On 4 April 2022, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, presided over the handover ceremony of 3,268,620 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines from the French Republic. H.E. Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to Thailand, represented the French Government in handing over the above-mentioned vaccines to the Prime Minister at the Government House. Also present were H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health; Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs; and
Mr. Asi Mamanee, Director-General of the Department of European Affairs.

The Thai Prime Minister expressed his appreciation to the French Government for this donation of vaccines and affirmed that the Thai side will make good use of the vaccines from the French Republic and speed up the vaccination process against COVID-19 in accordance with Thailand’s plan to classify COVID-19 as an endemic disease by mid-year. Moreover, the Prime Minister and the Ambassador of France to Thailand agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries based on the Roadmap for Thai - French Relations (2022 - 2024), which would pave the way for the establishment of a strategic partnership between Thailand and France by 2024. Both sides also discussed the role of France in her capacity as President of the Council of the European Union during January - June 2022.

The vaccine donation is an example of Thailand’s proactive vaccine diplomacy with its friends, an initiative led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Moreover, the handover of vaccines from the French Government to the Thai Government reflects the close and long-lasting ties between Thailand and France as well as France’s role as Thailand’s partner for cooperation in various areas of mutual interests, especially in public health.