EXCLUSIVE- Catch 112: More lèse majesté madness as Thai vaccine policy becomes a royal disaster

Andrew MacGregor Marshall@zenjournalist·

 

19m

EXCLUSIVE—The reason the regime messed up virus procurement so badly is that it had competing priorities — not only inoculating Thais as quickly and cheaply as possible, but also glorifying the palace https://secretsiam.news/p/catch-112-more-lse-majest-madness

#WhatsHappeningInThailand 1/4

 

 

Catch 112: More lèse majesté madness as Thai vaccine policy becomes a royal disaster

Also in this edition: Royal consort Sineenat didn't get the birthday present she was hoping for, and a military coup in Myanmar is bad news for Thailand too

secretsiam.news

Government and palace sources say the regime thought it would be great propaganda to boost Vajiralongkorn's popularity if Siam Bioscience could be portrayed as saving the kingdom in a time of crisis. So they ignored other vaccine sources, aside from accepting some from China 2/4

The strategy is now imploding with AstraZeneca supplies from Europe delayed, and Siam Bioscience not due to start vaccine production until June at the earliest. Meanwhile, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan are already vaccinating frontline workers after accepting vaccine from India. 3/4

The debacle has further damaged the image of the monarchy and Vajiralongkorn is furious. This is the reason for the government's paranoid overreaction to criticism. Full details in today's edition of my newsletter #SecretSiam https://secretsiam.news/p/catch-112-more-lse-majest-madness 4/4

 

Catch 112: More lèse majesté madness as Thai vaccine policy becomes a royal disaster

Also in this edition: Royal consort Sineenat didn't get the birthday present she was hoping for, and a military coup in Myanmar is bad news for Thailand too

secretsiam.news