BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand is not blocking exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine, a government representative said, after Taiwan said Thailand was keeping for itself doses of the vaccine that it is producing.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday Taiwan had ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca , which was mainly producing them in Thailand, but Thailand was “giving priority for vaccines to be used in Thailand”.
“Thailand is not blocking exports of AstraZeneca,” deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Twitter late on Saturday.
“It is a matter for the producer to manage,” she said.
She did not specify whether she meant AstraZeneca or the Thai manufacturer, Siam Bioscience. The health ministry could not be reached on Sunday, and both companies have declined to comment on reasons for export delays.
Both Thailand and Taiwan have seen a surge of coronavirus…
