Norwegian in infection chaos in Thailand: Must go to Norway for vaccination

[todlad]

16 hours ago, sucit said:

It’s all absolute insanity. The stuff we are doing is the equivalent of the crazy person freaking out and screaming in public. It’s just all of us. 
 

Think about it. The guy is getting on planes, and into confined spaces like taxis, going through screenings with people around, all to save himself from a virus. I am criticizing the system not him. Anyone over a certain age should have easy access to the vaccines. I don’t care what passport you hold. 

Firstly, you are right: Thailand may well get caught out by the xenophobia of some of the people who take decisions on who gets vaccinated. By the way, I am sure that even children can see that the policy of leaving vulnerable foreigners until last is ridiculous.

Secondly, didn't they allow foreigners in Knut's age group to get vaccinated in and around Bangkok just a few days ago?

[JimHuaHin]

When one reads the replies/comments to this story, one gets different stories from the posters.  This is the reality of the Thai vaccination programme across the country - some elderly people front up, and get vaccinated at one location, but not at another; others, like myself, make a booking, front up on time, only to be told no vaccines for farangs today; another appointment made, and again no vaccines available for elderly farangs today.  But, regretfully it seems, trying to get vaccinated here is like going to immigration for a visa extension, or tryng to open a new bank account - different offices/branches, different experiences.  That is the reality of our living here.

[khunjeff]

12 hours ago, khunpa said:

Most of the Thais I know who have been vaccinated are all fairly young (30-40). And I know many older and seriously sick people who still are waiting.

 

I have not idea why these young people have been vaccinated.???

Most of my Thai friends are also in that category - 30s/40s, healthy, office workers with little or no public contact - and all were vaccinated with AZ many weeks ago. The reason seems to be that they all work for large, prominent companies that were given "allocations" for their employees, regardless of whether they fell into any high risk group. I suspect that similar folks working for small businesses are still waiting.

[strabel23]

15 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

In the last weeks I saw several opportunities especially for people over 70.

He could get vaccinated in Thailand if he wants to and if he follows the news.

 

I also know a couple of older people who complain they didn't get vaccinated until now. I sent them messages with details where they could register and get vaccinated.

And then when I ask them I get answer like: I only want xyz vaccine and not any other. Or: Maybe another day. Lots of excuses. Don't blame the Thai government when YOU don't take the opportunities which are offered to you.

and who wants to get vaccinated with Sino-Vac when it's not very effective if at all against the Delta- variant that's spreading across the country. 

[Almer]

16 hours ago, JudyB said:

I don't get why he 'has' to go to Norway. There are various options to be vaccinated here, especially at his age. Many governments are not vaccinating their own people abroad. As an 'elderly' Brit I have been vaccinated by the Thai government

But where when and how, i am 72 with a pre existing which is in the group listed for vaccination, living in Khonkaen.

[Jingthing]

New site

 

https://complaint.consular.go.th/index.php?r=frvc

Edited July 31, 2021 by Jingthing

[nahkit]

13 hours ago, JudyB said:

Same here - I had three appointments.  You can't expect to get told when/where to go - a bit of taking control of your life is what's needed

So both yourself and Liverpool Lou helped fill the system up by booking extra appointments that you wont use.

[bobbin1955]

 

Garret Kramer

Jul 30

 

Always makes sense to keep doing exactly what isn’t working. And just in time for Pfizer to update its revenue predictions by billions.

 

@wolfblitzer

· Jul 29

Israel will start giving a 3rd Covid-19 booster shot to people over 60 who received their 2nd dose at least 5 months ago: "The decision was based on considerable research and analysis as well as the rise in risk of the Delta variant wave," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, nahkit said:

So both yourself and Liverpool Lou helped fill the system up by booking extra appointments that you wont use.

You're making a lot of assumptions. 

 

Such as assuming they didn't cancel unused bookings 

 

Such as about the hospital mechanics of booking which likely accounts for no shows.

 

I highly doubt AstraZeneca doses are being wasted here. Sinovac maybe.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Jingthing

[Almer]

20 minutes ago, todlad said:

Firstly, you are right: Thailand may well get caught out by the xenophobia of some of the people who take decisions on who gets vaccinated. By the way, I am sure that even children can see that the policy of leaving vulnerable foreigners until last is ridiculous.

Secondly, didn't they allow foreigners in Knut's age group to get vaccinated in and around Bangkok just a few days ago?

They did but is it wise or even possible to travel to Bangkok with almost certainly 1 overnight at the age of 72 with 1 condition  that falls into the get vaxed group, i am living in Khonkaen.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

14 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I agree, they were very limited but I managed three appts by getting on as soon as the site opened and not giving up right up until the last day.  That was my point and several hundred others who were successful also would agree with me, I'm sure.  

