Due to the new wave of COVID-19 infection emerging in April and resulting in a near nationwide spread, the Ministry of Public Health has presented His Majesty the King with a Biosafety Mobile Unit to be used in the service of the public.
The Biosafety Mobile Unit was donated by Prof. Dr. Wiborn Wiprakasit and the Siriraj Hospital Faculty of Medicine to His Majesty the King on April 20, 2020 before it was forwarded to the Ministry of Public Health to aid in the collection of samples for COVID-19 testing. It was trialed from May 2, 2020 in Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima.
On July 6, 2020, His Majesty the King graciously made another 12 such vehicles available to the ministry for use at District Health Offices 1-12, so that they may carry out tests and analyses of samples in search of COVID-19, in an expression of his care and concern for all. The mobile units are fully equipped to protect operating workers, so that they can carry out tests swiftly nationwide, lowering costs and uncovering the disease proactively. So far, they have carried out hundreds of thousands of tests.
Another seven vehicles were provided by His Majesty the King on February 2, 2021, bringing the fleet to a total 20. His Majesty contributed 26,916,131 baht of his personal funds to refurbish the mobile units, with three a newer generation featuring improvements including an internal camera for face recognition of migrant laborers. The units are also able to store vaccination doses and distribute them.
The Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention (IUDC) has continued to expedite its proactive efforts and utilize the royally bestowed mobile units to service citizens at-risk of contraction of COVID-19. A website was set up by the institute providing information on self-assessing infection.
The biosafety mobile units have become a core tool of the operation of public health personnel, who have been using RT-PCR analysis facilitated by the vehicles, to carry out testing with plans to further expand their reach in the weeks to come.
The IUDC Bang Khen branch is able to assess around 1,000 people a day using a royally bestowed mobile unit, and performing swabs between 9am and 3pm. Those who wish to take a test at the branch can come to Wat Phra Sri Mahatat. Results take around two days to be announced due to the high volume of people being tested.
From the start of the operation up until now, the vehicles known by Thais as Royal Biosafety Mobile Units have become essential to testing for COVID-19 and boosting hope for the hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Amidst the continuing pandemic, His Majesty the King has made sure that efficient public health is available to all people across the Kingdom.
With the government service apparatus aiding the Thai public during this crisis, the nation is also fortunate to have the royal institution providing further care.
