Eleven state-owned hospitals will receive 1.3 billion baht on Feb 25, the first batch of money from all the donations raised by rock star Artiwara "Toon" Kongmalai during his 2,215km charity run across the country last year.
Maj Gen Nimit Samothan, a hospital director and chairman of the Phramongkutklao Hospital Foundation, met the charity project's manager Thirathat Sangkhathat yesterday to discuss how the money will allocated.
Mr Thirathat's project is called "Kao Khon La Kao" (take one step each).
Also present at yesterday's meeting were executives from the 11 hospitals.
As of Wednesday 1.3 billion baht worth of donations has been collected, Maj Gen Nimit said.
The foundation is responsible for collecting the donations after Mr Artiwara ran from Yala to Chiang Rai, ending his charity marathon on Christmas Day.
Further donations can still be made until the end of May.
Anant Kamolnate, director of Saraburi Hospital, revealed the results of the meeting on behalf of the other executives.
He said the money is being allocated based on the number of hospital beds at each of the hospitals. For example, a hospital with 100 beds would be entitled to 1% of the total sum.
Some will receive upwards of 91 million baht, Dr Anant said.
No one disputed the calculation method or the size of the donation, he added.
Dr Anant said there was a strong will to ensure the money is handed out transparently and that most will be used to purchase medical equipment.
All of the hospitals will be required to report their spending in detail, he said.
Maj Gen Phirapol Pokpong, secretary-general of the foundation, said Phramongkutklao Hospital has 1,200 beds so it will receive 12% of the money-- plus a further 5% because it supported the project from the get-go.
This would equate to 200 million baht.
Maj Gen Phirapol said the team responsible for managing the charity run will not set up a panel to scrutinise how each hospital spends the money.
It is up to the hospitals to manage the money to buy medical equipment as they see fit, he said.
The donations break down as follows: Yala Hospital (91 million baht), Surat Thani Hospital (136.5 million baht), Ratchaburi Hospital (130 million baht), Chaophrayayommarat Hospital in Suphan Buri (91 million baht), Saraburi Hospital (104 million baht), Khon Kaen Hospital (143 million baht), Chaopraya Abhaiphubejhr Hospital in Prachin Buri (91 million baht), Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital (110.5 million baht), Nakornping Hospital in Chiang Mai (91 million baht), Nan Hospital (91 million baht), and Phramongkutklao Hospital (221 million baht).
Transparency regarding how the donations are dispersed has become a hot issue.
Phramongkutklao Hospital Foundation apologised to former National Reform Council member Ticha Na Nakorn earlier in the week for mistakenly giving her a 500 baht receipt for her 15,000-baht donation to the charity run.
Scepticism over the foundation's handling of donations was prompted by Ms Thicha's Facebook post.
