Thai PM gets first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine after safety scare

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha became the first person to be inoculated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the Southeast Asian country on Tuesday after the rollout had been temporarily put on hold over safety concerns.

Prayuth and other cabinet members had been initially due to get their vaccine shots on Friday, before Thailand suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports it could cause blood clots prompted a number of European countries to hit pause.

Thailand's health minister said on Monday the rollout would resume after many countries had said there were no blood clot issues with the vaccine.