Thai health ministry denies they are giving free jabs to expats - Thais come first

[Phulublub]

3 hours ago, dutchweller said:

Thailand is blocking foreign Embassys in Thailand from vaccinating its own citizens with supplies bought in from home country.

Link, please.  Otherwise you are just spreading misinformation and lies that do nothing other than stoke up ill feeling and worse.

 

PH

[soalbundy]

Just now, wealthychef said:

 

If the rapacious drug companies would relax their patent protections we could all get a shot this month.  

would you? it's a nice little earner, the drug companies aren't in it for their health....or yours.

[placnx]

4 minutes ago, wealthychef said:

 

If the rapacious drug companies would relax their patent protections we could all get a shot this month.  

Waiving patents would be counterproductive. The best is to get US and similar to build vaccine production facilities at 'warp speed' to have the good vaccines available in ample quantities. Countries with no experience in making sophisticated vaccines are not a sensible choice if saving the most lives is the goal.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Phulublub said:

Link, please.  Otherwise you are just spreading misinformation and lies that do nothing other than stoke up ill feeling and worse.

 

PH

I just thought the embassies don't want to do it but I doubt they like to see their nationals pushed to the back of the bus in a pandemic either.

[clivebaxter]

No point people turning up in June then who managed to book on the Mor Prom app, should be re named Mor BS app. Utter disgrace, of course they may change their minds again yet this week!

[orientalist]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Sadly, 'having an appointment' might not give a guarantee, esp. if the government restricts jabs to Thais due to 'limited supply'. My bet is that any foreigners will only get jabs once 'every Thai' has had them. 

 

And how about foreigners that don't have a pink card? 

 

It's no guarantee, but what the government announces and what happens "on the ground" are often two different things. For example, Ministry policy is not to allow foreigners free cannabis oil. One clinic stopped giving it to me, but another didn't, since they accepted that I needed it. I am not expecting to be turned away when I turn up for my jab. Relatively few of us have social security or a pink card (and could get an appointment) so I doubt anyone will care.

 

Foreigners not in the Interior Ministry or SS databases will probably end up at the back of the queue. My point was that this is logistics rather than racial discrimination. Anyway, I will report back next month.

[Lingba]

the land of racism

 

[Phulublub]

5 minutes ago, Lingba said:

the land of racism

 

Maybe they learnt from your Homeland.

 

PH

[clivebaxter]

The coverage on the Thaiger is different re the announcement, it quotes a ministerial spokesman as saying in a well know paper,

 

He flatly denied reports of expats living in Thailand being allowed to register for free vaccines. But did offer a glimmer of hope…

“In the future, the country will provide more alternatives for vaccines so they could have a chance of getting it.”

 

could have a chance, how generous and hopeful

[orientalist]

1 hour ago, Fromas said:

 

From other reports, the Ministry is referring to the foreigners who managed to register on MorPromt 

 

I wonder how many did? I couldn't, and I've been in SS for 20 years. Shortly after the app was released, they issued a new version that required a laser ID, which would rule out anyone without a pink card. I have a pink card but it still rejected me. An exercise in futility, it seems.

[kennw]

I thought that the definition of apartheid is discrimination on the basis of race. Surely any one of us who is legally here should be treated equally. As has been pointed out in an earlier post Thai's living legally in UK receive equal treatment to Brit. citizens, as they do In Australia. This great country (Thailand) should consider how, it will be perceived by the free countries and their big spending tourists planning future holidays here, when they receive feedback indicating racist policies here. (In addition to double pricing). 

[Neeranam]

10 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Seems the system allowed anyone to register regardless of origin. Because a few farang slipped through the net we have people up in arms and the Government duly folded. I wonder the furore back home if our governments started denying people their allocated vaccine slot based on race?

It is not based on race. It is based on nationality. 

[BarraMarra]

Funny Australia gave 60 million Dollars to Thailand to aid there vaccine programme, yet the Thai Government have refused Australian Expats a vaccine before a National. All country's who are sending aid or thinking of off loading spare Vaccines should look closely who the vaccine is being given too, if there expats are being discriminated then the aid and vaccines should be stopped untill the expats are vaccinated at the same time as a national. It is now May and so far only 1% of Thais have been vaccinated. How long do you think it will take the Thai government to vaccinate its full population, and then like posted 2 jabs will be needed plus a booster. Expats will not be inoculated next year. Even if you pay privately you will be shafted and given the cheap Chinese vaccine that no country wants. Wait till you renew your visa they will tell you you will need to be vaccinated and because you have not been vaccinated you will be thrown out of Thailand. If you try and leave to get your vaccine in your home country the Thai government will simply say sorry you need the Thai vaccine so you will be shafted that way.

