Thai government mulls over regulations for locally-made AstraZeneca exports

[Thaiger]

The Thai government is looking into regulations for exporting the locally-made AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, possibly limiting the volume shipped overseas. The consideration comes as Thailand battles its most severe wave of Covid-19 and the emergence of the highly transmissible Delta variant. The number of active cases continues to hit record highs.  With a limited supply of vaccines, health officials have shifted their vaccination drive to focus on those most at risk of infection, starting with residents in Bangkok, the epicentre in the latest wave. The director of the National Vaccine Institute told Reuters reporters that the country’s health ministry will […]

The post Thai government mulls over regulations for locally-made AstraZeneca exports appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[Rob2010]

And not before time you numb nuts. Rule 101 for governments. Look after your own people first, second and last. Same as every other government in the world.

[TSS]

 

<deleted commentary>

Edited July 14, 2021 by KaptainRob
Potential defamation, fake news or fear mongering removed

[thai3]

so mulling breaking the contract then?

[TSS]

mulling. it's what they do.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

8 minutes ago, thai3 said:

so mulling breaking the contract then?

Maybe not break contract but government may, like India, make a law banning exports of Covid vaccine.

This could bite India in the rear in years to come, and something Thailand will have to way up as well.

[EdwardV]

Of course it’s only bad when others do it. 

[gummy]

49 minutes ago, thai3 said:

so mulling breaking the contract then?

No mulling as to how they can financially benefit further  personally more like

[Bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Thai government mulls over regulations for locally-made AstraZeneca exports

Maybe they could export them to the Mull of Kintyre.

[Graham]

Ah, let's mull with a special panel, that will solve the problem quick time.

Why can't we mull, oh it's a business.

[AussieBob]

Thailand is probably taking the right step to seek to break its agreements with AZ and export less doses than in their agreements. This is probably a PR exercise designed to test the waters informally before raising the issue with AZ formally. I understand that their contract is for 180 million doses by Dec2021 with 60 million for Thailand and the rest for export (Malaysia, Indonesia etc).  Ramping up production appears to be a slow operation that would take a long time - so with the current wave in Thailand I can see why they would think about it. 

Interesting that here in Aust there has been a preference for the Pfizer dose, due to some post-vaccination issues with the AZ, and the AZ doses are in potential over-supply. I wonder if the Aust Govt has thought about using the excess doses for Expats living abroad?? Do you reckon the Aust Embassy would be calling home and telling them to send them to Thailand for all Aussies living there?? 

[Uli]

have we taken over each other again with empty promises?

[Malc-Thai]

1 hour ago, AussieBob said:

Thailand is probably taking the right step to seek to break its agreements with AZ and export less doses than in their agreements. This is probably a PR exercise designed to test the waters informally before raising the issue with AZ formally. I understand that their contract is for 180 million doses by Dec2021 with 60 million for Thailand and the rest for export (Malaysia, Indonesia etc).  Ramping up production appears to be a slow operation that would take a long time - so with the current wave in Thailand I can see why they would think about it. 

Interesting that here in Aust there has been a preference for the Pfizer dose, due to some post-vaccination issues with the AZ, and the AZ doses are in potential over-supply. I wonder if the Aust Govt has thought about using the excess doses for Expats living abroad?? Do you reckon the Aust Embassy would be calling home and telling them to send them to Thailand for all Aussies living there?? 

I thought it was 200 million to be produced by Dec 31st and yes 60 million to Thailand.. that equates to 33 million a month ! I think they need to really look at getting production up to what was stated in the contract before changing the contract to suit the minimal amounts they are capable of producing now

[vlad]

What happened when all the Misters had there photo's taken bragging about Bio-Science's lab for producing Az ?

[Velocette]

Why do we not know how much they have provided to date? Also how much they expect to provide in the coming months? 

Why is there no transparency regarding production? Why the secrecy?

Normally politicians boast about things made in Thailand, rightly so, but about AstraZenica they are very tight lipped.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

7 minutes ago, Tornado said:

Thailand should freeze all shipments of the vaccine overseas until it can stabilize the country. What you should do is convince Pfizer that you will manufacture their vaccine not only for Thailand but regionally.

And Pfizer would trust you to do that? Freezing those shipments would be a breach of contract and who would trust Thai companies after that?

[Stonker]

10 minutes ago, yetanother said:

hahaha; that would be pure thai

... and British, and German, and Belgian, and European, and .......

[Stonker]

21 minutes ago, Tornado said:

What you should do is convince Pfizer that you will manufacture their vaccine not only for Thailand but regionally. 

Difficult, as BioNTech has already announced that its building its SE Asian HQ and manufacturing site in Singapore.

 

What they could do, though, is extend their licensing agreements to other companies, as they have dobe with Merck, Novartis and Sanofi, but given their track record so far Siam BioScience may not be a front-runner for consideration.

[TobyAndrews]

The British allowed Thailand to manufacture this British and Swedish vaccine in Thailand on the understanding they would let other nearby nations have the vaccine, but the Thais exploit the deal.

