PHUKET: The annual Red Cross Fair began nationwide last night, launched as an online event only for the second consecutive year due to COVID-19 concerns.
The nationwide fair is held each year to raise funds to support Red Cross initiatives, including projects to specifically help the poor.
From October last year through September this year the Thai Red Cross delivered more than 20,000 relief kits and drinking water to people affected by floods and storms.
In Phuket, local Red Cross teams have handed out food relief supplies to people left without incomes due to the COVID crisis, and provided assistance to poor people living on the fringes of Phuket Town and in Rassada.
Before the pandemic the fair traditionally saw crowds of many thousands turn out to enjoy the festivities, adn for the lucky draw prizes, especially at Lumphini Park in Bangkok as well as in Pattaya and Chiang Mai.
In Phuket, the fair was traditionally held at Saphan Hin for 11 days leading up to New Year. The prizes in Phuket included cars, motorbikes and even a house as the top draw prize.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Deputy Executive of the Thai Red Cross Society, officially declared the fair open at an event held at Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok yesterday (Dec 14).
The web platform at www.งานกาชาด.com and www.redcrossfair.com, with prizes and online activities, launched live at 7pm last night.
https://www.redcrossfair.com/
As of this morning nearly half a million people had already visited the site.
The website also serves as an online shopping portal with more than 200 vendors plying their wares through the portal. Among them are community artisan projects initiated and supported by Royal Thai Family members.
More than 3,000 restaurants where people can order food are registered and featured at fair
The “attractions” for the people to enjoy include 14 movies streamed a day as well as “Ferris Wheel” entertainment with performances by popular DJs and Thai celebrities.
Red Cross lottery tickets are also being sold and “challenges” to be completed include major prizes, such as an MG 5 Beyond.
The online fair will remain open 24 hours day until Dec 27.
Source: The Phuket News
