Siam Bioscience, a local pharmaceutical plant that has been under fire since being chosen to produce the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, has insisted that it was able to obtain a licence to produce the vaccine because its facilities met international standards.
Nualphan Lamsam, the corporate communication director of Siam Bioscience, has circulated a statement underlining the company's high standards which ensure its capability of producing the high-quality Covid-19 vaccines of Oxford-AstraZeneca.
Founded by King Rama IX about 12 years ago, the firm is among some 20 manufacturers worldwide that Oxford-AstraZeneca has selected and awarded a licence to produce its Covid-19 vaccines.
One of the deciding factors for the firm being chosen was because it has experience in using, and has mastered, similar technology that is used to create the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
She insisted that the company is up to the task of efficiently providing effective Covid-19 vaccines and firmly abides by the non-profit ethos that is also adhered to at Oxford-AstraZeneca.
The statement details that the vaccines were funded with 600 million baht from the National Vaccine Institute of the Public health Ministry and another 100 million baht from the Siam Cement Group (SCG) to develop its factory for instant production after it finishes testing.
She said the company will spend the entire budget to pre-order vaccines to then give to the government.
The company took part in developing and producing RT-PCR test-kits with the Department of Medical Sciences that were in accordance with the international standards of the World Health Organization and had previously handed out 100,000 kits to Thailand's authorities, she added.