[wealthychef]

32 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

would you? it's a nice little earner, the drug companies aren't in it for their health....or yours.

 

so don't complain about not getting a shot.  We know where to point the finger.  Running a system based on greed is not working for the world;  the evidence is endemic.  But it works for people like me, the rich stock-owning upper class.  I don't work a lick and make my living off the labor of others.  Cheers to profit right?

[wealthychef]

33 minutes ago, placnx said:

Waiving patents would be counterproductive. T

 

Not if you combine it with the threat of nationalizing their production facilities if they don't ramp up production pronto. 

 

[Gulfsailor]

7 minutes ago, BarraMarra said:

Funny Australia gave 60 million Dollars to Thailand to aid there vaccine programme, yet the Thai Government have refused Australian Expats a vaccine before a National. All country's who are sending aid or thinking of off loading spare Vaccines should look closely who the vaccine is being given too, if there expats are being discriminated then the aid and vaccines should be stopped untill the expats are vaccinated at the same time as a national. It is now May and so far only 1% of Thais have been vaccinated. How long do you think it will take the Thai government to vaccinate its full population, and then like posted 2 jabs will be needed plus a booster. Expats will not be inoculated next year. Even if you pay privately you will be shafted and given the cheap Chinese vaccine that no country wants. Wait till you renew your visa they will tell you you will need to be vaccinated and because you have not been vaccinated you will be thrown out of Thailand. If you try and leave to get your vaccine in your home country the Thai government will simply say sorry you need the Thai vaccine so you will be shafted that way.

The Thai government should have thrown that Australian charity money right back into their face. Australia giving some cash to poor countries for their vaccine program while At the same time hoarding 135 million doses of vaccine for its 26 million population, leaving other countries with nothing to buy. 

[WaveHunter]

3 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Sadly, everything you've written above is factually inaccurate. For a start, vaccines are not currently available for everyone in the US. Secondly there isn't now and has never been a requirement in any Western country that you need to be a citizen in order to get the vaccine. Some places might require that you're a resident but there's certainly no citizenship requirement and never has been. That would just make absolutely no sense at all from a public health perspective. The only reason for doing that would be flag waving stupidity, which apparently you're happy to support.

Your comment is so ridiculous it defies belief.  Every person in the United States that needs a vaccination will have one because of the exceptional inventory and responsive supply chain for vaccines that exists there, so stop nitpicking that everyone is not yet vaccinated.

 

Of course they are not, and I never said they were!  I said that every single American that needs / wants the vaccine will have it shortly, and that means that the supply chain for other less fortunate nations can then be provided for.  That should be celebrated instead of being contested and used as a negative talking point by people like you with an ax to grind.

 

The only reason there is no discrimination towards non-citizens in the US is because of the exceptionally strong supply chain that the US created.  Were that not the case, US citizens would be prioritized.   Anybody but an absolute moron would understand this is how things work in the REAL world.

 

This has nothing to do with with your snarky remark about flag waving.  A sovereign nation has a responsibility to its' own citizens above all else.  That's always been true since the dawn of time, and it will always be that way.

 

In Thailand, the situation is quite different than it is in the US.  Since there is not the same robust supply chain, It makes perfect sense that Thai Nationals will receive priority over foreigners until the supply chain can accommodate all.  Why?  Because that is the responsibility of a sovereign nation to its' citizens!  Duh!!!!

 

You may not like it but that is how the REAL world works!

 

As a foreigner, I don't like having to wait for a vaccine BUT I accept the rationale of Thai Nationals being prioritized instead whining about it like an immature child. 

 

Like it or not we all live in the REAL world, not some utopian make believe one.

Edited May 5, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Bezdomny]

Everyone  who has been in Thailand more than 1 moth and with more than 5 brain cells should know that there will be no free vaccine for farangs,  even the soi dogs will be vaccinated before. Dont be blinded,  farangs are last on the list for free jab.  If you lucky, you might buy it at end of this year after you"ll spend this year in lock down.

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

My Thai wife says that most Thai people connected to any type of social media knows about all this bull.  All Thais do NOT want that Chinese vaccine with reports of a 3% effective rate.  Also paralysis side effects.  But they keep ordering more at a cost of the proven Moderna vaccine.

3% lol were did you read that?

[Neeranam]

The Thai national health service DOES provide for foreign expats and migrant workers. 

The Universal scheme was great but there were many people, esp foreigners, who abused the system. They avoided this problem by introducing the national ID numbers about 10 years ago, making the system better. Then an additional database was added to make sure those with no Thai ID could be in the system. All legal migrant workers are in this system and will get this vaccine free. All working expats are in the system, or can join. Those who don't work should by law be insured. Those who are not insured or in the SSS seem to be complaining about their rights when it comes to receiving a vaccine at the same time as Thai citizens. Relax and take it easy, you will get your vaccine in due course, either from the government or in a private health centre. If you are that desperate, you can always go back to you own country for the vaccination. 

