Thai Vaccine Program in Shambles

[Manforallseasons]

https://pattayaone.news/thailands-vaccine-rollout-a-complete-shambles/

[Dodger]

I'm not a big fan of PattayaOne (or for that fact, any Thai newspaper) but have to say that this article is excellent.

It's not too often that I read something as "honest and open" as this article, with apparently no concerns about retribution for negative comments made about the government, specifically the PM.

Calls for the PM's ouster over the mishandling of the vaccine situation seem to be getting louder, and coming from all levels of Thai society. Only time will tell.

[Manforallseasons]

Vaccine fiasco needs investigating:
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2149475/thailands-jab-fiasco-needs-an-inquiry

[bkkguy]

I'm not a big fan of PattayaOne (or for that fact, any Thai newspaper) but have to say that this article is excellent.

perhaps because it is not written by PattayaOne staff writers but is an OpEd piece by a Chulalongkorn University academic "recognised for excellence in opinion writing"

and MFAS did you read either of the links you posted - they are both the same OpEd piece reproduced in the two different newspapers!

[Armando]

Vaccine fiasco needs investigating
The problem in this country is who does the investigating? There are no independent observers. Everyone who should be on an investigating committee has a hand in the mess or is beholden to someone who is!

[Dodger]

The problem in this country is who does the investigating? There are no independent observers. Everyone who should be on an investigating committee has a hand in the mess or is beholden to someone who is!

Especially when the investigation would lead them to the "Golden Gates" that cannot be opened by mere mortals.

[dab69]

https://news.yahoo.com/thailand-kicks-off-vaccinations-school-120005329.html

Thailand kicks off vaccinations for school students

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand rolled out COVID-19 vaccines to high school students for the first time on Monday, as it seeks to boost its immunisation rate ahead of a planned school reopening next month.

About 88% of high school students aged 12-18 in the capital Bangkok had signed up for the vaccine, city authorities said. Nationwide, 3.6 million of more than 5 million eligible students have registered, according to official figures.

"I want the situation to return to normal because I want to return to school," said Puwarit Chinnaburanasophon, 16.

Thailand has vaccinated about 31% of its more than 66 million people against COVID-19 and has eased many restrictions in Bangkok, where infection numbers have declined lately.

It is in a rush to boost that inoculation rate, so it can safely welcome back foreign visitors following 18 months of restrictions that contributed to the collapse of its vital tourism sector.

Following several other countries, Thailand will administer the mRNA vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech in schools.

Bangkok's governor, Aswin Kwanmuang, hopes the required two doses can be completed by the end of October.

"We have high hopes that by that time, the new cases will slow down, so students can return to school again," he said.

Student Lalita Sawatsupron said she was a little apprehensive about the vaccine.

"Today I'm getting my first Pfizer vaccine shot because I just turned 15 years old, so I'm qualified. I'm quite nervous," she said.

(Reporting by Jiraporn Kuhakan; Editing by Martin Petty and Susan Fenton)

[dab69]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/thailand-talks-merck-200-000-081805067.html

Thailand joins Asian nations in rush to buy Merck's COVID-19 pill

Panarat Thepgumpanat
Mon, October 4, 2021, 3:18 AM·3 min read

By Panarat Thepgumpanat

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's government is in talks with Merck & Co to buy 200,000 courses of its experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 treatment, the latest Asian nation to scramble for supplies of the drug after lagging behind Western countries for vaccines.

Somsak Akksilp, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, told Reuters that Thailand is currently working on a purchasing agreement for the antiviral drug, known as molnupiravir.

South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia said they are also in talks to buy the potential treatment, while the Philippines, which is running a trial on the pill, said it hopes its domestic study would allow access to the treatment.

They all declined to provide details on purchase negotiations.

The rush to order the drug comes after data from interim clinical trials released on Friday indicated https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/mercks-covid-19-pill-cuts-risk-death-hospitalization-by-50-study-2021-10-01 it could reduce by around 50% the chance of hospitalisation or death for patients at risk of severe disease from COVID-19.

The molnupiravir pills, designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus, would be the first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19.

Many Asian countries want to lock in supplies early after they were hit by tight supplies in their vaccine rollouts this year, putting them behind wealthier countries which bought hundreds of millions of doses.

"We are now working on a purchasing agreement with Merck that is expected to be completed by this week ... we have pre-booked 200,000 courses," Somsak said

He said the pills could arrive as soon as December, though the deal would be subject to the pills' approval by the United States Food and Drug

[Dodger]

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's government is in talks with Merck & Co to buy 200,000 courses of its experimental antiviral pill for

dab...thanks for posting the article, but honestly, I stopped reading after the first sentence shown above.

[Old git]

The two news stories linked to date back to July, so a bit ancient now.

Since then the global supply situation for vaccines appears to have eased considerably. The only limiting factors now seem to be cost, willingness on the part of the people, and the availability of medical staff to administer the jabs.

[Patanawet]

I can only relate my experience yesterday of going to Bang Sue for my second Astrazeneca.
I was so surprised how incredibly well organised it was (for Thailand).
My visit lasted exactly one hour from arriving at the outside of the building for checking identities to leaving and looking for a taxi (now that's another story).

Arrive outside and sit in rows of (seemingly) hundreds of plastic chairs.
Then row by row we were ushered to the doors, given a form similar to the one on my first visit. Sadly it was all in Thai but I'd taken a Thai friend with me anticipating this problem.
We were all sitting on more plastic chairs in rows.
Again, row by row, were were ushered to another area to check the forms and then to the final area with the technicians administering the jabs.
Yes, more rows of chairs each in front of one of the dozens of 'nurses'.
As soon as the person being 'done' stands up, so does the row and everyone move one chair forward until you are the front one.
Your turn -- just go to the nurse and her assistant at a computer. They check your name. And you get jabbed -- all of 30 seconds.
All very friendly.

Now to a compulsory 30 minute waiting area.

I was SO impressed by the whole operation, even the omnipresent loud hailers ushering us everywhere (so Thai).
All except for the lack of English language. Of course maybe there were translators there.
There were HUNDREDS of people of all ages there and I was the only farang that I saw.
I have never seen so many thousands(?) of spotless white garden chairs! There will be a bumper sale when the mass vaccination programme ends :).

My only complaint was the location.
I live central Sukhumvit (Emporium). It took 45 minutes in a taxi (clear roads) to get to Bang Sue.
The station is awe inspiring, futuristic and spacious BUT Central station -- no.
I see that earlier they changed the name from Bangkok Grand Central Station. -- dropping the 'central'.
How can any station calling itself 'central' be one hour by public transport from the centre of the city?
I would expect the main city station to be somewhere like Silom, Sukhumvit etc.

Well that's a rant for another day.
Today no side effects.

[arsenal]

"Give me the third best option. I'll have what the homeless people are having."

Dave Chappelle
Talking about the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.