Several hundred !!!!!!!!!!

Yes, several hundred of the limited number who were trying to get appointments specifically for the 60+ age group and those with medical conditions.

 

I'm not sure whether your multiple exclamation marks means you think "several hundred" is a low or high number or whether you're disputing what I said but bear in mind that there were only 100 appts per day, per hospital for that registration period.  

[madmitch]

In view of yesterday's news regarding scaremongering and fake news, this magazine needs to watch its step. Not just this article, where the implication that foreigners can't get vaccinnated in Thailand is incorrect but in the past they've had stories that contained unsubstatiated "facts" and figures. I'm not alone in having been critical of their reporting.

 

Take the very bottom line Due to the increase in infection, Thailand has introduced a gate ban and closed all beaches and parks. This is simply wrong. The provincial governors make these decisions and they vary from province to province.

 

Had the headline been Norwegian has to fly home to get Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and this been emphasised then it might have been fine but they are trying to sesationalise.

[nahkit]

1 hour ago, Mallory said:

what's the pr

Right. Got my first shot of SinoPharm (~92% efficacy) at Chulabhorn Institute last week. Very professional operation. Free. Second shot in two weeks. No problem. The govt's doing its best, considering the shortage of vaccines everywhere. Friends in Oz are far worse off - and locked down.

The Chulabhorn institute has nothing to do with the government efforts - they side-stepped the government and ordered their own vaccines.

 

I queued up, along with my wife, to register to receive SinoPharm two weeks ago (my wife was told no online registration was available in this particular case). We haven't as yet been given an appointment.

[nahkit]

13 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're making a lot of assumptions. 

 

Such as assuming they didn't cancel unused bookings 

 

Such as about the hospital mechanics of booking which likely accounts for no shows.

 

I highly doubt AstraZeneca doses are being wasted here. Sinovac maybe.

As are you, by assuming that the hospital mechanics can handle no-shows or that they can re-allocate unused bookings. Nor do you know if the people involved actually bothered to cancel their bookings.

 

Fact is, you don't know those things to be true/untrue any more than I do.

[Ireland32]

16 hours ago, Crossy said:

Even just knuckling down and staying home and surviving on Deliveroo or whatever has to be better than flying halfway round the world in an aluminium tube packed in with other carrying lord knows what.

 

But as with many things in this world it's all Up2U.

 

There is no - one on the flts , very few inside planes , terminals nothing open except high end duty free , no food options , very boring traveling Now 

[Ireland32]

9 minutes ago, nahkit said:

The Chulabhorn institute has nothing to do with the government efforts - they side-stepped the government and ordered their own vaccines.

 

I queued up, along with my wife, to register to receive SinoPharm two weeks ago (my wife was told no online registration was available in this particular case). We haven't as yet been given an appointment.

Why waste time with a useless vaccine , it won’t help with Indian Variant , Avoid Chinese Vax 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, nahkit said:

As are you, by assuming that the hospital mechanics can handle no-shows or that they can re-allocate unused bookings. Nor do you know if the people involved actually bothered to cancel their bookings.

 

Fact is, you don't know those things to be true/untrue any more than I do.

Here is what I do know.

 

At this time the demand in Thailand for AstraZeneca is massively greater than the supply.

 

The shelf life is six to nine months. 

 

It's not plausible that doses not used for no shows aren't finding willing arms very soon anyway.

 

You're guilt tripping people without cause and I find that despicable.

 

 

[nahkit]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're guilt tripping people without cause and I find that despicable.

????  "guilt tripping" - haven't heard that since the 70's.

 

 

[Xonax]

14 hours ago, JudyB said:

Same here - I had three appointments.  You can't expect to get told when/where to go - a bit of taking control of your life is what's needed

No wonder why many people couldn´t get appointments to be vaccinated, when numerous others had made several appointments!

Edited July 31, 2021 by Xonax

[PEE TEE]

34 minutes ago, Almer said:

But where when and how, i am 72 with a pre existing which is in the group listed for vaccination, living in Khonkaen.

have you checked at your nearest immigration office . they may have the QR code to register the the data gets sent to the government hospital then you get an SMS for your vaccine site with the date . it may worth a try it worked for me 

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, nahkit said:

????  "guilt tripping" - haven't heard that since the 70's.

 

 

Ok how is this for you. "VACCINE shaming" is that better for you.

[watthong]

15 hours ago, Jingthing said:

That said there was another option at MedPark in which the registration page was open for multiple days. So clearly they had many more than 500 there. The Norwegian guy indeed could have registered there if he had known about it. 

