According to the chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, officials hope to revive the economy in 99 days by implementing a "Connect the Dots" policy. If the economy is to recover in that timeframe, Sanan Angubolkul says, the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines must be increased.
“Vaccine distribution in Thailand is slow. As a result, the economy will recover slowly.”
The Connect the Dots policy attempts to connect the corporate sector, as well as individuals, to speed up economic recovery. A partnership between such a large retail operator and its tenants, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, is also suggested in the scheme. Sanan says he'll meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to discuss the chamber's proposals.
He says accelerating the vaccine rollout will boost business confidence and make the country's planned reopening easier. The chamber is pushing for 50 percent of the population to be vaccinated as soon as possible, according to a Bangkok Post report. According to Sanan, this vaccination rate, together with various stimulus measures, should lead to GDP growth of 3% to 3.5 percent this year.
It is understood that the private sector is ready to aid the government with vaccine rollout logistics, including vaccine transportation, cold storage facilities, and vaccination centers.
Furthermore, the chamber proposes a "Buy 1, Give 1" campaign, which it hopes will help speed up the vaccine rollout. Individuals will get a free dose for any dose a company purchases for its employees under the scheme. Many businesses have said they are willing to fund vaccines for around 900,000 workers, Sanan said.
Meanwhile, TCC's Yol Phokasub has launched a campaign called "Hug Thais" to promote inbound tourism and encourage Thais to buy local and travel more within the country.
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