The handover ceremony took place on Thursday (Feb 20), with Phuket Governor Sophon Suwanarat presiding over the event.
The donation, a 630 mA ceiling-mounted X-ray machine, aims to improve the hospital’s diagnostic efficiency to accommodate the increasing number of patients, said an official report of the handover.
The project was supported by the Rotary Meuang Rae Phuket, with Chanya Tonsakul, President of the Club, and Lim Jae Su, Representative of the Rotary Club of Seongnam District 3600, South Korea, playing key roles in the procurement.
Dr Banphot Pankluea, Director of Thalang Hospital, formally accepted the equipment on behalf of the institution.
Governor Sophon commended the collaboration between the government, private sector and “civil society” in strengthening Phuket’s public health infrastructure.
He highlighted the importance of this donation in enhancing Thalang Hospital’s ability to provide quality medical services, particularly as patient numbers ‒ including tourists ‒ continue to rise.
Thalang Hospital, a 60-bed facility, serves an average of 17,000 inpatients and 160,000 outpatients annually, including around 12,000 foreign tourists.
To further extend healthcare services, the hospital has donated its two original ceiling-mounted X-ray machines to Phuket Provincial Prison for medical screening of inmates. Currently, the hospital provides screening services at the prison twice a week.
The X-ray machine and the renovation of the X-ray room were funded under the ‘Global Grant’ project, supported by the Rotary Club of Phuket Mines in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Seongnam District 3600 (South Korea), the Rotary Club of Jungceylon Phuket and Big Island.
Additional funding came from the charity concert ‘Queens Return The Legends Concert’, featuring Christina Aguilar and Marsha Wattanapanich on May 18, 2024.
Looking ahead, the Rotary Club of Meuang Rae Phuket and its partners are organising another charity concert on May 9, 2025, featuring renowned artists Mai Charoenpura and Am Saowalak. The event aims to raise funds to support public health, education and community development projects in the coming year.