Phuket Celebrates World Blood Donor Day with Week-Long Donation Campaign

Phuket is marking World Blood Donor Day with a week-long blood donation campaign, encouraging residents to help replenish vital blood supplies while recognizing the contribution of volunteer donors across the island.

Although World Blood Donor Day is officially observed on June 14, the Phuket Regional Blood Centre (Phuket RBC) has been celebrating the occasion throughout the week. From June 8 to 14, all blood donations made at the center are dedicated to the international event, with donors receiving commemorative T-shirts as a token of appreciation.

On June 14, the Phuket RBC will remain open and is expected to welcome senior provincial officials who will participate in activities marking the occasion. Vachira Phuket Hospital will also continue its long-standing tradition of organizing a special blood donation event at Limelight Phuket shopping mall. In addition, donors visiting the hospital between June 8 and June 13 have been receiving special gifts.

Blood donation on Phuket has deep historical roots linked to the Thai Royal Family. In 1967, King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and Queen Sirikit personally inaugurated the blood bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Their support later contributed to the establishment of the Phuket Regional Blood Centre, laying the foundation for a program that has grown far beyond the island itself.

Today, blood collection campaigns organized by Phuket RBC and Vachira Hospital regularly extend to neighboring provinces such as Krabi and Phang Nga. Blood collected in Phuket is also distributed to hospitals throughout Thailand, including remote regions where supplies may be limited.

One of the reasons Phuket’s blood donation network plays such an important role nationally is the island’s large expatriate community. Blood with a negative Rh factor is relatively uncommon among Thais, making donations from foreign residents especially valuable. Hospitals across the country often depend on these donations when treating patients with rare blood types.

Both Phuket RBC and Vachira Phuket Hospital operate blood banks every day of the week. They also organize mobile blood donation drives throughout Phuket and nearby provinces, allowing residents to donate close to home or at their workplaces.

Many local businesses actively support the initiative, including hotels, retailers, and shopping centers. Mobile donation units at Lotus’s and Makro stores have become a familiar sight for many Phuket residents. Specially equipped blood donation buses operated by the Red Cross and Vachira Hospital also travel across the region, enabling blood collection in locations where permanent facilities are unavailable.

Residents wishing to donate can visit either the Phuket Regional Blood Centre or the blood bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

Phuket Regional Blood Centre (Phuket RBC) opening hours:

• Monday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

• Weekends and public holidays: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Vachira Phuket Hospital Blood Bank opening hours:

• Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

• Weekends and public holidays: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.