US Ambassador Thanks Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Successfully Managing Pandemic

[unblocktheplanet]

And whatever happened to local production of Astrazeneca, anyway?

[peter zwart]

2 hours ago, internationalism said:

So maybe Anutin doesn't want to play chess with the USA

maybe true but USA do want to have Thailand as a partner for strategic reasons.

[realfunster]

2 hours ago, Wabel said:

Maybe Anutin could start wearing a mask as well, at the airport welcoming his beloved Chinese without a mask, he praises the Thai’s for wearing masks but doesn’t follow their example 

If my timelines are correct, this meeting happened later the same day after Anutin was rolling out the red carpet to the returning Chinese at the airport.

 

Quite brave of the US ambassador 

 

As I mentioned in the Chinese welcoming ceremony thread, this is yet another picture of Anutin without mask, immediately after exposure to higher risk groups and in close proximity to others.

 

Leading from the front and showing the Thai people the way forward and that masks are obviously an optional extra ! Or it could be, he is so arrogant he simply doesn’t think the guidelines applies to the anointed ones in the government. I’m going with the latter option. 

Edited January 11, 2023 by realfunster
Typo

[Jack Hammer]

12 hours ago, internationalism said:

but it was Anutin, who refused to contract reasonable quantity the Astra Zeneca, even if offered so by the AZ. That was for $6 per dose. If they contracted earlier they would pay only just over $2 per dose.

A few months later thailand was forced to buy over 50mln sinovac at $20/dose - in the meantime refusing india's ambassodor donation of millions doses. 

And many more millions of sinopharm on order of princess - that one outside of health ministry. Again, some $20/dose.

That much public money was wasted by Anutin's negligence. Just short of $1bln down the drain.

 

If not pfizer donation of 1.5mln in 08.2021 by the usa government and 400k of AZ by the UK, the majority of foreigners in thailand would not have any jab well into 2022. Another 1mln donation of pfizer never made it to thailand, because thai embassy in washington didn't bother with filling up some essential paperwork for the shipment.

 

 

That excessive amount paid for Sinopharm would found its way back into the pockets of some Government officials 

[Bedfont]

Slap A back time.

[Eff1n2ret]

To all the emoji laughers I would just like to say that I am grateful to the Thai Government for getting me vaccinated when the British Embassy displayed a total lack of interest in looking after its expat citizens. Just this morning I had my 4th vaccination (Pfizer) at the local public hospital. I would willingly have paid for all of them, but wasn't asked to.

[MrJ2U]

Always be polite to your hosts.

 

 

[internationalism]

7 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

To all the emoji laughers I would just like to say that I am grateful to the Thai Government for getting me vaccinated when the British Embassy displayed a total lack of interest in looking after its expat citizens. Just this morning I had my 4th vaccination (Pfizer) at the local public hospital. I would willingly have paid for all of them, but wasn't asked to.

the UK donated 400k of astra zeneca around August 2021. 

Vaccination program was coordinated by one of the british agencies to all foreigners and also including their thai families. I have enrolled into their program, but finally went for pfizer, as the second dose can be given just 2 weeks after the first one. With Astra Zeneca there is 8-12 weeks gap. That was Delta outbrake, so getting them quicker was my choice.

 

equally as the british embassy, so all thai agencies were indifferent to the majority of foreigners. People were turned back from waiting lines just by not being thai citizen. That was not case in the majority of countries - all those living in the country were treated as equal

Edited January 11, 2023 by internationalism

[Eff1n2ret]

2 minutes ago, internationalism said:

the UK donated 400k of astra zeneca around August 2021. 

Vaccination program was coordinated by one of the british agencies to all foreigners and also including their thai families. I have enrolled into their program, but finally went for pfizer, as the second dose can be given just 2 weeks after the first one. With Astra Zeneca there is 8-12 weeks gap. That was Delta outbrake, so getting them quicker was my choice

The donation had nothing to do with Brit expats getting vaccinated. It was the British Chamber of Commerce who went to the trouble of compiling a list of those in need of vaccination. When the then Consul was interviewed by a Pattaya radio station last year and asked why the Embassy hadn't done that he had no answer - they didn't give a stuff.

[internationalism]

timing of the UK donation and british chamber of commerce program point on relation between them.

Chamber of commerce is part of diplomatic mission, so they are related to embassy. 

In the rest of the world it was governments responsible for vaccination, and not embassies. But Thailand case is different. 

Anutin tried to take points for donated pfizer from the USA - some 650k went to medical professionals and they were told to express gratitude to health ministry. Thai doctors mocked him on social  media, posting portraits of Biden and not Anutin's

[John Drake]

The ambassador wasn't here. He hasn't got a clue. And his predecessor, the charge d'affaires, was too busy pulling up the draw bridge and keeping Americans out of the castle to notice anything outside.

[Chongalulu]

2 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

To all the emoji laughers I would just like to say that I am grateful to the Thai Government for getting me vaccinated when the British Embassy displayed a total lack of interest in looking after its expat citizens. Just this morning I had my 4th vaccination (Pfizer) at the local public hospital. I would willingly have paid for all of them, but wasn't asked to.

Perhaps you should ask yourself where those Pfizer vaccinations came (were donated from) and why the Thai embassy in USA couldn’t be bothered to simply fill in paperwork to accept even further donations! 
As regards your point,most countries (including UK ) took responsibility for vaccinating ANYONE residing there AND at no charge. The reason for that is because they understood vaccinating everyone they could was for the good of the country. I too got 4 Pfizers,but for the first two had to scratch around multiple sites trying to find them ,eventually having to make 2 round trips of over 600 kilometres each to attend Bumrungad Bangkok. In the UK ,even if Thai, you were treated equally and urged to get your free vaccinations locally. 
perhaps do a little more research in future to inform those opinions better…

[TingTonger]

I love how Thailand always seeks USA help instead of China , even during beginnings of Covid , USA was invited to Thailand, no vaccine protocols were followed , Thailand knew China would Scam and Overcharge for their Worthless Vaccines  , Special Relationship with USA and Thailand, Thank Goodness 

[SmartyMarty]

No one ever said Americans were smart.

[Rimmer]

A personal attack has been removed

[sambum]

On 1/10/2023 at 11:13 PM, Lorry said:

The money didn't go down the drain, it was transferred to recipients' bank accounts. These recipients don't think it has been wasted.

How do you get on that list? I would LURVE to know!

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

And whatever happened to local production of Astrazeneca, anyway?

Quite a question, the answer might be 'shhhhhhh'.

[Pedrogaz]

What an absolute crock.