Immediately after Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign began at the end of last month, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered officials to look into the future use of vaccine passports, reported the Bangkok Post.
Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha is vaccinated against COVID-19 in Bangkok on March 16. (Photo: AP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Immediately after Thailand’s COVID-19vaccination campaign began at the end of last month, Prime Minister GenPrayut Chan-o-cha ordered officials to look into the future use of vaccinepassports, reported the Bangkok Post.
Last week, the national committee on communicable diseasesgave the green light to a proposal for travel permits that show vaccinationstatus. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said those who get two dosesof Sinovac's jab will be the first to receive vaccine certificates. In casethey want to go abroad, they can use them to apply for one-year vaccinepassports or yellow cards in print or digital format at a cost of 50 THB.
The Thai government has sought at least 63 million doses of vaccine to coverhalf of Thailand's population by the end of this year. While Sinovac beganshipping 2 million doses in February that will conclude in April, AstraZenecawill deliver 26 million doses from June to August and 35 million doses fromSeptember to December.
Somchai Jitsuchon, who serves on the board of directors atthe National Vaccine Institute, was quoted as saying that vaccine passports will ease restrictionsand help resume normal activities, especially international travel, because itwill waive or shorten quarantine or remove some requirements for foreignvisitors.
"Thailand will benefit tremendously because it isbetting on tourism. For instance, Phuket insisted that quarantine should bescrapped, but the government may not agree to its demand for now. If there isno accident, vaccine passports will likely be in use," he said as quotedby the newspaper./.
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The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
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Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha is vaccinated against COVID-19 in Bangkok on March 16. (Photo: AP/VNA) 
