Hatari fans admiration with B900m donation to improve health facilities

Hatari fans admiration with B900m donation to improve health facilities

Joon Wanavit (seated, left), the founder of Hatari Electric Co, his wife Suntharee (seated, right) and other family members pose for photos on Tuesday for a 900-million-baht donation to Ramathibodi Foundation, at their home in Bangkok. (Photo from Ramathibodi School of Nursing Facebook account)
Joon Wanavit (seated, left), the founder of Hatari Electric Co, his wife Suntharee (seated, right) and other family members pose for photos on Tuesday for a 900-million-baht donation to Ramathibodi Foundation, at their home in Bangkok. (Photo from Ramathibodi School of Nursing Facebook account)

Fan manufacturer Hatari has given Ramathibodi Foundation a donation of 900 million baht in a low-profile event that has drawn praise from the public since it became known.

Ramathibodi School of Nursing said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that Hatari Electric Co, led by founder Joon Wanavit, on Tuesday donated the money to the foundation for three projects totalling 900 million baht.

The nursing school under the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, would receive 160 million baht for a building renovation project; the medical learning centre of the hospital would obtain 300 million baht; and another 440 billion baht would be aiding the construction of a new building and a medical innovation centre.

Hatari is a leading manufacturer of electrical appliances. It is best known for its range of fans, but also makes other appliances such as air purifiers.

The company did not mention the donation on its media channels and the public became aware of only through the nursing school's Facebook account, which triggered a wave of admiration from people.

"Thank you for making all Thais happy," a Twitter user named @H20_Whan wrote on Thursday.

Many posted pictures of their Hatari fans with warm messages for the company and its founder on their social media accounts.

Hatari has yet to respond to the well-wishing messages. People close to the company said the firm regularly makes donations to public projects but did not seek to make them public relations stunts.

In 2012, Mae Fah Luang University said in a message of thanks to Mr Joon that hospitals, the underprivileged, schools, educational institutions and religious organisations were among those who had received financial support from him.

The university in Chiang Rai conferred an honorary degree in business administration on him to mark his success and efforts to make society better that year.

Mr Joon, 85, started his career as a cleaner in a rice-exporting shop in Bangkok when he was 12. He eventually began to make fans under the brand names K and Tory. The first Hatari fans came to the market in 1989 when he was 52. It has become the best-selling brand in the country.

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