Banpu Encourages Thais to Donate Blood and Support the Critically Low Blood Supplies Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic; Joining “Plus One” Project to Co-Sponsor the Production of 400,000 “Masks for Blood Hero” to Give Away to Donors Nationwide
7 August 2020 – The spread of coronavirus has disrupted economic and social activities. It also had a direct impact on blood donation as the number of donors has significantly reduced during the pandemic. On the other hand, the need for blood supplies for patients remains as great as ever. Banpu Public Company Limited realized that the low blood supplies is critical. Thus, the Company decided to join hands with the National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society and Thai Wacoal Public Company Limited to co-sponsor the production of the “Mask for Blood Hero” under the “Plus One” Project. With the determination to take the best care of Thai society during the normal time as well as in times of crisis, Banpu and Thai Wacoal have together allocated 20-million-baht budget for the project to co-produce 400,000 pieces of “Mask for Blood Hero” as tokens of appreciation for blood donors. The mask also serves as an encouragement to everyone that they can be heroes simply by giving blood.
Banpu Public Company Limited understands the level of impact the COVID-19 virus has to the National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society. The number of donors has significantly declined for fear or risks of contracting COVID-19 from blood donation. However, the demand for blood in patients is still significant during the past several months. Blood supplies have begun to decrease to the crisis point. For this reason, the Mask for Blood Hero for Plus One Project was initiated with an aim to encourage the public to continue to donate blood to save the lives of others.
Mr. Chanin Vongkusolkit, Chairman of Banpu Public Company Limited, said “Today, the Thai Red Cross Society is faced with an issue with the critically low blood supplies. As a company which has collaborated closely with the Thai Red Cross Society through different crises including the Thailand flood in 2011 and the 2018 flood disaster in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR, Banpu is more than ready to extend our support and encourage Thai people to come in and donate blood so that Thailand will have enough blood supplies to save more lives once again.”
Ms. Somruedee Chaimongkol, Chief Executive Officer of Banpu Public Company Limited, said “Since the pandemic, Banpu has continuously offered our help to those in need through “Mitr Phol-Banpu Solidarity to Aid Thailand on COVID-19 Confrontation Endowment.” We have allocated 10 million baht from the fund to support the production of the high quality “Mask for Blood Hero.” The masks serve as our tokens of appreciation to those who donate their blood and will help keep them safe whenever they are in public. The initiative has allowed us to collaborate with over 50 organizations across the country. So far, we have extended our support of over 105 million baht to hospitals and other organizations. This includes sponsoring medical personnel’s’ life insurance nationwide; producing face masks which were given away to government officers, the general public, and educational institutions; as well as contribution to the “Cloth Face Masks for Self-Protection from COVID–19” project of the Thai Red Cross Society, which has distributed cloth face masks and sets of daily necessities to Thai people nationwide through the Provincial Red Cross Chapters across the country.”
“Apart from medical personnel, Banpu also extends our support to people whose lives have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through the donation of relief bags to people in several provinces. The donations include relief bags to the orphans and people in the three southern provinces through the Amir Al-Mu’minin Foundation and to those who work in tourism and service business through the Fountain of Life Women’s Center and Sisters Foundation in Chonburi. We also donated to people who worked near industrial areas and were affected by COVID-19 in Bangkok’s surrounding provinces.”
A survey by the Thai Red Cross Society found that even though the COVID-19 situation has alleviated, donors still see the importance of wearing face masks as a part of everyday life in the New Normal era. The masks produced by Thai Wacoal are woven with special Japanese fabrics to ensure that all the blood heroes receive face masks with the best quality. This collaboration between Banpu, the Thai Red Cross Society and Thai Wacoal would remind Thais the importance of blood donation especially during these difficult times of the pandemic. Those who would like to give blood can do so directly at the National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society, located on Henri Dunant Road, Bangkok, or at the Provincial Red Cross Chapters nationwide. Each donor will receive a “Mask for Blood Hero” which will be sent directly to their homes by Thailand Post.
Banpu will continue to identify and provide support to those impacted by the COVID-19. The situation in Thailand may have improved, but the disruption to the economy and the society will undoubtedly linger. Therefore, Banpu hopes that the help we have provided would continue to ease the difficulties Thais are facing.
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About Banpu
Banpu Public Company Limited is a leading integrated energy solutions company with 3 core groups of businesses: energy resources, energy generation and energy technology in 10 countries — Thailand, Indonesia, China, Australia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Singapore, Japan, the United States of America and Vietnam.
