PM sure there will be no vaccine shortage

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gave assurances on Monday that vaccine deliveries would arrive on time and Thailand would not experience any shortages.

The pledge was made during an address to the House of Representatives as it kicked off its debate on the budget bill for the 2022 fiscal year ahead of the mass vaccination programme due to start on June 7.

"The government continues to procure Covid-19 vaccines and has primary, secondary and emergency plans. I expect the delivery of the supplies to be made on schedule.

"The government has procured vaccines from Sinovac and AstraZeneca while an alternative vaccine [from Sinopharm] is being procured by Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA)," he said.

He defence came after the Mor Prom (Doctor's Ready) mobile appointment app was temporarily suspended.

Gen Prayut also said the government would speed up allocation of vaccine especially to areas with large clusters of infections.

Permanent secretary for public health Kiattiphum Wongrajit said on Monday the vaccine rollout will take place from June 7 as scheduled with AstraZeneca insisting the vaccine will be delivered as planned.

Dr Kiattiphum said that about 70% of the population will get their first shots by the end of September in line with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration's (CCSA) plan.

Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said on Monday 19 samples of AstraZeneca's vaccine including five produced locally by Siam Bioscience had passed quality tests.

Meanwhile, the CCSA on Monday reported 5,485 new cases with 3,532 among the general population and 1,953 in prisons.

CCSA assistant spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson said two new clusters had been found in Bangkok, one at a construction worker camp in Bang Na and the other in a community in Sathon.

Meanwhile, Udon Thani health authorities on Monday reported that four of the most recent cases diagnosed were found to be of the variant first detected in India.

Uthen Hakaew, deputy chief of the provincial public health office, said the three women and one man were being treated at four separate hospitals.