Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS) will join with a Korean firm to set up the first international blood plasma centre in Southeast Asia, in Chon Buri.
TRCS secretary-general Phan Wannamethee said the Red Cross had been separating blood plasma for Thai patients since 1979. However, only about 10,000 litres could be produced domestically per year while hospitals have to shoulder the enormous cost of importing supplies to keep up with demand.
TRCS has signed an agreement with Green Cross Corporation, a South Korean firm, to design and construct a blood plasma separating facility in tambon Bang Phra, Si Racha district of Chon Buri province. The project cost is estimated at two billion baht and it is due for completion in 2015.
The facility will have a production capacity of 200,000 litres per year and would be able to produce supplies to treat patients suffering from kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, auto-immune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and hemophilia.
Mr Phan ssaid the facility could save Thailand up to one billion baht in plasma imports and reach the break-even point within three years. It will also be the first plasma production centre in Southeast Asia, he added.
So Chun Tae, the president of Green Cross Corporation, has pledged to transfer the latest plasma separating technology to TRCS for production of high quality supply sufficient for the domestic demand.
South Korean ambassador Jeon Jae-mansaid the South Korean government has contributed US$1 million to TRCS for the project.
The venture is being developed under the bilateral cooperation agreement between Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the South Korean president made last year.