The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not provided any certification for the use of Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand and warned people against believing any person or establishment that promises to get them vaccines by reservation.

The Department of Health Service Support’s Dr Thares Krainairawiwong said: “On December 26, a private hospital in Bangkok announced its offer of Covid-19 vaccines at 4,000 baht [$133] per person for the first 1,000 customers who made reservations before January 31.

“Currently the FDA has not permitted any healthcare operator to provide Covid-19 vaccine to patients and such an advertisement by the hospital could be an exaggeration.

“The department has contacted the hospital and ordered them to take down the advertisement.

“We will launch an investigation into the hospital for possible violation of Health Facility Act BE 2541 under Section 38 Paragraph 1, for posting an unauthorised advertisement, and Section 38 Paragraph 2, for providing false or exaggerated information that could lead to misunderstanding about the health facility’s operations.”

Violators of Paragraph 1 face a maximum fine of 20,000 baht and an extra 10,000 baht per day until the advertisement is taken down, while violators of Paragraph 2 face similar fines plus a maximum one-year prison sentence.

THE NATION (THAILAND)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK