Bangkok, Sep 25 (IANS): Thailand has started administering Covid-19 booster shots to people who have been fully vaccinated, according to a statement by the Ministry of Public Health.

The authorities started to give the third dose of booster shots to about 150,000 people on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Around 3 million people are eligible to be vaccinated with booster shots, according to the official figures.

Thailand has struggled to handle its worst coronavirus outbreak so far, as the highly infectious Delta variant spread through the country and the healthcare system is under pressure.

Since July, the Thai government has begun to give booster shots to some medical staff and to inoculate people with mixed vaccines to improve the effectiveness.

According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Thailand recorded 12,697 new cases and 132 deaths on Friday.

To date, about 23 per cent of Thailand's nearly 70 million people have been vaccinated with two doses, and 41 per cent with one dose.