Thailand: Private sector seeks to import 5m jab doses

• Apr 23, 2021

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) plans to ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to allow the private sector to import 5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this year during a meeting with the premier next Wednesday.

Gen Prayut has expressed interest in the private sector helping with vaccine distribution after criticism of slow progress in the jab rollout.

“The government wants to talk with us after we announced plans to help with the vaccination scheme,” said JSCCIB chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree.

The committee wants the government speed up processes in issuing import licences for vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

It also wants authorities to reduce unnecessary import procedures, which usually take around 1-2 months for purchases.

This may be too slow to use the vaccines needed to control the third wave of the outbreak, said Mr Supant, also chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries.

JSCCIB said the 5 million doses would be distributed to company workers, who play an important role in driving the economy.

Gen Prayut said earlier Thailand aims to purchase 35 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines, in addition to the 65 million already bought for the government’s national inoculation programme.

On Monday, the Thai Chamber of Commerce held a meeting with 40 chief executives who agreed to help the government speed up vaccinations by providing logistics, personnel and IT support.

The private sector is also willing to pay for imported vaccines once approved by the government.

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2104031/private-sector-seeks-to-import-5m-jab-doses