Panthera Group donates ฿2.5 million in ventilators to Thailand hospitals

Panthera Group, Bangkok’s leading hospitality, law and marketing conglomerate, brought crucial relief to Covid-19 hospital wards with the donation of 2.5 million baht in mechanical ventilators.

Funded in equal partnership with Jurassic Mountain Resort & Fishing Park, Thailand’s top luxury resort and fishing park in Cha Am, Phetchaburi, the ten ventilators were delivered around the country on May 20.

Bang Bua Thong, Bangkruai, Bhumibol Adulyadej, Mahasarakarm, Pakkred and Suthavet hospitals each received one machine, as did Panyananthaphikkhu Chonprathan Medical Center and Busarakum Hospital’s Muangthong field hospital. Two units went to Bangkok’s hard-hit Central Correctional Hospital, which is responsible for the care of thousands of coronavirus-infected prison inmates.

Many of the same hospitals received donations of thousands of personal-protective full-body suits and sanitizing alcohol. It was during the delivery of those life-saving items that Panthera Group co-founder Paul Hayward learned of their ventilator shortage.

“I was told there were people waiting to go into ICU but couldn’t because there were no ventilators,” Hayward said. “If your ward has a 10-bed capacity, you need 10 ventilators. This is our way of trying to directly save lives.”

As of May 25, 1,187 Covid-19 patients were in critical condition in hospitals across Thailand, with 399 requiring ventilators. With daily reported coronavirus cases remaining stubbornly in the 2,000-3,000 range, the need for ventilators is expected not only to continue, but become more acute. Hayward said consultations with doctors and nurses showed that by donating 10 ventilators, Panthera Group could save at least 15 people a month.

Despite the positive impact ventilators can have in reducing deaths from Covid-19, few companies or individuals could afford such a major donation. Even Panthera Group, Thailand’s largest nightlife operator and owner of major law and marketing businesses, needed a partner. It found an eager one in Jurassic Resort & Fishing Park.

“Thailand has been very good to the resort’s foreign ownership and we wanted to be kind to Thailand,” said Jurassic Resort partner Tom Broomhead. “Thailand is in a drastic state right now. Many companies are going down and there’s even more suffering than even meets the eye. We had been speaking with Paul (Hayward) about doing something to help. It could have been food or something else, but in the end, we decided upon the ventilators.”

During the pandemic, Jurassic Resort lost its main source of revenue:  foreign tourists. But it also employs more than two dozen Thai nationals and the owners have continued to pay salaries and keep people working. The ventilator donation is an extension of that effort, with the hope that the country’s Covid-19 epidemic will end and Thailand will reopen to anglers from around the world.

“For us to be able to continue our relief efforts, we need to attract like-minded individuals to assist with the financial side,” said Hayward, whose company he co-founded with Michael Doherty “We spoke with the owners of Jurassic Resort and they said they love what Panthera Group is doing and asked if they could participate. When we mentioned ventilators, they instantly said yes.”

 

ABOUT PANTHERA GROUP

Privately owned Panthera Group was co-founded by Hayward and Michael Doherty more than 17 years ago as an amalgamation of various food & beverage, nightlife, hotel, property, investment and management companies. It currently has operations in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui.

ABOUT JURASSIC RESORT & FISHING PARK

Jurassic Resort & Fishing Park was founded nine years ago and has been under new British management since 2020. The resort is spread over 25 rai in Cha-Am, Phetchaburi Province.