Thailand is NOT Banning Pfizer, the Connection to Princess' Illness is Irrelevant

The spread of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines is an ongoing issue, with many false claims continuing to circulate online. One recent claim that has gained traction suggests that Thailand is banning the Pfizer vaccine after a princess fell into a coma following a booster jab.

Social Media Claim

An Instagram post claimed that Thailand is banning the Pfizer vaccine as the Thai princess, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, fell ill after getting a booster vaccine, with the headline "Thailand to BAN Pfizer After Thai Princess Falls Into a Coma Following Booster Jab."

Source | Archive

The post gained a lot of interest, with over 900 shares. However, we found this claim is entirely false.

Fact-Checking

There is currently no evidence to support the claim that Thailand is banning the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Regardless, a social media post that has been widely circulated suggested that the Thai government had decided to cancel the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine and instead rely exclusively on AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.

However, the Thai government quickly debunked this claim. The Ministry of Public Health stated on February 3, 2023, denying any plans to ban Pfizer's vaccine. The Ministry of Public Health’s spokesperson insisted that the government is committed to providing all approved COVID-19 vaccines to the public. (Read more here)

Moreover, the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. The vaccine has been used in Thailand since late January 2022, with more than 2.5 million doses administered as of February 21, 2023.

The Princess's Illness

Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn, collapsed while training her dogs in Khao Yai National Park. She was taken to a nearby hospital and transferred to Bangkok later for treatment. According to a statement from the royal palace, her condition is stable to a certain extent. Still, the nature and severity of her heart condition are unknown. The princess is considered a potential successor to the throne, one of the king's three children with formal titles who are eligible under a 1924 Palace Law of Succession. She is known for her fitness and advocacy work for penal reform in Thailand, especially for female prisoners (Read more here).

And according to the symptom updates from Bangkok Post on January 8, the doctors stated that the illness was caused by bacterial infection.

Conclusion

It is false to claim that Thailand is canceling the Pfizer vaccine because of the princess's illness. Thai officials have denied the news of the ban on the Pfizer vaccine. Furthermore, doctors have confirmed that Princess Bajrakitiyabha's illness was caused by bacteria, not the vaccine.