DHL Express announced that it transporeted the first batch of the 1.5 million Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by the United States government to Thailand.

In a statement, it said from door-to-door in just three days, DHL Express flew the vaccines in thermal packaging and subsequently arranged for it to be sent directly to a designated warehouse in Thailand. 

It said the arrival of 1.5 million doses, part of the US donation to Southeast Asian countries, aims to help Thailand and the region accelerate their vaccination programs and provide equitable access to immunization as to keep their populations safe, and ensure that their economies can recover quickly. 

"We are deeply grateful for the trust that our customers have placed in us in handling this precious cargo. It marks another milestone in combating the spread of COVID-19, assisting the country's recovery and protecting healthcare professionals on the frontline from Covid-19 infection," said Herbert Vongpusanachai, managing director at DHL Express Thailand & Head of Indochina.

"We are proud to leverage our capabilities and network to transport this life-saving cargo in accordance with the stringent logistics requirements to get through the pandemic," he added.

Vongpusanachai noted that to date, DHL has transported close to 550 million vaccine doses to 147 countries worldwide.

DHL Express said it arranged for the collection of the vaccines from facilities in the US before it was airlifted to the DHL Express Bangkok Hub and Gateway, where they would then be distributed to designated locations in Thailand.