News Forum - Foreign Ministry denies blocking Poland’s donation of vaccines

[Thaiger]

After Thammasat University was set to receive 3 million Moderna vaccines donated by Poland last Tuesday, the deal was suddenly stymied by the Thai government not completing the required paperwork. Then the university appealed to the Foreign Ministry for help, and was rejected, being told they should be going through official channels to import vaccines. Now the Foreign Ministry is denying claims that they have blocked Thammasat University from receiving the donation of Moderna vaccines from Poland. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that they don’t have the authority to block any deals. He confirmed that the […]

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[mickkotlarski]

Don't you just love bureaucracy! I thought that red tape could be avoided or at least lessened during an emergency situation such as a pandemic. Yes we approve or no we don't? At least its public knowledge for the masses eyes.

[Swissguy]

Yes, the oversized bureaucracy has won again, no matter where, when and how, it just never works.  Greetings to all departments

[KaptainRob]

6 minutes ago, mickkotlarski said:

Don't you just love bureaucracy! I thought that red tape could be avoided or at least lessened during an emergency situation such as a pandemic. Yes we approve or no we don't? At least its public knowledge for the masses eyes.

Mick you perhaps missed a previous explanation of potential legal delays with donated vax.

Big Pharma require written permission requested and granted and reserve the right to levy a 'royalty' on the donation, payable by the recipient country.

[Bob20]

15 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Mick you perhaps missed a previous explanation of potential legal delays with donated vax.

Big Pharma require written permission requested and granted and reserve the right to levy a 'royalty' on the donation, payable by the recipient country.

Hi KR, that is the case with certain donations from some manufacturers when shipped from the factory in order to avoid circumvention of their pricing policy. That's not the case with the leftovers on the shelves of many countries, stock some of which hasn't even got much shelf life left.

But regardless, whomever is right about this specific donation shouldn't move it from desk to desk, but instead facilitate matters instead of pointing fingers.

While quite a few areas still have to put in "special requests" to please send some vaccines, 1m Pfizer and 3m Moderna should be helped along by any means. Any contribution will still be a lot cheaper than buying them outright!

[KaptainRob]

2 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

that is the case with certain donations from some manufacturers when shipped from the factory in order to avoid circumvention of their pricing policy.

Not from the contracts I saw published.  Perhaps @BlueSphinx may confirm this.

[mickkotlarski]

11 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Mick you perhaps missed a previous explanation of potential legal delays with donated vax.

Big Pharma require written permission requested and granted and reserve the right to levy a 'royalty' on the donation, payable by the recipient country.

Ahhh. Yes indeed. I point I myself have pointed out to others. Thank you for that.

However as this is a donation it would make sense that a promise of payment be agreed upon before hand. As all the WHO approved vaccines are still only designated as emergency use. 

Still though good point KR.

 

[Bob20]

4 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Not from the contracts I saw published.  Perhaps @BlueSphinx may confirm this.

I'd be weary about those contracts as all parties are bound by NDA's.

I would be more worried about possibly required payments to the government for facilitating large valuable donations through customs for which a third party is going to get the credit.

[Jason]

The Poles were kind enough to donate the vaccines to a country that doesn't have enough supply as it is. Smoothing the path would be the wise thing to do.....but....."Amazing Thai Government" manages to pour treacle o'er even the most obvious and beneficial solutions. To use an old saying "If you can't be part of the solution....quit being part of the problem!" 

[mickkotlarski]

13 minutes ago, Jason said:

The Poles were kind enough to donate the vaccines to a country that doesn't have enough supply as it is. Smoothing the path would be the wise thing to do.....but....."Amazing Thai Government" manages to pour treacle o'er even the most obvious and beneficial solutions. To use an old saying "If you can't be part of the solution....quit being part of the problem!" 

Agreed about the Thai Government not being the brightest bulb on the tree but this is not the first instance of such an occurrence as some private hospitals making false stories to influence their stocks and big pharma passing the approvals are also responsible. 

Still though good point Jason as the government should deal directly and have more decisiveness when it comes to pandemics.

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, mickkotlarski said:

...not the first instance of such an occurrence as some private hospitals making false stories to influence their stocks...

I think you'll find that was the same Dr.Boon from Thammasat Health Group...

[mickkotlarski]

6 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I think you'll find that was the same Dr.Boon from Thammasat Health Group...

BINGO!!! Thanks Bob. His name was on thetip of my tongue.

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

The Poles were kind enough to donate the vaccines to a country that doesn't have enough supply as it is. Smoothing the path would be the wise thing to do.....but....."Amazing Thai Government" manages to pour treacle o'er even the most obvious and beneficial solutions. To use an old saying "If you can't be part of the solution....quit being part of the problem!" 

But the Poles didn't "donate the vaccines to a country that doesn't have enough supply" - for some reason which is anything but clear they instead donated them to a university, which intends to sell them!

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, Bob20 said:

I think you'll find that was the same Dr.Boon from Thammasat Health Group...

 

3 hours ago, mickkotlarski said:

BINGO!!! Thanks Bob. His name was on thetip of my tongue.

Yes ... the same "Dr Boon from Thammasat Health Group" who is "facilitating the transportation of the Moderna vaccines from Poland to Thailand, as well as handling the quality-control tests and related expenses" ..... ..... what could possibly be wrong there ..... .....

[Fishoil]

USA delivered 1.5 million doses of Pfizer.  150K to all expats. 1  million in the pipeline. Those clowns in Bangkok blame the delay on the USA. Paperwork? Can't they copy the previous docs and agreements and white out a few items and fill in a few dats and amount? I don't believe anything those clowns say. The little guy suffers. Any comments, observations. 

[Metaluna]

35 minutes ago, Fishoil said:

USA delivered 1.5 million doses of Pfizer.  150K to all expats. 1  million in the pipeline. Those clowns in Bangkok blame the delay on the USA. Paperwork? Can't they copy the previous docs and agreements and white out a few items and fill in a few dats and amount? I don't believe anything those clowns say. The little guy suffers. Any comments, observations. 

Yes, the extra 1 million doses that Tammy Duckworth arranged. Where is it? That was almost two months ago. Since then, complete silence.