As several countries have jump-started inoculation against Covid-19, hopes of re-energising the bruised travel industry are growing in tandem with millions of doses produced by pharmaceutical companies for global distribution.
Thailand’s vaccination programme will not be complete until the end of 2022 says Health Minister Anutin
A Super Poll survey in recent days shows the public firmly behind the government and in stout agreement with the legal action being taken against the Progressive Movement leader who is still defending his controversial claims that the country’s vaccination plans are flawed and too reliant on the AstraZeneca vaccine including its deal here with a firm owned by the Crown Property Bureau, a claim which last week produced a forceful and angry response from officials starting with the Prime Minister.
As the controversy over Thailand’s vaccination strategy against Covid-19 rages with Lèse-majesté proceedings being taken against Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul has suggested that the programme will not be complete until the end of 2022.
Transparency demand: Thanathorn speaking to the media after the Digital Ministry filed a criminal complaint against him for defaming the monarchy. Reuters
PROGRESSIVE Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit posted on Facebook that the government’s reaction to his statement on Monday on Covid-19 vaccine transparency only increased his doubt that a royally owned company had received special treatment in the country’s vaccination plans.
On Monday, Thanathorn went on Facebook Live to slam the government for its tardiness in providing Covid-19 vaccines and also claimed the company – Siam Bioscience – tasked with manufacturing the vaccine locally, is owned by the monarch, leading to the Digital Economy and Society Ministry filing lese-majeste charges on Wednesday.
Thailand: Record-breaking lèse-majesté sentence highlights need for legal reform
The conviction and sentencing of a 65-year-old woman said to have insulted the Thai monarchy is a shocking attack on human rights, said ARTICLE 19. The Thai government should reverse course and end a recent surge in the use of Thailand’s draconian
lèse-majesté provision to target peaceful protesters and those expressing critical opinions.
On 19 January, the Bangkok Criminal Court convicted Anchan Preelert, a retired civil servant, to 87 years’ imprisonment under Thailand’s draconian
lèse-majesté provision, codified in Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code. The provision provides for up to 15 years’ imprisonment for each offence. Anchan was accused of re-posting 29 video clips and posts concerning the monarchy on YouTube and Facebook. The Court reduced the sentence to 43-and-a-half years after she acknowledged her guilt.