The Phuket Provincial Red Cross Committee met on Wednesday (July 8) at the Phuket Provincial Red Cross office, chaired by Gov Chotinrin. Among those attending were the governor’s wife, Paveenrisa Kerdsum, who currently serves as the President of the Phuket Red Cross.
Also present were Phuket City District Chief Siwat Rawangkul, committee members and representatives of relevant agencies.
The meeting reviewed the committee’s recent operations, including financial reports and the sale of remaining tickets from the Red Cross charity lottery.
Members also received an update on a proposed solar power installation project, which has been delayed because of structural limitations at the building. The project is intended to support the Thai Red Cross Society’s environmental and greenhouse gas reduction policies.
The committee approved a range of activities for the 2027 fiscal year, including fundraising campaigns, charity lottery sales, scholarships for underprivileged students, human resources management, appointments to leadership positions and guidelines for managing the organisation’s accumulated funds while maintaining financial liquidity.
During the meeting, Gov Chotinrin called on the provincial Red Cross to combine its charitable work with efforts to preserve Phuket’s local arts and culture.
He said the organisation should promote the province’s Thai-Chinese heritage and traditional Phuket way of life, encourage community participation in preserving local traditions and help publicise the Baba-Nyonya cultural identity, which has been recognised as intangible cultural heritage.
The governor also proposed integrating cultural activities into the annual Phuket Red Cross Fair, saying the event should provide opportunities for local businesses, associations, foundations and other organisations to participate while serving both charitable and cultural objectives.
The emphasis on promoting local cultural heritage is not a traditional core function of the Thai Red Cross, whose primary mission is humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, health services and blood donation. However, Gov Chotinrin said incorporating cultural activities into the Phuket Red Cross Fair would help showcase the province’s unique identity while supporting fundraising efforts.