Daily mask production hits 4.2m, surplus building up
The daily production of face masks in Thailand has risen to 4.2 million after more new factories were set up, said Internal Trade Department director-general Vichai Pochanakit.
Chinese producers have also resumed exporting raw materials to make the masks.
The government currently buys 3 million masks daily from 16 registered factories, of which 1.8 million are provided to the Public Health Ministry and 1.2 million to the Interior Ministry.
Vichai said this means there is a daily surplus of 1.2 million masks. Asked by the Cabinet to seek ways of managing the surplus, the department had talked with related agencies and forged an agreement for the government to buy the surplus and sell them to the needy organisations including airlines.
He added that the Public Health Ministry has stockpiled more than one month’s supply of masks.
The committee for procuring medical supplies to prevent the outbreak has resolved to extend the ban on exporting masks from June to February 3, 2021.
Exempted from the ban are masks that filter out chemical substances, those those produced under Board of Investment's tax incentives for export, and those exported to embassies of foreign countries.