Moderna import process hasn’t begun, pending payment

[Thaiger]

The process to procure Moderna vaccines hasn’t really even begun, and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation says they are waiting for money before starting. The director of the GPO explains that since Moderna is not one of the 5 vaccines purchased by the government, the process is drawn out and must be paid for. The justification and explanation come after a doctor at Thonburi Healthcare Group said that a friend at Moderna informed him that the initiating supply agreement has yet to be signed and Thailand is still at square one in the importing process. The GPO maintains that it’s complicated […]

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[EdwardV]

“the initiating supply agreement has yet to be signed” - you can’t make this stuff up. 

[Blogosopher]

The government can procure submarines, tanks and military aircraft but they can't procure EFFECTIVE vaccines for the citizens in a timely manner. Thai people deserve better.

[Thomazz59]

Right on Target with that statement....

[AlexPTY]

I knew it was a good idea not to pay upfront for my Moderna booking

[AussieBob]

I sure hope this is not true - this was looking like the best way some Expats in Thailand would get the vaccine in 2020.  But I should have known - the Thai 'Govt' is always making grandiose bulldust statements that never pan out in the long run. 

[thai3]

Still at square one but that has not stopped THG from asking for payment upfront, for something they have no idea when or if it will arrive.

[Bobfran]

9 hours ago, Thaiger said:

The process to procure Moderna vaccines hasn’t really even begun, and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation says they are waiting for money before starting. The director of the GPO explains that since Moderna is not one of the 5 vaccines purchased by the government, the process is drawn out and must be paid for. The justification and explanation come after a doctor at Thonburi Healthcare Group said that a friend at Moderna informed him that the initiating supply agreement has yet to be signed and Thailand is still at square one in the importing process. The GPO maintains that it’s complicated […]

The post Moderna import process hasn’t begun, pending payment appeared first on Thaiger News.

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So what is happening to all the money that has already been paid to hospitals like Bangkok Hospital by expats who want the moderna vaccine..most of the people wanting the vaccine had to pay up front.. so the hospital is hording millions of baht in payments.. is the government holding these private hospitals to ranson.. so they might have to purchase the vaccine  made in Thailand.. 

[triplebogey]

I think you might be reacting too quickly. There most be  method to this madness. Let us see what the tiny gray cells can find. How about at first  the cost was 3000b, then after some quiet meetings the cost went to 3900b. That was a big jump does not show consideration for the people so we will make it 3400b. Three meetings all about price nothing about supply, this may give a clue as what is important. Now we start to mention how difficult supply is, which means I can raise the price. A price that has predetermined a long time ago but jump thru hoops to get there, since most countries are free. At the end of the day I feel the new price will be above 3900b

 

                                                

[thai3]

Are they still charging a 500 baht 'Dr fee'? seems unethical for a Hospital to charge for something they do not have and have no idea when, or if they ever will get.

[farangalso]

If the government hadn't  been looted they would have the money. Follow the news and you know what Im talking about

[AlexPTY]

2 hours ago, thai3 said:

Are they still charging a 500 baht 'Dr fee'? seems unethical for a Hospital to charge for something they do not have and have no idea when, or if they ever will get.

It's a private hospital, i don't think ethics applies, usual doctor's fee is 1,500 baht tho, at least at Bumrungrad. And i still love this place

[HolyCowCm]

Something else not told has to be holding things up. But as Anutin said the other day that he and his cohorts already had 2 jabs. So is this a procrastination of “what’s the rush and fuss all about!”

 

 

[Garibaldi]

5 hours ago, farangalso said:

If the government hadn't  been looted they would have the money. Follow the news and you know what Im talking about

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2117795/b700bn-loan-gets-govt-nod

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-18/thailand-said-to-plan-22-billion-borrowing-to-fund-covid-relief

 

Yet their are thousands of tax paying businesses millions of workers who have been sent home not because of their choice but because they have been forced by threats of prosecution to close by this same government yet are recieving zero financial assitance from this government.

 

This finance was secured literally 1 month ago so funds should be their, where's the money why is it not being used the  problems with Military dictatorships is accountability and transparency I doubt you will ever find out where the money has gone.

[Stonker]

20 hours ago, Thaiger said:

...as the Moderna vaccines are pricy, the GPO doesn’t want to be stuck holding the bill.

Actually Moderna is cheaper to buy than Sinovac.

[Stonker]

10 hours ago, Bobfran said:

So what is happening to all the money that has already been paid to hospitals like Bangkok Hospital by expats who want the moderna vaccine..most of the people wanting the vaccine had to pay up front.

To be fair, the Bangkok Hospital Group have been very clear that they're not taking any bookings for Covid vaccines at all as yet - it's on their website, you can't miss it.

 

And Thais have had to pay up front too, not just expats.  For many Thais 3 or 4,000 baht isn't excessive for Moderna privately - it's not much more than the cost of a PCR test privately.

 

10 hours ago, Bobfran said:

Is the government holding these private hospitals to ranson.. so they might have to purchase the vaccine  made in Thailand.

Very, very unlikely at best.  There are an enormous amount of unanswered questions about Siam BioScience, most of which are likely to remain unanswered, but given that they can clearly barely produce enough to meet half their current international and Thai government orders they'd have nothing to gain by selling what they don't have to private hospitals in Thailand, and an enormous amount to lose.

[thai3]

On 7/4/2021 at 10:49 AM, AlexPTY said:

It's a private hospital, i don't think ethics applies, usual doctor's fee is 1,500 baht tho, at least at Bumrungrad. And i still love this place

Point is you dont see a Dr for a vaccination, just a nurse, so why would they want to charge you for it?

[Soidog]

This was always going to be an issue for Thailand. The vaccines are a highly sought after product and on a massive scale. It’s the same when it comes to business loans and government support. It’s just too tempting in a culture where “greasing the palms” is just how business is done. Has been for hundreds of years and will continue for hundreds more. This is not a criticism, it’s just highlighting how things are.
 

The EU suffered at the start of the vaccine stage as a result of a different problem. They tried to coordinate a 27 country agreement. That takes time, at a time where speed was important in the procurement process. Again, not a criticism, just how it was.