 

[DavisH]

13 minutes ago, Gulfsailor said:

The Thai government should have thrown that Australian charity money right back into their face. Australia giving some cash to poor countries for their vaccine program while At the same time hoarding 135 million doses of vaccine for its 26 million population, leaving other countries with nothing to buy. 

1.2 billion doses for the USA. NZ could innoculate their population 5 times over. Not countries like India are getting smashed and can't get vaccines. Farangs in Thailand will just have to wait. Moan to your embassies if you don't like it. 

[Elkski]

I thought it was funny how many of you really believed the free for all announcement a few days ago.  

I can report my Thai fiancee got the Pfizer covid-19 vax 48 hours after arriving (free no questions asked just passport) and that delay was my fault for not making the reservation until the day I met her on the west coast.   Her arm is sore but no I'll effects that we can't explain with jet lag and cooler 65 f temps here. 

[Neeranam]

9 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Your comment is so ridiculous it defies belief.  Every person in the United states that needs a vaccination will have one because of the exceptional inventory and responsive supply chain for vaccines that exists there. 

 

The only reason there is no discrimination towards non-citizens is because of the exceptionally strong supply chain.  Were that not the case, US citizens would be prioritized.  Anybody but an absolute moron would understand and accept this to be true.

 

This has nothing to do with with your snarky remark about flag waving.  A nation has a responsibility to its' own citizens above all else. 

 

In Thailand, the situation is quite different.  It makes perfect sense that Thai Nationals will receive priority over foreigners until the supply chain can accommodate all.  

 

You may not like it but that is how the REAL world works!

 

As a foreigner, I don't like having to wait for a vaccine BUT I accept the rationale of Thai Nationals being prioritized instead whining about it like an immature child. 

 

Like it or not we all live in the REAL world, not some utopian make believe one.

Post of the day! 

Lots of entitled moaning and Thai bashing going on in this thread. 

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, Elkski said:

I thought it was funny how many of you really believed the free for all announcement a few days ago.  

I can report my Thai fiancee got the Pfizer covid-19 vax 48 hours after arriving (free no questions asked just passport) and that delay was my fault for not making the reservation until the day I met her on the west coast.   Her arm is sore but no I'll effects that we can't explain with jet lag and cooler 65 f temps here. 

West of where? 

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, DavisH said:

1.2 billion doses for the USA. NZ could innoculate their population 5 times over. Not countries like India are getting smashed and can't get vaccines. Farangs in Thailand will just have to wait. Moan to your embassies if you don't like it. 

The rich countries are benefitting from giving the money for these companies to develop the vaccine. Fair enough I say.

Some seem to want their Western nationality, live in a tropical paradise and eat their cake at both ends. 

[NorthernRyland]

 

I saw this last night. This Thai girl in California goes into Walmart and gets a free COVID vaccine, no lines or anything. At the end a health minister ensures us this is NOT true and Thais should not attempt this. I can assure you there is NO citizenship/documents requirement whatsoever (16 states allow illegal aliens to obtain drivers licenses even!).

 

What's interesting is how the Thai government has to play defense because they know their own policy discriminates against Americans, the very Americans who would give their citizens free vaccinations! This is indeed a new low for the Thai government and it's contemptible indeed.

 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

59 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I just thought the embassies don't want to do it but I doubt they like to see their nationals pushed to the back of the bus in a pandemic either.

The embassies in Thailand should learn from the Thai embassies in their countries, at least they look after their own. 

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I can assure you there is NO citizenship/documents requirement whatsoever (16 states allow illegal aliens to obtain drivers licenses even!).

Pray Buddha Thailand does not become like this. Snowlaky nannyish to the max. 

[Elkski]

Vaccinations are open to everyone over 16 in  Utah and all states and believe.   Initially there was some concern about snowbirds traveling to florida that had a better vax rollout than other states.   But as far as I know the system only restrictions were age based , risk factor based, and employment type.   It was always about protecting the most likely to die.   But what does Thailand do.  Vax the leaders first?  The same leaders who chickened out taking the Chinese jab at the last minute to wait for the AZ.    In Thailand it's all about HISO first then thai people.  Only reason they are rushing klong Tui is because they see this as a spreading site so close to home.  

[NorthernRyland]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Pray Buddha Thailand does not become like this. Snowlaky nannyish to the max. 

Now is not the time to be petty about things like vaccinations though. At the very least Thailand should be punished for their governments bad behavior but putting Thai citizens at the end of lists to complete paper work etc... It's only fair after all.