Thailand supports Laos’ battle against Covid-19
The Royal Thai Embassy to Laos has provided cash and materials worth over 16 million baht to the Lao government to support efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.
The donated items were handed over in Vientiane on Friday by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Laos, Mr Jesda Katavetin, on behalf of the Thai government to Minister of Health and Deputy Head of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Dr Dr Bounfeng Phommalaisith.
The Thai government’s donation together with medical supplies totalled 12.8 million baht (4.1 billion kip). Donations worth 4.3 million baht delivered on Friday
comprised a cash donation of 2 million baht, 180 patient beds, 50,000 medical masks, 2,370 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and six mobile swab testing units for use in hospitals in Bokeo province.
A second shipment of supplies from the Thai government worth more than 8.5 million baht, to be delivered by the end of this month, will consist of 2,000 PPE outfits, Covid-19 test equipment, DNA/RNA extraction kits, and 2,500 test kits for use in hospitals in Bokeo and Xayaboury provinces. Thailand will also provide medical equipment for use in hospitals in Savannakhet province, including a defibrillator, patient monitoring machine, infrared thermometers, oxygen regulators and pulse oximeters.
In addition, Thailand will provide online medical public health consultations to strengthen Covid-19 testing capacity and collaboration between Thai and Lao medical staff, especially at the Thai-Lao border, to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In another donation, the Thai-Lao Association for Friendship has provided 500 PPE outfits and the 480 N95 masks worth 100,000 baht through the Lao Embassy in Bangkok.
Lastly, the Thai Embassy to Laos and Team Thailand are facilitating support from the Thai Business Association in Laos, the Thailand-Laos Business Council, Thai companies in Laos, and Thai nationals resident in Laos.
Cash donations and medical supplies worth more than 3.4 million baht (about 1 billion kip) will be handed over to the Lao government on May 12. The cash donations and medical equipment from the Thai government, private sector and Thai people reflect the country’s concern for the people of Laos and underscore Thailand’s resolute solidarity with Laos as a close neighbour with special bonds and readiness to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak together, the Thai Embassy to Laos said.
