Thailand’s Vaccine Coup Is in the Spotlight
Why the Minister’s Message Packed a Punch
Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul took the mic on Tuesday, Jan 26, to unpack Thailand’s vaccine procurement blues. Critics slammed the government for a “lack of transparency” and sloth‑speed in securing shots.
The story wobbled after Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit—the ban‑wrapped opposition chatterbox—called the administration “too cozy” with a royal‑owned firm that is set to produce the AstraZeneca jab locally, calling out their failure to D‑angle multiple deals.
Ruffling Armour: The Royal Angle
Thanathorn’s take ran into legalese when he sprinkled the King’s name into his questions about Siam Bioscience. A royal insult lawsuit is now tracking him.
Minister’s Counter‑Narrative
Anutin claimed the ministry started talking to every one of the major vaccine producers in April. The crux? Thai law drags its feet on the whole “non‑refundable down‑payment” dance for un‑made products.
He saluted AstraZeneca for its cost‑friendly formulas and the sweet promise of a tech‑transfer to Siam Bioscience—meaning a free‑ride factory in the country and a safety net for Southeast Asia.
Posts & Politics
In a Facebook shout‑out to Thanathorn, Anutin boasted: “We’re not into politics‑driven health scares. Our focus is a vaccine‑yank scoop for all Thais.”
Numbers in a Nutshell
- 26 million AstraZeneca doses are on the way to the new Siam factory.
- An additional 35 million are on reserve—because one batch doesn’t make a dream.
- Two million doses of Sinovac’s product are already in the mix.
- All told, 63 million shots aim to immunise 31.5 million of Thailand’s 70 million residents—pointing straight at herd‑immunity threshold.
The First Inoculation Roll‑Out
According to Anutin, 150 000 AstraZeneca shots are scheduled to arrive, with the first 50,000 doses gearing up to land next month.
Case Surge Signal
Meanwhile, a daily spike hit 959 new coronavirus cases right after Samut Sakhon’s testing spree—pinpointing the latest hot spot.
Stay Tuned, Stay Safe
For the freshest, most groovy updates on the virus, keep your finger registered on the trending feed — no references to a literal link this time.
