The Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) is providing an interest-free loan for latex pillow manufacturers and rubber farmers, currently affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, said a senior executive official of the agency Tuesday.
Deputy RAOT governor Nopparat Wichitchonlachai confirmed the rubber agency is currently offering a maximum of 1 million baht (about 31,328 U.S. dollars) in loan for each manufacturer of latex pillows as well as each rubber farmer for use during the pandemic.
However, those who may be eligible for the interest-free, short-term loan are obliged to have already registered with the RAOT as members of a latex pillow manufacturing community or members of a rubber farmers cooperative and to repay within the end of September, she said.
The rubber agency's financial aid measure is primarily designed to boost the operating liquidity of the manufacturers and farmers, largely affected by a slowdown in the export volume of latex pillows.
A large volume of latex pillows has been earlier exported to China, the largest market for this category of Thai products, according to Wichitchonlachai. Enditem
