Over 120,000 Doses Provided Amid Regional Pandemic Aid Efforts
Singapore has donated 122,400 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Thailand, alongside 200,000 diagnostic tests and 500,000 nasopharyngeal swabs, as part of its ongoing support for regional pandemic response efforts. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) highlighted the strong bilateral ties between the two nations and their shared commitment to overcoming the pandemic together.
The donation was formally handed over in Bangkok by Singapore’s Ambassador Kevin Cheok to Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul, on Monday. This comes as Thailand grapples with a vaccine supply shortage, having previously sought to borrow 150,000 AstraZeneca doses from Bhutan. On the same day, Thailand recorded 10,288 new COVID-19 cases and 101 fatalities.
In parallel, Thai authorities announced plans to reduce quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated international travellers and gradually reopen the country in a four-phase strategy beginning in October.
Singapore’s contribution to Thailand is part of a broader regional initiative. Recently, the MFA provided medical supplies, including diagnostic tests and protective equipment, to Nepal. Malaysia and Brunei have also received vaccine donations from Singapore. Additionally, a “dose-sharing” arrangement with Australia saw Singapore send 500,000 Pfizer-BioNTech doses, with an equal amount set to be returned in December.
These collaborative measures underline Singapore’s commitment to fostering international partnerships to combat COVID-19 effectively.
