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GSB launches ‘Samui Model’ to support locals hit hard by Covid-19 crisis (nationthailand.com)
GSB launches ‘Samui Model’ to support locals hit hard by Covid-19 crisis
Nov 23. 2020
By The Nation
Government Savings Bank (GSB) has launched its “Samui Model” project, bringing together more than 500 people from its management team, credit committee and GSB staff to the Koh Samui area of Surat Thani province to provide immediate assistance.
The project is focusing on approvals for urgent loans in special cases after Koh Samui’s tourism economy collapsed because of the virus situation.
GSB would also provide funds and sustenance supplies to people in need, the bank said.
Vocational training would be offered to the underprivileged, GSB said.
Free booth space also would be given to Samui local merchants and street food vendors, expecting to encourage money circulation of at least Bt1 billion to support the economy, and help the people of Samui face this difficult time, GSB said.
All activities will be held on December 8-9 at Central Festival Samui Shopping Centre in Koh Samui district.
GSB director Vithai Rattanakorn said that even though the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand had been contained, the international community was still facing a crisis and the disease was still out of control. Being discreet in accepting foreign tourists is the only way to prevent a second wave of the pandemic in the country, Vithai said.
The lack of foreign tourists has severely impacted the Thai economy, especially areas that rely mainly on tourism, such as Koh Samui which is now desolate. Tourism-related businesses have closed, operators have suffered losses and unemployed workers have moved back to their hometowns. Local people lack incomes to support their families.
To alleviate the suffering of the people of Samui, GSB’s “Samui Model” project was conceived by the executives and employees of the bank, both from the centre and region 16. More than 500 people spent more than two months to look into the problems and help the villagers, the bank said. The project was conceived as an urgent measure for villagers to receive immediate assistance.
He added that on December 8-9, the credit committee from GSB’s headquarters, along with executives and employees, would be in the Koh Samui area to consider and approve special credit for entrepreneurs and the public so that loans could be disbursed, including consultation on debt management for existing credit customers of the bank, and providing assistance to resolve immediate problems, such as providing scholarships to children whose parents have suffered, providing capital for self-sufficient income generation either through funding or providing equipment for chicken farms, fertilizer and plant seeds, offering vocational training and livestock supply such as eggs and dried fish from locals etc.
The event will additionally open a street food and local products space, inviting shoppers to come and sell their products without charging rents for booths. Participants can win many prizes, such as store discounts, movie tickets, or supercentre discount cards. The highlight of the event is loan applicants or customers at the event who pay through the MyMo app will receive Ai Kai piggy bank of Wat Chedi Temple as a souvenir.
GSB said it has also arranged many other fun activities.
The “GSB Samui Model” is an ambitious project launched to create a positive impact in line with our stance as a social bank, GSB said.
The event will be held on December 8-9, at Central Festival Samui Shopping Centre, in Koh Samui district.
Suphajee Suthumpun, group CEO for Dusit International 
Supattanapong Punmeechaow 
