Thailand’s Prime Minister won a landslide victory for leading the country in the first year of the Coronavirus epidemic. But as the number of cases rises and the outbreak fails, big business and Thais ordinary people have also expressed outrage and frustrated the government.
The criticism has been sparked by the growing number of diseases in the kingdom, which medical professionals have related the rapid spread of the virus for the first time in the UK.
Thailand vaccination system up to 50 percent out of 70m people this year, and 70% by 2022, so far have been based on almost one vaccine: the Oxford / AstraZeneca jab.
The state has ordered a 63m vaccine, most of which is being produced by local company Siam Bioscience, which owns billionaire King. Maha Vajiralongkorn. However, locally made AstraZeneca jabs will be available from June.
Thailand has also ordered a Sinovac vaccine 2m. By Wednesday, Thailand had vaccinated about 600,000 people, less than 1 percent of the population, and lower than most of its neighbors in Southeast Asia.
Thaksin Shinawatra, a former former prime minister in captivity, intervened online this week to defend the Russian vaccine Sputnik V. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha denied this.
But in a fit of rage and delay, the Prime Minister He said that Thailand expects to receive another 35m vaccine from other “two or three” manufacturers, not to mention.
In defending government elections, Prayuth he told reporters this week that it was designed “based on the current situation, when we were able to explode”.
Thai business groups, which are often wrong in their public speaking, want the government to take action this week and provide assistance.
Forty companies from the Thai Chamber of Commerce have signed a statement saying the vaccine is moving very slowly preparing for reopening of the country for foreign visitors this year, and that they have been ready to help the government “connect the dots”.
Individually Dhanin Chearavanont, Thailand’s richest businessman and chair of Charoen Pokphand, said Prayuth should allow organizations to import the vaccine.
Announcing Wednesday, Prayuth said the business is committed to “tackling government problems” by providing 10m-15m in funding.
Tourism is contributing to about 20% of Thailand’s economy, but the reopening of foreign tourists in July is beyond doubt © Jorge Silva / Reuters
“Our immunization program has not been dangerous,” said Cod Satrusayang, editor of the Thai Inquirer, an independent website that has been critical of government vaccination trials.
“If you compare Thailand with any other country with the same GDP in our region, we are vaccinating half of these rates.”
According to Satrusayang, Thailand’s first medical response to the epidemic last year was positive, thanks to the strong health system that initiated the epidemic. But the government has “removed its footing in the last three months”.
Any criticism of the immunization program in Thailand is politically motivated because Siam Bioscience belongs to the emperor, whose power and wealth have been marred by civil unrest in history. Youth-led democratic demonstrations last year.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Thailand’s main opposition leader, has been case according to the established royal order to ask questions about the state vaccine and what they call the “royal vaccine”.
The law, which is also used to charge several leaders at a rally last year inmates who are in jail awaiting trial, are in prison for 15 years.
The epidemic has disrupted Thailand’s economy, causing a 6% decline in GDP by 2020 and the destruction of many beaches and hotels in a country where tourism accounts for about one-fifth of the economy.
The Thai government prepared the first reopening six tourist attractions will vaccinate foreign tourists from July 1, under the guidance of Phuket Island under the auspices of the “Sandbox” pilot program.
However, the timing of the plot, which is preparing for a general vaccination, is questionable because of a sudden rise in cases as well as the vaccine problem.
Thailand reports that 46,643 cases of coronavirus and 110 people have died from the virus, which is much smaller than most countries.
However, the number of daily cases rose to 1,000 for the first time this month and sparked an uproar after cross-border groups, including Saksayam Chidchob, Transport Minister, were reported to two entertainment venues in Thonglor, Bangkok.
Follow John Reed on Twitter: @JohnReedwrites
