Switzerland has donated about 26 tonnes of medical supplies, including respirators and antigen test kits, so Thailand can boost its fight against Covid-19.
A Swiss cargo plane carrying the medical aid left Zurich airport in Switzerland on Wednesday and arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday morning, with Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul receiving the shipment from the Swiss ambassador to Thailand.
The aid, worth about 328 million baht, includes 84 respirators and more than 1 million antigen test kits. The package was provided by the Swiss Armed Forces Pharmacy and the Federal Office of Public Health.
"The Swiss embassy in Thailand is in close contact with the authorities to ensure that items are distributed fairly based on need, in accordance with humanitarian principles," said a message posted on Swissinfo.ch, quoting the Swiss foreign ministry.
This delivery of medical aid comes ahead of Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis' visit to Thailand as part of an official tour of Southeast Asia from Aug 1–6, the message said.
Mr Cassis is scheduled to take part in a handover ceremony on Monday.
The shipment to Thailand is Switzerland's seventh international delivery of humanitarian goods in response to the Covid-19 pandemic since May.
Swiss Humanitarian Aid has already sent supplies to Indonesia, Tunisia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, the message said.