Government warns fake vaccine certificates bring fines and jail

Authorities are speaking out against a trend online suggesting that it is easy and safe to enter Thailand using forged vaccine certificates. A number of illegal services have been seen online offering fake vaccine certificates that people can purchase rather than actually get vaccinated.

But the authorities are reminding people that it’s not just wrong to put the safety and health of the public at risk by faking your vaccine status, but also very illegal with strong penalties including fines and jail sentences. Presenting false information and forging state documents are crimes and those who do so will face consequences.

The Anti-Fake News Centre created by the government to battle misinformation, especially relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, has followed up on those sites and claims of being able to create or procure fake vaccine certificates in Thailand. They have coordinated with the Ministry of Public Health to confirm that there is only one legitimate way to get a vaccine certificate.

All vaccine certificates are issued at the vaccination site or for pop-up events or similar, at the hospital responsible for administering the vaccine at a remote site. Any vaccine certificate procured from any other source besides the place that administered the vaccine is fake and not legitimate and therefore illegal as a forgery.

Governmental authorities warn that anyone who did not get their certificate from a facility that had administered their vaccines is then committing a criminal act by carrying forged state documents and can be imprisoned for the possession of the fake vaccine certificate.

Information about Covid-19, vaccines, and anything related to the pandemic can best be found by checking www.ddc.morph.go.th or calling the 1422 hotline. Authorities are asking for the public to work together to not forward or share any information online about fake and illegal vaccine certificate services.

SOURCE: National News Bureau of Thailand