BANGKOK: Thailand’s plan to produce the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine locally is on track to be ready to begin mass inoculations in June, with a capacity to make up to 18 million doses per month, a senior official said on Friday (Jan 29).
It was still unclear how many would go to Thai citizens and how many would be exported to other Southeast Asian countries under a deal with AstraZeneca that has come under fire from opposition critics for being too slow and lacking transparency.
Thailand’s vaccine strategy revolves around production of AstraZeneca shots by local firm Siam Bioscience, owned by the Thai king’s vast business holdings.
READ: Thailand targets COVID-19 vaccination of 19 million people in first phase
READ: Thai scientists race to develop homemade COVID-19 vaccine amid second wave of infections
Tests of the first batches…
