Pattaya has ordered 100,000 doses of a coronavirus vaccine made by a Chinese state-owned company, finally spending 8.8 million baht it set aside for Covid-19 jabs.
Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome said June 16 that the city has booked doses of BBIBP-CorV developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group, which is commonly known as Sinopharm.
The doses are being purchased at the retail price of 888 baht from the Chulabhorn Royal Academy, which moved to import 1 million Sinopharm doses amid criticism over the elected government’s failure to produce enough vaccines.
The Chulabhorn Royal Academy priced the Sinopharm vaccine at 888 baht per dose and prohibited buyers from passing the cost to vaccine recipients. The price covers the costs of the vaccine, its transport and insurance on side effects.
Pattaya government and business leaders have been desperate to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the local population in order to reopen the city to foreign tourism. The government, however, has prioritized the Bangkok metropolitan area, leaving Chonburi with paltry allocations of doses made by China’s Sinovac Biotech and AstraZeneca PLC.
Sonthaya said Pattaya needs to vaccinate 120,000 people in the greater Pattaya area, 80,000 of who are over 19 years old, including senior citizens.
Sonthaya did not disclose when the Sinopharm vaccines would be delivered but said the city will soon open registration for the doses both online and registration forms which will be distributed by city officials to the communities.
Earlier Report: Thailand buyers of Sinopharm vaccine must give free injections to recipients
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