Why does the the west keep trusting these people?

Singapore would have been a better choice for manufacturing this vaccine.

Edited July 14, 2021 by TobyAndrews
Extra

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Velocette said:

Why do we not know how much they have provided to date? Also how much they expect to provide in the coming months? 

Why is there no transparency regarding production? Why the secrecy?

Normally politicians boast about things made in Thailand, rightly so, but about AstraZenica they are very tight lipped.

Do you really expect an answer to those questions?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

1 hour ago, Velocette said:

Why do we not know how much they have provided to date? Also how much they expect to provide in the coming months? 

Why is there no transparency regarding production? Why the secrecy?

Normally politicians boast about things made in Thailand, rightly so, but about AstraZenica they are very tight lipped.

Look who owns the company. Thaiger Talk rule number 3 prevents me discussing further.

[Alavan]

29 minutes ago, Stonker said:

... and British, and German, and Belgian, and European, and .......

So please how is it that Belgium exported Pfizer to the UK (it is not produced in the UK) since December 2020, Israel, US, Canada and other non EU countries?
The EU only stopped exporting AZ to the UK since it was produced in Europe (including Belgium) and exported to the UK, although the EU contract was signed before the UK one, paid for, and AZ did not follow the number of vaccines stipulated in the contract. AZ was still continued to be exported to other countries.

[HuaHinHappy]

4 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Thailand is probably taking the right step to seek to break its agreements with AZ and export less doses than in their agreements. This is probably a PR exercise designed to test the waters informally before raising the issue with AZ formally. I understand that their contract is for 180 million doses by Dec2021 with 60 million for Thailand and the rest for export (Malaysia, Indonesia etc).  Ramping up production appears to be a slow operation that would take a long time - so with the current wave in Thailand I can see why they would think about it. 

Interesting that here in Aust there has been a preference for the Pfizer dose, due to some post-vaccination issues with the AZ, and the AZ doses are in potential over-supply. I wonder if the Aust Govt has thought about using the excess doses for Expats living abroad?? Do you reckon the Aust Embassy would be calling home and telling them to send them to Thailand for all Aussies living there?? 

Taking the right step in breaking an agreement?  It is not as simple as that.

Astra Zeneca is not the only party to the vaccine contract. Keep in mind that the "recipe" was made available by way of a not-for-profit licensing agreement with Oxford University's Jenner Institute. The UK government as well as other groups provided the initial funding and it came with some conditions too. Astra Zeneca's involvement is in large part related to manufacturing expertise and support.  The  point is that the third party manufacturers do not own rights, but are license holders. There are  avenues of redress available to the owners of the rights and these can include the refusal to provide technology updates. The original recipe is under review with   an objective to see if formula can be modified to eliminate or reduce the risk of blood clots, and to  adapt for the new variants. Violating an agreement  could result in the responsible party being blocked from the intellectual property and  technology of the  formula  improvement.

Keep in mind that South Korea's SK Bioscience is producing the vaccine and is the preferred supplier for many countries. It  was granted certification from the EU, something that Thailand's facility does not have. More importantly, the company is  expediting a shift to mRNA vaccines which are considered to be more effective than the old school format of the Oxford vaccine. Thailand has invested in old school technology, that will produce a vaccine that will not offer as  effective protection as an mRNA vaccine. There is a  very good reason why the UK is pivoting its strategy to rely on the Pfizer product and why the EU and Canada encouraged those first vaccinated with Astra Zeneca to use Pfizer or Moderna  for the second dose.

There will soon be a deluge of Astra Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines as the advanced countries change to a reliance on the mRNA vaccines. The vaccines will be distributed through COVAX, of which Thailand is neither a member, nor a supporter.

 

 

 

 

[HuaHinHappy]

1 hour ago, Stonker said:

Difficult, as BioNTech has already announced that its building its SE Asian HQ and manufacturing site in Singapore.

What they could do, though, is extend their licensing agreements to other companies, as they have dobe with Merck, Novartis and Sanofi, but given their track record so far Siam BioScience may not be a front-runner for consideration.

The construction and certification of an mRNA vaccine facility can take 1-2 years. It also requires an expertise and infrastructure that is not readily available in Thailand.  Singapore and South Korea offer a legal environment that recognizes intellectual property rights facilitating the transfer of advanced technology.  I doubt Thailand can be a player in high tech life science.

 

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Alavan said:

So please how is it that Belgium exported Pfizer to the UK (it is not produced in the UK) since December 2020, Israel, US, Canada and other non EU countries?
The EU only stopped exporting AZ to the UK since it was produced in Europe (including Belgium) and exported to the UK, although the EU contract was signed before the UK one, paid for, and AZ did not follow the number of vaccines stipulated in the contract. AZ was still continued to be exported to other countries.

I think you've answered your own question, as I quoted @AD who'd said " Maybe not break contract but government may, like India, make a law banning exports of Covid vaccine " and so that was the point I was replying to - you may recall some rather heated similar threats by the EU to the UK which included Belgium's AZ and where it was to go to.