The UK government announced on Wednesday it will donate 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Thailand, as the Kingdom battles a surge in Covid-19 cases.

The vaccine donated to Thailand is among 9 million doses that the UK is handing to developing countries, of which 5 million will be sent to the COVAX global vaccine-sharing scheme. News of the donation comes a day after US Senator Tammy Duckworth revealed that the US government plans to send 2.5 million doses of vaccine to Thailand. Duckworth, a Thai-American lawmaker, said the US valued its special relationship with Thailand, its oldest friend and ally in the region. A US donation of 1.54 million doses of Pfizer vaccine is due to arrive in Thailand on Friday. The Public Health Ministry announced this shipment would be used to inoculate front-line medical workers and vulnerable people. Thailand logged a record 16,533 new Covid-19 cases and 133 fatalities on Wednesday.

The Nation