THAI and Thai government hold Thai rice donation ceremony to Haitian people

Today (February 1, 2010), the Thai Government and Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), as well as the government and private sector cooperated together in transporting 100 tons of Thai rice on a THAI freighter aircraft. The humanitarian donation of Thai rice will benefit the people of Haiti who have been affected by severe earthquake. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand, presided over the donation ceremony witnessed by representatives from the government and various organization in the ramp area of THAI Air Cargo, Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI President, said that transporting 100 tons of Thai jasmine rice from the government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti was possible due to cooperation from the government and various organizations, in order to provide assistance as quickly as possible. THAI provided relief aid by conducting a humanitarian freighter flight to transport 100 tons of Thai rice that was donated from the government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti, on board THAI freighter flight 9S888 at a flight time of 36 hours on the route Bangkok to the Republic of Haiti. Transport by ship takes approximately 5 to 6 weeks, therefore, through cooperation between the Thai government, THAI, and various organizations, this humanitarian relief effort was possible. In particular, the donation of Thai rice reflects on Thailand’s national identity as a country that is known as a “world kitchen” and one the world’s largest sources of rice production.

The aircraft utilized in transporting 100 tons of Thai rice from the government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti is a THAI cargo freighter Boeing 747-300F, which the company obtained for cargo freight transport. THAI’s cargo freighter flight departed from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday, February 1, 2010 at 1400 hours, with refueling at Incheon Airport in Korea; Anchorage, Alaska; and Miami, Florida in the United States of America, and arrival at Port au Prince Airport in the Republic of Haiti on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 0800 hours (local time), at a total flight time of 36 hours.