US donates thousands of masks for Thai hill tribes
Despite Thailand going over 2 months without a locally transmitted case of Covid-19, the US embassy has sent thousands of face masks to Chiang Rai province. A representative of the US embassy delivered the masks, valued at around 458,000 baht, to authorities in Chiang Rai this week. Regional US honorary consul general Sean O’Neil says the USA wants to help provide protection to the hill tribe people living in the remote mountains.
“We are honoured that the Thai authorities trust us to help provide this equipment. We believe the Covid-19 face masks will be helpful for the poverty-stricken citizens during this pandemic and hope they will help them stay safe from the virus.”
Thailand, which began strict containment and lockdown measures in March, hasn’t recorded any local transmissions of the virus in over 60 days. This remarkable record, which some credit to the genetics of people in countries along the Mekong Delta including Vietnam and Laos, without evidence, has impressed officials at the World Heath Organisation, who have chosen Thailand to feature in a documentary on the pandemic alongside New Zealand.
By contrast, the US has recorded 4.3 million infections and suffered 149,398 deaths as of today, the highest in the world – and seen protests against lockdown restrictions and the use of masks.
SOURCE: Chiang Rai Times
