Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency use authorisation for the Covid-19 vaccine of Sinovac Biotech, paving the way for the country’s first coronavirus inoculations.

The authorisation comes just days before Thailand is set to receive the first 200,000 of two million doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac, its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines, which will be given primarily to health workers.

“The FDA has registered Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine for conditional emergency use, effective February 22,” FDA deputy secretary-general Surachok Tangwiwat told Reuters.

Opinion

Editorial

Budget presser
Updated 14 Jun, 2026

Budget presser

If the FBR falters, the government will find itself in hot water sooner rather than later.
Muharram precautions
14 Jun, 2026

Muharram precautions

WITH Muharram due to start next week, the authorities have already begun annual exercises to ensure that the ...
Blood bequests
14 Jun, 2026

Blood bequests

WORLD Blood Donor Day offers a moment of “gratitude, advocacy and renewed commitment” for thalassaemia patients...
Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...