edited July 30, 2021 by Banana7

[mtls2005]

Confirmed. 2.5 mm doses in total.

 

1.5 mm delivered today at SBIA/BKK.

 

1 mm to follow.

 

 

1.5 Million Pfizer Vaccine Doses, Donated by the United States, Arrive in Thailand

Today, the United States donated 1,503,450 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Thailand.  This historic shipment, which reaffirms U.S. support to our oldest ally in Asia, arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport this morning.

 

We are also proud to confirm that the United States will provide an additional one million vaccine doses to Thailand – on top of the doses that arrived today – for a total of 2.5 million doses.

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/1-5-million-pfizer-vaccine-doses-donated-by-the-united-states-arrive-in-thailand/

[WaveHunter]

41 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

You can't trust the government to give it free to the hospital employees, and the elderly. Donated vaccine will most likely it will go to the military, police, politicians and their friends and supporters. If USA does donate, I hope they audit the distribution and ask for penalty if any is given to the military, police or politicians.

 

They only way to control the distribution, is to do it a public forum, transparent, by non-Thai government so all can see who gets the vaccine!

For those who are unaware...

1.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, donated by the United States arrived in Thailand TODAY, 30 July. The US embassy is supposed to hold a press briefing about it sometime today.

 

Another 1 million doses have also been comitted to be donated by the US later.

 

There are approximately 40,000 US expats living in the Kingdom.  Out of 1.5 million donated doses, every single US expat should be vaccinated form those donated doses, considering that their tax dollars helped pay for them!

 

How many will actually be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccines their tax dollars helped pay for?  Thai authorities "claim" that 150,000 doses will be given to foreign residents in high risk groups.  That would mean that EVERY SINGLE high risk US Expat should be receiving full vaccinations from the donated Pfizer vaccines.

 

That should happen everywhere across the Kingdom and not just in Bangkok  and with no further delays or dodgy games from authorities in regard to foreigner registration for vaccination!

 

The US needs to steps in and oversee that the Thai authorities actually "walk the walk" instead of just "talking the talk"

Edited July 30, 2021 by WaveHunter

[mtls2005]

12 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

EVERY SINGLE US EXPAT CITIZEN SHOULD BE RECEIVING VACCINATION FROM THOSE DONATED DOSES

 

Well, I'm sure Thai officials will vaccinate both of them.

[John Drake]

I see that Prayut publicly thanked the UK for its 400,000 Astra Zeneca gift.  Did he do the same for the 2.5 million Pfizer from the US?  

[elgenon]

I would think if Thailand can afford submarines that serve no purpose and afford a space program, it can afford vaccines. Just a matter of priorities.

[GroveHillWanderer]

On 7/29/2021 at 10:20 AM, peleid said:

UK are donating vaccines to Laos, Cambodia and other poor countries, they must not consider Thailand a poor country????

The UK is also providing vaccines to Thailand (415,000 doses). There are already several threads about it on the forum.

 

I'm not sure "donate" is the right word (even though the embassy and others are using it) because the official announcements say they will be provided "at cost price." "Donate" implies they will be given for free, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Edited July 30, 2021 by GroveHillWanderer

[WaveHunter]

2 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

The UK is also providing vaccines to Thailand (415,000 doses). There are already several threads about it on the forum.

 

I'm not sure "donate" is the right word (even though the embassy and others are using it) because the official announcements say they will be provided "at cost." "Donate" implies they will be given for free, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Just to be clear, in the case of the US, they are donations, not paid for in anyway by Thailand.  They are paid for by US citizens (like me).

[WaveHunter]

I love the way the US Embassy side-stepped the big question on all expat's minds this morning with the arrival of 1.5 million donated doses of Pfyzer vaccine:

 

"...Our vaccines do not come with strings attached. We are doing this with the singular objective of saving lives and with the full knowledge that none of us are safe until all of us are safe. As such, we are happy to hear the Royal Thai Government has committed to distributing these vaccines equitably to all residents of Thailand and to prioritizing those most at risk. ..."

 

Yeah right! The same authorities who have put up one roadblock after another as far as allowing foreingers to be registered for vaccination are now to be trusted with "distributing these donated vaccines (that my own US tax dollares helped pay for) equitably" to high risk foreigners, when they have done just the opposite to date!

 

We'll see soon enough, but I'm not holding my breath!????

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by WaveHunter

[John Drake]

15 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

I love the way the US Embassy side-stepped the big question on all expat's minds this morning with the arrival of 1.5 million donated doses of Pfyzer vaccine:

 

"...Our vaccines do not come with strings attached. We are doing this with the singular objective of saving lives and with the full knowledge that none of us are safe until all of us are safe. As such, we are happy to hear the Royal Thai Government has committed to distributing these vaccines equitably to all residents of Thailand and to prioritizing those most at risk. ..."

 

Yeah right! The same authorities who have put up one roadblock after another as far as allowing foreingers to be registered for vaccination are now to be trusted with "distributing these donated vaccines (that my own US tax dollares helped pay for) equitably" to high risk foreigners, when they have done just the opposite to date!

 

We'll see soon enough, but I'm not holding my breath!????

 

I saw in one of the UK topics on Covid in Thailand that their ambassador bears an eerie resemblance to Mr. Potatohead. But ours is trying to dress like Prayut.