Thailand on Saturday began testing a vaccine against the coronavirus on monkeys after positive trials in mice.

Thailand's minister of higher education, science, and research and innovation, Suvit Maesincee, said hoped to have a "clearer outcome" of its effectiveness by September.

"This project is for the human race, not just Thais. The prime minister (Prayuth Chan-Ocha) has outlined a policy that we must develop a vaccine and join the world community workforce on this," Reuters quoted Suvit as saying on Saturday.

Thailand announced on Wednesday that it was developing a vaccine - one of at least 100 potential vaccines in the works worldwide - and hoped to have it into production by next year.

The Thai vaccine uses messenger RNA, which prompts body cells to produce antigens, molecules on the surface of viruses, that spur the immune system into action.

The Thai vaccine is being developed by the National Vaccine Institute, the Department of Medical Science, and Chulalongkorn University's vaccine research center.