Thailand’s vaccine shopping list as COVID surges

13 Sept 10:46 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand is urgently seeking more COVID-19 vaccines to combat a severe surge in cases, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha detailing a 'shopping list' of five brands.
The government is actively trying to procure Sputnik V, Convidecia, Sinopharm, Covaxin, and Pfizer-BioNTech, with high confidence in securing Sputnik V and Pfizer-BioNTech due to strong foreign relations.
This procurement drive addresses Thailand's sluggish vaccine rollout and the rapid spread of the highly contagious UK variant, which is driving record infection numbers.
All prospective vaccines must clear registration with the Thai FDA, which currently only approves AstraZeneca, Sinovac, and Johnson & Johnson.

Bai Lu meet-and-greet cancelled days after China’s safety warning

Today 15:28 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister announced the government will seek clarification from the Chinese Embassy regarding its recent travel advisory warning Chinese nationals about safety concerns in Thailand.
The travel advisory is anticipated to negatively impact the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, despite recent increases in arrivals.
A meet-and-greet event featuring Chinese actress Bai Lu, a WeTV Global Ambassador, was abruptly cancelled just days after the Chinese Embassy issued its safety warning, though no official reason was provided.
The Chinese Embassy's advisory urged citizens to beware of job scams, fraudulent investments, suspicious travel arrangements, and the risk of illegal detention or being lured to the Thai-Myanmar border.
Chinese nationals were advised to verify job offers, use legitimate transport, avoid high-risk border areas, protect personal documents, and keep family informed of travel plans.