CityNews – 15th April 2020, a donation centre which opened to donate goods and necessities for people who are deeply impacted by this current situation saw queues two kilometres long today.
On the moat near the Suan Dok Gate, there was a group of volunteers who set up a donation point to receive donations, aimed to both help the economic victims of this COVID-19 pandemic as well as to allow people to show their Songkran spirits by doing good.
A long queue of people in need wrapped itself around the moat from the Chinese consulate on the outer moat all around to the inner moat near the gate. Goods donated included dry food such as rice and Mama noodles, water, cooking oil, canned mackerel, eggs and boxes of food.
This centre has been distributing food for six days now.
Montchai Chaisom, 43, one of the people who stood in the hot sun waiting to donate said, “We saw that there were lines of people waiting for food at Tha Pae Gate, so it wanted us to do something to help. My friends and I therefore thought that we needed to go onto Facebook and get the word out.”
He said that on the first day they distributed 500 litres of rice and many dozen eggs. “We thought we would do this for only seven days,” said Montchai, “and tomorrow is our last day, but today the queue is so long.”
Initially this project was funded by Montchai and his friends, but they have now opened up to the public to help support the cost, which is over 20,000 baht per day.
According to Montchai, the 600 litres of rice costs 17,400 baht while 1,500 eggs cost 4,500 baht. Then they aim for 500 tins of fish, 500 bottles of oil and other items, which all adds up.
Montchai said that if anyone would like his group to continue doing what they are doing, then they are welcome to donate towards the efforts at Kasikorn Bank, 796-2-17686-5 or pay by PrompPay 081706616
