CP boss outlines 4 ways government could speed up pandemic recovery
One of Thailand’s wealthiest businessmen has outlined 4 ways in which the government could accelerate the country’s Covid-19 recovery. The Bangkok Post reports that Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of the Charoen Pokphand Group, was responding to questions from journalist Suthichai Yoon during a Facebook Live interview yesterday.
According to Dhanin, the government must increase relief measures for those affected by the ongoing crisis. The CP group is currently assisting small to medium sized restaurants by helping them supply 2 million meal boxes which are given away to the public. Participating restaurants, currently struggling as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, receive some free PR from the project, through their names and contact numbers being printed on the boxes. However, Dhanin says his company, as a private entity, is limited in how much assistance it can provide to citizens.
He says the second way the government can speed up Thailand’s recovery is by vaccinating everyone and ensuring every brand of vaccine is available. He denies the CP group was in any way influential in the government’s procurement of the Sinovac vaccine, despite his cousin owning 15% of the company that manufactures the vaccine. Dhanin insists his family member would not have the authority to make procurement decisions on behalf of the Kingdom, adding that he himself has received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“I myself have been injected with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been injected in most people in Britain, where figures of patients severely affected by the disease and deaths are low.”
He adds that CP employees were vaccinated using 100,000 doses of Sinopharm imported through the Chulabhorn Royal Academy.
According to the Bangkok Post report, Dhanin says the government must also improve telemedicine services for Covid-19 patients who are self-isolating at home. Finally, the fourth suggested measure was that the government take steps now to attract foreign investors back to Thailand or risk losing them to the country’s neighbours.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
