The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Thai princess to visit Green Cross

By Chung Joo-won

Published : April 18, 2013 - 19:28

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Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn plans to visit the Ochang factory of Korea’s leading pharmaceutical firm Green Cross in Cheongwon County, North Chungcheong Province, on Friday, company officials said.

The company said the tour of Asia’s largest manufacturing facility of blood derivatives ― pharmaceutical products processed from human blood ― is scheduled for the last day of the princess’ four-day trip to Korea.

Green Cross chairman Huh Il-sup, chief executive Rhee Byung-geon and Thai ambassador to Korea Kittiphong Na Ranong will accompany her.
Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (right) and Green Cross chairman Huh Il-sup (third from left) attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a blood derivatives manufacturing factory in Thailand in March. ( Green Cross) Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (right) and Green Cross chairman Huh Il-sup (third from left) attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a blood derivatives manufacturing factory in Thailand in March. ( Green Cross)

As the head of the Thai Red Cross Society and the third child of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, the princess will be given the chance to have a firsthand look at the facility, the medical firm said.

The visit was arranged after the Korean pharmaceutical firm received a $68.5 million order from the Thai Red Cross in January to build a blood derivatives manufacturing factory in Thailand.

The new factory went under construction in March and is due to be completed in September 2015.

Once completed, the factory will be the only existing large producer of blood derivatives in Southeast Asia, Green Cross said.

During her visit to Korea, she visited Pohang University of Science and Technology on Tuesday and Sungkyunkwan University on Thursday.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)