One thing many foreigners living in Thailand have learned in the last few months is, no matter how much money they spend in the country or how much tax they pay, in many cases they are still viewed as second-class citizens compared to Thais.
This became obvious in 2021 when it was announced foreigners wanting the Covid-19 vaccine in Thailand would have to wait longer than Thais.
After a public outcry on social media, however, Thai authorities changed their mind, and a new announcement this week has given foreigners a date for a Covid-19 vaccination.
That date is June 7th, and it means from then onwards foreigners in Thailand can register for a free vaccination.
According to a Thai Foreign Affairs spokesperson, foreigners in Thailand must register for a vaccination at a hospital or clinic close to where they live.
This is likely due to authorities not wanting areas with a higher vaccine availability or shorter registration lists to be swamped by people not living there.
The spokesperson also said a complete list of medical facilities carrying out vaccinations will be posted closer to the date.
Foreigners are also being asked to get the vaccination at a hospital that already has their medical records if at all possible, as this should facilitate the vaccination even further.
Once the list is available, foreigners must register with either their Thai social security number or their passport number. (** see latest news as of June 9th, for more details)
Can foreign tourists in Thailand get a Covid-19 vaccination?
Some foreigners who are in Thailand as tourists, however, are questioning if they are allowed to get a Covid-19 vaccination or not, as the current list of foreigners allowed to register for vaccinations does not seem to include them.
The list currently includes:
- Diplomatic corps, international organizations and their families.
- Foreign government agencies.
- Foreign nationals who are spouses of Thai nationals/family members of Thai nationals/retirees in Thailand/business people and foreign investors.
- Foreign students.
- Migrant workers.
As can be seen, foreign tourists currently in Thailand do not seem to be included. We will keep you updated if that changes (** update: it did)