By Erich Parpart

 

The government said on Thursday that it was AstraZeneca who was the one that picked Siam Bioscience (SBS) as the producer of its vaccine in Thailand, not the government, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha said during the censure debate.

 

His comments came after Jiraporn Sinthuprai, a Pheu Thai MP, said that the government made a wrong decision when they picked SBS as the producer of AstraZeneca vaccine in Thailand because the company was a loss-making company and has no experience in producing vaccines. It is a criticism that has been echoed by members of the opposition.

 

“The decision on which producer was done by the company, not the government,” Prayut said. “Many people have used this to defame the government so they have to be careful.”

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/32131/prayut-says-astrazeneca-picked-sbs-as-partner-not-the-government/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-09-03

 

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Responding to political debate with a threat of legal action. 

 

Classy.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The government said on Thursday that it was AstraZeneca who was the one that picked Siam Bioscience (SBS) as the producer of its vaccine in Thailand, not the government, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha said during the censure debate.

But of course they did! Might the reason be that it was the only option given?

the obvious choice was the government pharmaceutical organisation, with is a large and well establish company, making some 70 basic and most popular medicines, which are not necessary the most profitable. They even have their own pharmacy network, probably hundreds and thousands of them.

the should have more than one large factory, probably making some vax (just to be independent of india supplies).

 

from what was said everywhere so far, it was the government, who appointed siam bioscience, to boost weakening certain image and hail it as saviour of nation (once again).

that was political decision, in mist of street protests with tens of thousands.

 

now I would wait for the AZ rebuttal of prayuth's claim. They are capable of defending their autonomy. The last time they simply leaked out secret correspondence with anutin to the press.

 

there is analysis of vax program in thailand by Craig Keating, a former senior analyst with Australia’s Office of National Assessments published in on academic The University of Melbourne website 

https://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/insights/thailands-covid-crisis

 

in this piece there is also some older example, how incompetent this regime was prior to covid:

"There were signs unelected prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s administration might fail to deliver an effective vaccination program. In 2016, when 2014-coup leader Prayuth headed a self-appointed government, the Food and Drug Administration destroyed stocks of substandard animal rabies vaccines. Their use coincided with an increase in animal rabies cases in 2016 and 2017 of 87 per cent and 156 per cent, respectively, above 2015 numbers. In 2018, the government refused to recognise the rabies outbreak as a “disaster”, and so did not dip into its national vaccine stockpile, likely contributing to the 17 human deaths that year."

Edited September 2, 20214 yr by internationalism

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The government said on Thursday that it was AstraZeneca who was the one that picked Siam Bioscience (SBS) as the producer of its vaccine in Thailand, not the government, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha said during the censure debate.

How does one pick a company that did not even have a lab built to process and produce a vaccine.  Did AZ pay for the build of the facility as well.  Why would AZ pick Thailand when there were labs in India and Japan already who process vaccinations.......someones telling porkies again.  I await the rebuttal letter from AZ like with the AZ vaccine promises per month....just laughable, and sad.  The walls are closing in it would appear.

the AZ wanted thailand as local distributor for ASEAN.

India has it's own very large population, and the rest of the whole world, to supply with vac. But even than they are relying on many ingredients shipped directly to them from the AZ. There was time in the early spring, when they were short of stock, to the point of threatening production. So they have banned export.

Production in thailand is cheaper, than in korea, japan, that's probably why thailand was chosen by the AZ. And those 2 countries probably did not want to tie itself to just one vax, as thailand, inevitable, did.

 

Edited September 3, 20214 yr by internationalism

Has had lots of practice but not very good at lying. This one beggars belief.

 

Why on earth would AZ choose a [choose adjectives carefully] company to represent it and its product not just in Thailand but throughout SEA?

And the rest of the country replied, "Yes, maybe, but..." - all comments strictly forbidden.

 

Not really a difficult choice for AstraZeneca now was it?

 

 

 

36 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

How does one pick a company that did not even have a lab built to process and produce a vaccine.  Did AZ pay for the build of the facility as well.  Why would AZ pick Thailand when there were labs in India and Japan already who process vaccinations.......someones telling porkies again.  I await the rebuttal letter from AZ like with the AZ vaccine promises per month....just laughable, and sad.  The walls are closing in it would appear.

Looks like the escape routes are being prepared right now if reports elsewhere are to be believed.

4 hours ago, Gold Star said:

Remember sir, the Thai people picked a different leader, but you took over anyway as well.

Oh how unkind, it took several weeks to arrive at his preferred outcome to be "democratically" "elected"

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The government said on Thursday that it was AstraZeneca who was the one that picked Siam Bioscience (SBS) as the producer of its vaccine in Thailand, not the government, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha said during the censure debate.

A decision I don't think AZ anticipated would end up like it did.

Would be interested to hear the views from the AZ bosses especially how many companies applied and were considered 

If you say so, it must be true. 

3 hours ago, internationalism said:

the AZ wanted thailand as local distributor for ASEAN.

India has it's own very large population, and the rest of the whole world, to supply with vac. But even than they are relying on many ingredients shipped directly to them from the AZ. There was time in the early spring, when they were short of stock, to the point of threatening production. So they have banned export.

Production in thailand is cheaper, than in korea, japan, that's probably why thailand was chosen by the AZ. And those 2 countries probably did not want to tie itself to just one vax, as thailand, inevitable, did.

 

June 18, 2021

"Aztra Zeneca Plc's vaccine nanufacturing partner in Southeast Asia has missed a delivery target in Thailand and shipments to other countries in the region have been delayed..."

https://www.livemint.com

June 17 2021

"It" (Thai government) "has not fully explained how it partnered with Siam Bioscience, which has never manufactured jabs before and was not on a Thai government list early last year of companies with the right knowhow (my bold emphasis)."

https://www.ft.com

A troll post has been removed. 

 

A post with content that was baiting for LM comments has been removed. 

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

How does one pick a company that did not even have a lab built to process and produce a vaccine.  Did AZ pay for the build of the facility as well.  Why would AZ pick Thailand when there were labs in India and Japan already who process vaccinations.......someones telling porkies again.  I await the rebuttal letter from AZ like with the AZ vaccine promises per month....just laughable, and sad.  The walls are closing in it would appear.

It all kind of makes one wonder if there were any ' Gov,t Inducement " packages offered to AZ, in the way  of Tax breaks Etc to set up the SB project in Thailand.

Having owned a Business for Years, I certainly would not have taken the " flyer " on SB that AZ seems to have done.

And their combined Brains are a damn sight better than mine in doing due diligences.

Some off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

Actually, the real Department that chose AZ will never & cannot be criticized inside Thailand.

I thought more of you would have read the overseas articles on this what is a very old subject now.

The Cabinet in total was just a passenger, he is right

1 minute ago, natway09 said:

Actually, the real Department that chose AZ will never & cannot be criticized inside Thailand.

I thought more of you would have read the overseas articles on this what is a very old subject now.

The Cabinet in total was just a passenger, he is right

Correct, I posted a link to the ownership etc, however was deleted