Picture: Thai Rath
Thailand's DPM and Health Minister has once again praised his efforts and that of his health teams in helping Thailand get through the pandemic.
He told Thai Rath that it won't be him who decides when the pandemic is over and it is declared endemic.
That'll be up to the experts, he said, in a rare show of humility.
Then it was back to the rhetoric.
"You can trust us to be there with our continued efficiency," he gushed in Thai.
"We've been through a lot together, and there's no going back now.
"We'll always be there with the Thai public every step of the way for the good of everyone's health".
He suggested that he had made all the right calls and that 115 million doses of vaccine had now been administered that were saving lives.
He accepted that there were still many infections but serious cases were down and this could be attributed to his brilliant vaccine rollout that has saved the day.
"It's because of the vaccine and the co-operation of the Thai public," he enthused.
ASEAN NOW notes that the charismatic leader has designs on the Thai premiership, if and when Prayut Chan-ocha decides to call it a day.
It hasn't all been plain sailing for the health minister. He courted international controversy at the start of the pandemic with unsavory comments about a "farang" who wouldn't accept his offer of a mask.
Other non-mask wearing accusations were made but the billionaire bullet proof minister has survived when other country's health ministers have fallen by the wayside.