Thailand’s PM Takes the Heat for Covid‑Vaccine Hold‑Ups
In a brisk press conference on Tuesday, June 15, Prime Minister Prayut Chan‑o‑cha laid out an apology for the country’s hiccup in rolling out the coronavirus jab. He admitted the slowdown was due to a mix of supply shortages and distribution snags, and he promised a smoother rollout in the future.
“I apologise for the problem and would like to take full responsibility for solving it,” he told reporters. “We will try to manage this better going forward.”
So far, 4.76 million of Thailand’s 66 million‑plus residents have received at least one dose of a Covid‑19 vaccine.
Thailand’s vaccine plan hinges on a flagship local firm owned by the King, which is producing the AstraZeneca shot for Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, the company has hit a few snags, causing delays and a trimming of some deliveries.
Mixing It Up: Diversifying Vaccine Sources
- Nearly 7,000 organisations—from private companies to provincial bodies—are scrambling for alternative vaccines supplied by an academy overseen by Princess Chulabhorn, the youngest sister of the Thai monarch.
- The academy announced last week that one million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine would be available from June 20.
- Department of Disease Control tycoon Opas Karnkawinpong expects a total of 6.5 million jabs to roll out this month, of which 3.5 million have already landed.
With the King’s backing, the nation is double‑checking its supply lines, hoping to keep the vaccine supply steady while the pandemic still rolls on. The PM’s candid apology marks a rare moment of transparency as the country teams up with private firms and government agencies to keep the jab train chugging along.
