Life-saving oxygen supplies sponsored by Their Majesties the King and Queen for Covid-19 patients will be flown to India today by the Royal Thai Air Force as that nation's virus catastrophe deepens.
The plane will also carry relief items donated by the Indian Association of Thailand, the India-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Institute of Technology Alumni Association.
Medical equipment and humanitarian aid on the flight include 70 oxygen generators, 300 oxygen tanks and 200 oxygen-regulating device sets.
A source in the air force said it was preparing a special flight and that either an Airbus A340 or a C130 transport aircraft would be used to carry the supplies.
The plane's return flight will bring home staff from the Thai embassy and Thai people infected with Covid-19 needing urgent treatment.
It has been reported that medical equipment, including oxygen-generation plants, has been flown into the Indian capital of New Delhi from France and Germany as part of a huge international effort.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar thanked Thailand for its humanitarian assistance and vowed to support bilateral relations between the two countries.
India will try to facilitate the export of medicines and other pharmaceutical products requested by the Thai government, the spokesman said.
About 1,000 Thais are still in India, with the Thai embassy saying it is closely monitoring the situation and advising them to return to Thailand if there is no necessity for them to stay.
Mr Tanee added that Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai had discussed Covid-19 vaccines and the political situation in Myanmar with South Korea's Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong.
He said South Korea supported Asean's efforts to find constructive and peaceful solutions to the political crisis in Myanmar.
Mr Don also accepted an invitation on behalf of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to attend the 2nd Partnering for Green Growth (P4G) Summit via video link on May 31.
The upcoming meeting will discuss economic growth in support of environmental and global targets to be met by 2030.
