AIS Joins Thai Red Cross Society to Provide Care through Sim Cards and Insurance Supports Migrant Health Volunteers in Avoiding a Second Wave of COVID-19 among Migrant Laborers

23 June, 2020: Moving forward the “AIS 5G Against COVID-19” mission to technology and the potential of 5G to support healthcare, monitoring and national recovery from the pandemic, AIS has partnered with the Thai Red Cross Society and its network to equip Migrant Health Volunteers (MHV) with the digital tools they need to stop a second wave of COVID-19 spread among migrant laborers.

Mr. Somchai Lertsutiwong, Chief Executive Officer of AIS, explained that “as a digital service provider enhancing Thai healthcare through the potential of 5G and innovations through the ‘AIS 5G Against COVID-19’ mission, AIS supports the ‘Fight Against COVID-19 Among Migrant Laborers’ program of the Thai Red Cross Society, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Committee of the Red Cross, Migrant Working Group and UNICEF Thailand, aimed at promoting knowledge, understanding and awareness of the COVID-19 threat among migrant laborers so that they may protect themselves and their families via the PhonPhai application developed by the Thai Red Cross Society, upgraded from its original purpose of alerting people about disasters to aiding in the COVID-19 response by incorporating migrant laborers taking part in the Migrant Health Volunteer (MHV) program. AIS is assisting in these goals by providing internet access via PhonPhai free of charge for 1 year to MHVs along with eligibility for a 100,000 Baht COVID-19 insurance plan lasting 45 days for MHV users of AIS. For volunteers using other networks, AIS is offering its 1-2-Call prepaid “Sawasdee AEC” sim cards, so that they may use PhonPhai free of charge as well as eligibility for the insurance package”.

The entire program is receiving internet support from AIS so that MHVs and migrant labor leaders can access news and information including on how to spot early signs of infection and on migrants who have not completed a 14-day quarantine. All the information is being provided via the PhonPhai application to strengthen investigations into infection, screening and public health data.