MedPark registration was like a dream comes true: unhurried, civilized, calendar wide open and unlike a dream it lasts for days. Perfect for the "older" (read old geyzer) expats with non-typist fingers and bleary eyes. In fact many folks on this forum had to rub their eyes to really believe what they were seeing, myself included. If you can't get yourself an appointment there, nothing will. The French like to say: Aide toi and dieu t'aidera, translated to: move, get off your butt, help yourself (first) and then god will help you. 

 

Bottom line is the Thai system (whatever that might be) has been doing what it can to take care of "old, diseased" expats (this term has been used before, in an endearing fashion so mod don't say that I'm trolling/slandering) - on par if not going the extra mile than how it does toward its own people (and definitely whole lot more than embassies of said expats.) So let's give credit/give thanks to where they're due, shall we? Instead of running your mouth off "infection chaos..." Jeez.

[PEE TEE]

2 hours ago, jesimps said:

I've had my jab, but now that Bang Sue is off the list I wonder if you'd be so good as to let those unvaccinated people know what the other options are. You know, the ones where you are guaranteed to be able to access the registration process. Bearing in mind, from my experience, the local hospitals haven't got any vaccine.

try the immigration office it may have the QR code to register i did it and got jabbed within 15 days 

[micmichd]

6 minutes ago, nahkit said:

????  "guilt tripping" - haven't heard that since the 70's.

 

 

I'm German by passport, I've heard about scapegoating, and I certainly know what that means. 

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, watthong said:

MedPark registration was like a dream comes true: unhurried, civilized, calendar wide open and unlike a dream it lasts for days. Perfect for the "older" (read old geyzer) expats with non-typist fingers and bleary eyes. In fact many folks on this forum had to rub their eyes to really believe what they were seeing, myself included. If you can't get yourself an appointment there, nothing will. The French like to say: Aide toi and dieu t'aidera, translated to: move, get off your butt, help yourself (first) and then god will help you. 

 

Bottom line is the Thai system (whatever that might be) has been doing what it can to take care of "old, diseased" expats (this term has been used before, in an endearing fashion so mod don't say that I'm trolling/slandering) - on par if not going the extra mile than how it does toward its own people (and definitely whole lot more than embassies of said expats.) So let's give credit/give thanks to where they're due, shall we? Instead of running your mouth off "infection chaos..." Jeez.

To some degree. I'll never understand in a million years why high risk expats in PATTAYA (a major hub of retired expats) have been treated in such a back of the line way. Why were any of us forced to travel to Bangkok in the first place? Apologists can say we weren't forced. I would call B.S. When I booked in Bangkok I had no idea how long I would have to wait for access in Pattaya.  Vaccines delayed are vaccines denied if you get infected WAITING. Also many Pattaya high risk expats went to that Bang Su mass vaccination thingie, you know the one with massive crowds not well distanced. Just crazy! 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

11 minutes ago, nahkit said:

????  "guilt tripping" - haven't heard that since the 70's.

 

 

It's still a thing and I reckon it will continue to be a thing.

 

Guilt-trip | Definition of Guilt-trip by Merriam-Webster

[OneMoreFarang]

53 minutes ago, strabel23 said:

and who wants to get vaccinated with Sino-Vac when it's not very effective if at all against the Delta- variant that's spreading across the country. 

People who acknowledged that a bad protection is a lot better than no protection. 

[Almer]

9 minutes ago, PEE TEE said:

have you checked at your nearest immigration office . they may have the QR code to register the the data gets sent to the government hospital then you get an SMS for your vaccine site with the date . it may worth a try it worked for me 

Thankyou for that, but why don't Central government tell people there best route, ok ok i know the answer, thanks again.

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

People who acknowledged that a bad protection is a lot better than no protection. 

I wouldn't call it bad but definitely not top shelf and of course very very weak until after the SECOND dose.

 

I've read with AstraZenica you get reasonable protection two weeks after the first dose, much more a month later, and then of course much more after the second dose.

 

By protection I mean reducing the chances of hospitalization and death if infected. We all know by now getting vaccinated doesn't mean you won't still be infected.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Jingthing

[OneMoreFarang]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

To some degree. I'll never understand in a million years why high risk expats in PATTAYA (a major hub of retired expats) have been treated in such a back of the line way. Why were any of us forced to travel to Bangkok in the first place? Apologists can say we weren't forced. I would call B.S. When I booked in Bangkok I had no idea how long I would have to wait for access in Pattaya.  Vaccines delayed are vaccines denied if you get infected WAITING. 

What do you think Thais all over the country think?

And what do you think would the elderly Thai think if the elderly farangs in Pattaya would get special treatment?