Tons of coconut water, jasmine rice and noodles have been stockpiled in Tokyo for those suffering in the hardest-hit areas. Some of it was donated by Thai food companies in Japan.
Pimjai Matsumoto, the president of one of the companies, explains why she wants to help. "We have retort packs of jasmine rice that can be eaten without cooking," she says. "I feel distressed, thinking of those who suffered there. The only thing we can do is just send these supplies and pray for them. We want to warm their hearts with these."
About 300 cardboard boxes were filled with 2,500 kilograms of supplies. Along with food, there is also medicine and essentials like toilet paper.
The Royal Thai Embassy Consul, Achara Chaiyasan, said her embassy has heard that COVID is spreading and has sent Thai herbal cough remedies as well.
After the quake, some Thai residents of Ishikawa Prefecture contacted their embassy trying to find water. The embassy says most of the information about water supply points is in Japanese only, making it difficult for foreigners with limited language ability to access.
Embassy staff also thought Thai residents struggling in the wake of the disaster would be comforted by food from home. So, they decided to deliver supplies.
But damage to roads and a lack of space and personnel made it difficult to distribute and handle the supplies once they reached Ishikawa.
The Thai Embassy linked up with non-profit YOU-I, which offers support in Ishikawa in 20 languages. The NPO managed to secure storage space, and bring on board delivery staff and volunteers to hand out the goods to anyone in need.
And the aid isn't just for Thai citizens. On January 22, more than a dozen technical trainees from Myanmar also received supplies from YOU-I. They had housing assistance but no work or food. The Thai Embassy was happy to share, saying, "We are neighbors and part of the Asian family."
Royal Thai Embassy Charge d'Affaires Prangtip Kanchanahattakij says the embassy will not limit its assistance to only Thai people, and is happy to help anyone affected by the quake, as they want to show their hearts are with the victims.
