The current COVID-19 pandemic has made individuals and organizations in all sectors alert and ready to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. The initial response of the people was to get a sufficient amount of personal protective gear such as hygienic masks. However, even the pandemic has lasted for a few months; demand for hygienic masks remains high. Many people still lack access to them because of some constraints such as unaffordable prices, supply shortages, and lack of supply distributions in some areas.
Banpu Public Company Limited, as a private organization with a commitment to the corporate governance principles and corporate social responsibility, aims to contribute necessary medical and public health equipment and supplies for the prevention and control of the current COVID-19 outbreak. Banpu has ordered 1,500,000 hygienic masks made from the anti-mite nanofabrics to be distributed to the public to help them stay safe and hygienic. To get protective masks to as many people as possible, Singer Thailand Public Company Limited, or Singer, will distribute 1,300,000 pieces of high-quality cloth masks to people in remote areas where hygienic masks are not sold in shops due to shortages. This collaboration will widen access to high-quality health protection supplies at an affordable price.
Ms. Somruedee Chaimongkol, Chief Executive Officer of Banpu Public Company Limited, said: “We have kept a close watch on the COVID-19 outbreak situation and realized the necessity to deliver cloth masks to all people, including those in remote areas, who need them for health and safety reason in their daily lives. So, we ordered the production of 1,300,000 good quality cloth masks, which will be distributed to Thai people in all areas while the other 200,000 pieces will be donated to public organizations and foundations. With Singer’s cooperation, we can get good quality cloth masks distributed to wider areas where Thai people still need them for heath protection. Better still, this move helps manufacturers, distributors, and consumers at the same time, not to mention that it will help curb the spread of coronavirus until we finally overcome this crisis.”
Mr. Kittipong Kanokvilairat, Chief Executive Officer of Singer Thailand Public Company Limited, stated: “Singer sees how important the distribution of necessary supplies to people and wish to act as a bridge through which high-quality masks can be sent to people across Thailand. We planned to train our representatives to become sales agents of nanofabric masks manufactured in a standard hygienic process. In this task, Singer will bear the inventory and sales service costs to keep the price of hygienic masks lower than the production cost, as intended by Banpu. Our company will sell these nanofabric masks at over 1,000 Singer’s sales outlets in 763 sub-districts, 475 districts, all over the country. We firmly believe that these nanofabric masks will reach those communities in remote areas.”
Both Banpu and Singer are well aware of the significance of controlling the spread of COVID-19 and are ready to collaborate with all agencies both in public and private sectors to help Thailand overcome the current crisis as soon as possible.
