With the mass vaccination programme against Covid-19 to be rolled out soon, confusion is rising among Thais as a deadly third wave spreads across the country.
Government and medical officials are trying to boost public confidence in the vaccines while encouraging people to prioritise getting the shot, explaining that the vaccine is one of the best shields against the life-threatening virus. The best vaccines, they say, are those that get in the body the fastest.
Still, confusion is the order of the day as Thailand's vaccine saga remains shrouded by uncertainty. Policies change abruptly and frequently, creating fear and headaches among the public.
What we know is that all Thais in priority groups, especially those aged 60 years and above -- around 11.7 million people -- and approximately 4.5 million Thais with underlying diseases can book their first shot through the Mor Prom application. Vaccination for these people will begin during the first week of June.
In reality, some people outside these high-risk groups were able to book their slots via the application while others found Mor Prom unworkable. Worse, many in the priority groups cannot find a time slot for the jab, even though they need it the most.
While the Mor Prom chaos remains unresolved, Thais between 18 to 59 years old were told they will be able to book their vaccination slot at the end of this month. Without a proper solution though, one could expect trouble and many upset citizens.
Previously, people were told that 20% of all the vaccines available would be accessible via walk-ins, which meant one could get the shot without reserving in advance or untangling the Mor Prom application.
Days after that announcement, Thais woke up to another confusing update when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha cancelled walk-in services for the Covid-19 vaccine over concerns that large crowds would overwhelm inoculation sites, upsetting those unable to secure a jab.
All this is just authority and system-related fuss with regard to the much-needed Covid-19 vaccination. Further muddying the waters are rumours, perplexing statistics, fake news and myths that are hindering people from obtaining their basic healthcare rights.
While government officials, including the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, and a number of medical experts have stressed that the two vaccines available in Thailand -- Sinovac and AstraZeneca -- are good enough in terms of safety and efficacy, some researchers still point to vaccine-related fatalities and other concerns.
The public has been left bewildered, which can lead to vaccine hesitancy.
With the blanket inoculation programme set to kick off soon, the people of Thailand need not just better management but verified facts from reliable sources so that they can make an informed decision based on truth rather than rumours circulated online.
While the Mor Prom application needs fixing, the entire public announcement system from the authorities needs to be reworked. Instead of having different officials delivering different messages only to be overruled days later, related parties should reach an agreed-upon conclusion first and then address the public as a united front. This way, people can be assured that the country is moving forward together.
With regard to the vaccines themselves, verified facts from all sides should be presented to the public. Vaccine side effects -- both mild and severe as well as recorded fatalities -- should be explained without being downplayed. Vaccine safety and efficacy should not be exaggerated either.
Reliable data is much more likely to win people's hearts and trust rather than photos of celebrities receiving the shot.
Covid-19 is an ongoing pandemic in Thailand with new daily highs in infections and deaths. All efforts must be put together to ensure that the infection is under good control. There is little room for failure because this is a public health crisis. This is a matter of life and death.
Boosting vaccine confidence is one thing but it doesn't come easy.
Arusa Pisuthipan is the editor of the Life section of the Bangkok Post.
