AstraZeneca vows to provide COVID-19 vaccine for SEA nations on schedule
Vaccine producer AstraZeneca affirmed on June 28 that it is on schedule to meet its commitments to supplying COVID-19 vaccine for Southeast Asia, after some initial delays in regional production and delivery.
A Thai woman gets COVID-19 vaccine shot (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vaccine producer AstraZeneca affirmed on June 28 that itis on schedule to meet its commitments to supplying COVID-19 vaccine for Southeast Asia, after some initial delays in regional production and delivery.
The British/Swedish company said Thailand, which ismanufacturing its vaccine locally, will receive its agreed quota of 6million doses within this month, while export to other Southeast Asiancountries will start in early July.
In a statement, AstraZeneca Thailand said that its partnerSiam Bioscience, owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, will produce 180 milliondoses this year, just over a third for Thailand and two thirds for others inSoutheast Asia.
Thailand’s mass vaccination drive relies heavily on theAstraZeneca vaccine. The country has also used Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine, with10.5 million doses received so far and 37 million on order.
Its health ministry on the same day said two doses of theSinovac vaccine was shown to be 95 percent effective in reducing instances ofmortality and severe symptoms, based on its real-world data study.
The same day, Indonesia’s COVID-19 task force also recommendedthe vaccine made by China’s Sinovac Biotech for children above 12, as thecountry seeks to extend inoculation amid a surge in infections.
Indonesia has reported a record daily rise of morethan 20,000 cases recently after the emergence of virus variants and travel after theMuslim fasting month has helped drive a new wave of infections.
The country has been using Sinovac as the main plank for itsvaccination programme after receiving about 94 million doses, while it hasreceived about 10 million made by AstraZeneca and Sinopharm.
Task force data shows children aged 0-18 account for 12.6percent of Indonesia's total COVID-19 infections./.
The Government on June 19 issued a resolution on the purchase of 30 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine ordered by the Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC).
All types of COVID-19 vaccine approved by Vietnam for emergency use have gone through three stages of clinical trials, the Health Ministry has affirmed.
Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi Toshimitsu has announced that Japan would donate another one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam.
The numbers of new COVID-19 cases and deaths in Cambodia have shown no sign of slowing down recently, with continued growth in infections outside Phnom Penh capital and imported cases.
The facility will integrate multiple components, including mining operations, a smelter, high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) processing, and production of precursors and cathodes.
A participant in the Malaysia Economic Forum 2025 said despite challenges, there are significant opportunities in AI, digital transformation, and green technologies, requiring the country to balance both risk and potential thoughtfully.
Themed “emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism”, the event drew over 200 participants from domestic and international agencies, discussing the rapid evolution of terrorism and the need for stronger regional and global cooperation.
Indonesia aims to start nuclear power generation by 2034, with a government roadmap already in place to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) with capacities ranging from 300 to 500 megawatts.
The package, endorsed on June 24, comprises 481 projects designed to boost GDP by an additional 0.4% and generate temporary employment for about 7.4 million people nationwide.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospects June 2025 edition on June 23 in Jakarta, Turk noted that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Anti-dumping duties will continue to be imposed on producers from China and Japan while those on relevant exporters from the RoK and Vietnam will be terminated, starting from June 23.
A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain – and flood waters – to respond more quickly to public security incidents.
The pact covers goods, services, investments, intellectual property rights, customs facilitation, competition policy, sanitary and phytosanitary, trade and sustainable development, government procurement and economic cooperation.
The talent programmes mark another milestone in the technical partnership between PETRONAS and the Energy Institute, which focuses on three pillars: promoting decarbonisation and operational excellence through innovative solutions, enabling informed decision-making with expert advice, and nurturing the next generation of energy professionals.
The firefighters found an active blaze at the lorry depot located in the city of Pasir Gudang near the state capital of Johor Bahru, with flames spreading quickly due to strong winds and igniting a neighboring disused oil storage area.
Investigators believe the operation is part of a broader scam network involving romance scams, where victims are lured into fake relationships and persuaded to transfer money.
Ambassadors, Consuls General, along with staff and their families, joined traditional sports and cultural activities of Southeast Asia and performances bearing regional identity, thus contributing to strengthening unity and the ASEAN community spirit in New York.
A Thai woman gets COVID-19 vaccine shot (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
