‘Pantry of Sharing’: community pantries help Thais in need during COVID-19

A group of volunteers recently launched a ‘Pantry of Sharing’ initiative, where they share non-perishable food items and basic hygiene supplies, including feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, and toilet paper, to others who are in need during the outbreak. The concept is based on a simple idea that those who can afford to give do so while those in need are encouraged to stop by and take what they need.

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Travel startup Triip rewards homebound travellers

Vietnamese sustainable travel company Triip has launched a new global Stay Home Heroes initiative that allows homebound travellers to earn points by staying at home which can then be used for future travels.

With a third of the global population on lockdown, the rewards programme supports broader government-led initiatives calling on citizens to stay at home and practise social distancing to protect public health.

From April 1, Triiip will reward users who use the startup’s Stay Home Heroes app feature to check in at their homes with a photo uploaded.

Payment will be made daily to homebound users with unique travel points, called TIIM. Users who check in at home will be offered 1 TIIM per day, which can then be used to redeem for later travels.

While sheltered, users can also earn TIIM by sharing Triip with their friends via a unique, personalised link; submitting photos of their past travels to the platform; and sharing their future travel plans within the app.

Triip said that it is making available 15 million points through the end of the lockdown orders to each of its users to incentivise them to stay home.

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TCEB BACKS VIRTUAL EVENTS

TCEB launches a “Virtual Meeting Space” project, providing support for MICE entrepreneurs by running business events online via a virtual platform.

In addition to the core project, TCEB will launch a programme, Covid-19 Free Meetings, to MICE venues to upgrade their safety and health standards. The two projects are in response to the spread of the Covid-19 and global lockdown, which put real-time events and activities to a halt.

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau president, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya said the two projects were part of the government’s economic relief measures to support MICE entrepreneurs and the workforce.

Other elements include tax reduction, an extension of the tax filing period, higher tax deduction, reducing interest rate for debt, soft loan, the extension of electricity bill payment and wage compensation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the postponement and cancellation of MICE events worldwide.  Online or virtual platform has become an alternative for events that can ensure business survival,” the TCEB president explained.

“Thai entrepreneurs need to adapt themselves to such business platforms. In this respect, TCEB has designed two key projects. The first one “Virtual Meeting Space” (VMS) is to enable Thai MICE entrepreneurs to continue their business and to re-skill their workforce and the other, “Covid-19 Free Meetings”, to assist MICE venue operators in upgrading the safety standard of their facilities”.

Virtual Meeting Space

For the “Virtual Meeting Space” or VMS project, TCEB will provide support for holding events on an online platform in three categories:

Webinar

TCEB will support in the preparation and management of this online platform. This includes production and preparation of a studio for LIVE, as well as, technical co-ordination and system monitoring during LIVE. The organizers can run their slide presentation during the meeting session, while interaction to share experiences, discussion with the speaker, Q&A and a poll or survey can be conducted. The session can cater up to 10,000 attendees at a time.

O2O
(Offline to Online)

This platform caters to exhibitions. TCEB will support in the arrangement and management of an online platform for exhibitors, as well as, support for LIVE streaming from either a studio or the organizer’s venue. The support covers sequencing, production, controlling, system monitoring during LIVE streaming and preparation of technical co-ordination.

Exhibitors can showcase their activities, products and services as needed. The online payment system is also equipped to boost sales volume.

E-Learning Platform

It is an online learning centre for MICE entrepreneurs to re-skill or up-skill their workforce. There are six courses from May to October 2020 by Southeast Asia Centre or SEAC on YourNextU platform.

The subjects led by experts are:
1. Project Management;
2. Inter-personnel Skills;
3. Management;
4. Communication;
5. Entrepreneurship;
6. Digital. Learners will receive a certification from TCEB if they complete course requisites.

TCEB welcomes application from 250 MICE entrepreneurs and the VMS project will begin this May.

Contact MICE Intelligence and Innovation Department, TCEB, at Email: vms@tceb.or.th

For the second project, “Covid-19 FREE Meetings”, TCEB will provide a THB30,000 subsidy for MICE premise to formulate plans and prepare tools that fit the measures in the screening and prevention of Covid-19 stipulated by the Ministry of Public Health.

For example, it involves the installation of body temperature monitoring systems and the screening of body temperature before participation. The project aims to safety confidence in the venues.

To be eligible to gain support, the venue must be certified with Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) or hotel entrepreneurs must be a member of the Thai Hotel Association.

TCEB forecasts that the project will be able to support up to 216 MICE venues nationwide under the THB 6,480,000 budget.

Covid-19 FREE Meetings project will be running from April to June 2020.

Enquiry and registration for support can be made with MICE Capabilities Department, TCEB, at email: MICEstandards@gmail.com

“Apart from the two projects, TCEB has also set up a Covid-19 Information Centre to monitor and assess information, especially the impacts of the disease on the MICE industry.

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TAT INTRODUCES ‘AMAZING THAILAND SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION’ CERTIFICATION

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with the public and private sector partners, is introducing an “Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration: SHA” certification aimed at elevating the country’s tourism industry standards and developing confidence among international and domestic tourists.

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Covid-19: Khiri Reach Helps Communities Across Southeast Asia

Khiri Reach, the charitable arm of Khiri Travel, has been active helping communities in Asia impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.

Its focus has been on marginalized communities, many of them in long-standing relationships with Khiri Travel, such as local families, artisans or community based projects that were regularly visited by tours before lockdown.

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