By M C George Menamparampil SDB
Emergency Response Coordinator

Bangkok, Thailand, 24 April 2020 -- In this situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand since the end of February until the present, there is a tendency of decrease of incidents, averaging 15-30 persons per day: taken from the statistics of 24 April 2020; at present there are 2,854 persons positively affected, 50 deaths, and 2,490 cured.

The Thai Government has used various measures to contain the contamination, including 'staying at home', 'night curfew' from 22.00 - 04.00 hrs for thirty days until 30 April 2020, province-wide quarantine in some provinces. These have created other problems for the people, like, losing one's job, loss of income, loss of a place to stay, including the lack of sanitary face masks and alcohol for hand-washing. Faced with this situation, the government, other public agencies and the Thai people pooled resources to help these people.

The Salesian confreres have helped some of these people. Confreres at the formation house in Sampran under the leadership of Fr Anthony Boonlert Paneetatthayasai, have gathered forces to fill 6,000 alcohol bottles to distribute to the needy.

Fr. Joseph Nohpphadon, the delegate for Youth Ministry, brought food to those out of work, distributed personal protective equipment [PPEs], sanitary face masks (5,000) and alcohol to the town hospital of Sampran, to Baan Mai Health Promoting Hospital, Takharm Health Center, to help stop the spread of Covid-19. Aside from these, alcohol was also given to 50 immigrant mothers who brought their children for vaccine injection at the Sampran Health Center.

The Salesian community at Saeng Thong School together with the Association of Parents and Teachers, the Association of Past Pupils arranged and distributed 600 bags of food supplies to the poor and destitute families around the area of Hatyai Town.

Aside from this, The Association of Past Pupils of Saeng Thong Vitthaya School moved around to give 500 'face shields' to Hatyai Hospital, Songkhla Hospital, Singhanakhon Hospital, Hatyai Rescue Team and to Hatyai Health Center. There were other groups of alumni who gave out medical materials to the doctors; they also gave out food to the poor and needy families to the amount of about 500,000 baht. (14,322 Euro).

The PDO [Planning & Development Office] of the Salesian Province of Thailand, together with the Sisters of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the salesian past pupils and the faithful from Mary Help of Christians Church, gave out more than 100 food bags to the poor and cloth masks around the area and those out-of-work because of this Covid-19 pandemic. Aside from this, every Saturday about 100 lunch packs are also given to the needy families and people.

The Salesian Family

-The trainees of the Skills Training Center for Blind Women - Sampran under the care of the Salesian Sisters helped sew 600 face masks. They are continuing this work and gave these face masks to the garbage collectors and street cleaners in the Ratchathewi area.

-The Sisters of the Queenship of Mary [member of the Salesian Family] together with the teaching staff of Phra Mae Marie - Satupradit School, Bangkok, reached out to the needy people around their area. They gave out hundreds of packages containing food, fruits, alcohol, and sterilized face masks.

-In the first week of April 2020, Sr. Nitaya Josannuson and representatives from the teachers of Narivitaya School gave encouragement and food to all the team of doctors and nurses of the Central Hospital of Ratchaburi Province.

In the midst of this Covid-19 viral pandemic, all of us are in the same boat according to the message of Pope Francis during the worldwide blessing "Urbi Et Orbi" on 27 March 2020: "Jesus Christ Stopped the Storm". The important thing is: "do not fear; trust in the Lord”.

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