Thailand has joined several European nations in suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine over blood clot fears, despite a range of health authorities around the world insisting it was safe.
The decision led to the embarrassing spectacle of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha abruptly cancelling his own televised jab. "Vaccine injection for Thais must be safe, we do not have to be in a hurry," said an adviser for the country's Covid-19 vaccine committee.
The move came just hours after US President Joe Biden offered Americans hope of a return to some kind of normality by 4 July, marking the national holiday as his target for "independence" from the virus.