Bayer Thai Co., Ltd.
Communications
130/1 North Sathon Road
Silom, Bangrak
Bangkok,
Tel. 02 232 7018
News Release
3-party alliance donates classroom buildings to earthquake-struck
school in Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai –Bayer Thai Co., Ltd. in cooperation with Square Panel System Co., Ltd. and Habitat
for Humanity Thailand presented the innovative construction, “Eco-Classrooms For Better Life”, to
Rong Tarn Witthaya School in Chiang Rai province which was hit by earthquake in 2014. Greeting
the students and teachers in this new school term are two new 8-classroom buildings offering a
safe and comfortable learning environment since the earthquake last year. The classroom
buildings feature unique beneficial properties including safety, shortened construction period,
energy saving and environmental friendliness.
Rong Tarn Wittaya School is one of over a hundred schools destroyed by the earthquake that hit
Chiang Rai province in May 2014. Some parts of the buildings were confirmed unsafe and had to
be demolished, necessitating teachers and students to use tents as their temporary classrooms.
Due to such shortage, Bayer Thai joined force with Square Panel Co., Ltd. and the Habitat for
Humanity Thailand to build two new 8-classroom buildings as replacement for the severely
damaged ones.
“Eco-classroom For Better Life project is a part of Bayer Thai’s corporate social responsibility. As
a corporate citizen, we eagerly support promotion of education. Our effort has created permanent
classrooms providing a more conducive study environment for students and will contribute to help
them develop to their full potential” said Mr. Charnwut Mekrungwanich, Head of Commercial
Operations of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand, Polyurethane Business Unit.
This project is also in line with Bayer Thai’s mission which has particular focus on science and
innovations. Bayer’s innovations are aimed at improving the quality of life. In buidling these
classrooms, Bayer Thai has utilized our expertise and successfully created an innovative
construction.
The key material in this project is polyisocyanurate or PIR panel, an innovative material developed
by Bayer Thai in collaboration with Square Panel System Co., Ltd. The PIR panel is removable
and has lighter weight than the commonly used concrete panel. It enables fast costruction
compared to the regular 2-year period in general construction projects. This creative product also
helps reduce manpower requirement and cuts down on the cost of construction.
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“Most importantly, these wall panels are made of one-piece light material and all panel joints are
supported by steel stud to ensure firmness, strength and durability throughout the period of use. It
is also earthquake-resistant” Mr. Charnwut added.
The Eco-classrooms are designed to considerably facilitate teaching and studying activities.
Besides the light weight, fire resistance and insulating quality of PIR wall panels that help control
the temperature at a proper level, the polycarbonate roofing sheets used in these classrooms are
of the similar type as that used for roofing of World Cup soccer stadium in Brazil last year. Its high
level of light transmission also fully allows light to enter the classrooms and help save the energy.
Nevertheless, waterborne coatings materials are set to be the material of choice for the classroom
floor and wall. The materials are applied for the teaching boards as results from their endurable
and easy-to-clean quality.
“With our expertise in panel manufacturing, we want to create a safe and comfortable building. We
have collaborated with Bayer Thai whose technological expertis greatly serves the purpose these
classrooms. Apart from this Eco-classroom project, we also plan to use PIR panels to build library
for students in the remote areas” Mr. Visak Thunyawan, Managing Director of Square Panel
System Co., Ltd. said.
“The impacts of last year’s earthquake cause a lot of difficulties to people in the areas. Habitat for
Humanity Thailand has our own mission to help the communities where suffered from the natural
disaster. We also support the education, health, and promote the communities’ potential through
the construction processes. The classrooms are crucial to improve the quality of life in the
communities. On behalf of Habitat for Humanity Thailand, I would like to thanks to Bayer Thai and
Square Panel System for the financial support and the construction materials since the beginning
until the buildings have been successfully completed. The buildings will be beneficial for the
school education and they also improves the community‘s educational standard in the meantime.”
Mr. Smith Jingkaojai, Chief Executive Officer of the Habitat for Humanity Thailand said about this
important collaboration.
“We have over 270 students. After the earthquake, our teachers and students have to use tents
as temporary classrooms because all the three buildings are not in usable condition and obviously
unsafe. Meanwhile, the government has a limited budget to support the relief effort. We are
thankful to Bayer Thai and Square Panel System Co., Ltd. for this project which timely provides
new classrooms for the students, making them ready for back to school” Mr. Markin Intasao,
Direcor of Rong Tarn Witthaya School said.
“Eco-classrooms For Better Life” is an example for people in both community and regional levels
to conduct further study on construction in disaster-prone areas. It is also an alternative material
that ensures fast and safe construction” Mr. Charnwut added.
----------------------------------Contact:
Chayanan Boonyaperm, Tel. +66 2 232 7018
E-Mail: chayanan.boonyaperm@bayer.com
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For more information, please go to www.bayer.co.th
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer
Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to
material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company
and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on
the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking
statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
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