Coronavirus: in Thailand, vaccine inequality fears grow as private hospitals eye profits, Asia News

Boon Vanasin, chairman of Thai hospital chain Thonburi Healthcare Group, has been talking to Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers for several months now to try to procure as many doses as possible.

The group, which runs eight hospitals in the country, plans to sell vaccinations to private clients at a proposed price of 2,000 baht (S$88) per jab. Boon has already received some advance orders from tourism and manufacturing businesses.

The doses from Chinese manufacturer Sinovac generally cost the most compared with other vaccines, Boon said, due to its inactivated vaccine technology – or the use of live viruses to stimulate antibodies.

The government, which began its vaccination drive last month with Sinovac shots, aims to immunise 33 million Thais this year, almost half the country’s population.

As of March 9, some 33,000 people from 13 of the country’s 77 provinces have received…