Press Release | 2021.06.11

BMW GROUP THAILAND SUPPORTS NATIONAL COVID-19 VACCINATION EFFORTS, PROVIDING BMW AND MINI FLEET FOR HEALTHCARE HEROES AND FOR CAR-SHARING SERVICE TO VACCINATION SITES THROUGH HAUP APP

Proceeds to go to the Chaipattana Foundation Fund for COVID-19 (and Other Diseases)

 

BMW Group Thailand – led by Mr. Alexander Baraka (3rd left), President – together with HAUPCAR, led by Khun Krit Vichaiwatanapanich, CEO and founder (4th left), mutually offer BMW and MINI Fleet to facilitate transportation of medical personnel and COVID-19 vaccination supplies.

 

Photograph shows, from left; Khun Jaturont Komolmis, Director and Chief Operating Officer, Grand Prix International Group; Khun Krisda Utamote, Director Corporate Communications, BMW Group Thailand; Mr. Alexander Baraka, President, BMW Group Thailand;Khun Krit Vichaiwatanapanich, CEO and founder, HAUPCAR; Dr. Petch Alisanant, Assistant Director of Supporting Services, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital;andKhun Opas Noppornpitak, Manager Corporate Communications, BMW Group Thailand (Plant Rayong)    

 

Bangkok. BMW Group Thailand is continuing its commitment in the fight against COVID-19 alongside Thai society together with HAUPCAR, an app-based car-sharing service provider, offering BMW and MINI fleet as transportation for medical personnel and anyone with vaccination appointment. With this initiative to support the local communities, BMW Group Thailand is providing a fleet of eleven BMW and MINI vehicles through the HAUP app for anyone seeking alternative transportation to a pre-booked vaccination appointment at a special rate of 100 baht for up to 5 hours. The service will be available across Bangkok from 15th June to 31st July 2021. For licensed healthcare professionals, the car-sharing service will be offered free of charge for 24 hours. Net proceeds from service charges through the HAUP app will be presented to the Chaipattana Foundation Fund for COVID-19 (and Other Diseases) to support the procurement of medical equipment and supplies for hospitals and healthcare professionals treating patients with COVID-19.

 

Mr. Alexander Baraka, President, BMW Group Thailand, said: “Our fleet of 11 BMW and MINI vehicles has been co-opted to support the fight against COVID-19 and comprises the 2 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, X1 and X3 as well as a MINI Countryman. These vehicles are our press fleet, which would ordinarily be used for media reviews in normal circumstances. However, we have realized a very important mission for these vehicles during the pandemic. It is our goal to help expand and increase the vaccination rate in Bangkok by offering alternative transportation that is convenient and requires less physical contact, and to help support the efforts to slow the infection rate as quickly as possible.”

 

Khun Krit Vichaiwatanapanich, CEO and founder of HAUPCAR Company Limited, said: “As a pioneer car-sharing service in Thailand, we have the technology that can offer an alternative means of transportation that is safe, convenient, and fast to get the public to vaccination sites in Bangkok. Through the HAUP app, users can easily register, book, pick up and return the car they want from one of our 500 service spots across Bangkok. Our self-service car sharing is open 24 hours and can easily be set up within a few minutes. Today, we are partnering with BMW Group Thailand in offering our car-sharing service at a special rate for anyone travelling to get their vaccine as well as for medical personnel, who can use the service without any charge for 24 hours. Our vehicles have also been sanitized to ensure the safety of users during the pandemic.”

 

To rent a BMW or MINI vehicle through the HAUP app at the special rate of 100 baht for up to 5 hours, users must upload evidence of their vaccination appointment. Medical personnel can also upload their medical ID to take advantage of the free 24-hour BMW and MINI rental service via HAUP. The service will be available from 15th June to 31st July 2021. Users can simply use their smartphones to unlock, pick up and return the car at any HAUP service locations without physical contact.

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From left; Khun Opas Noppornpitak, Manager Corporate Communications, BMW Group Thailand (Plant Rayong); Khun Jaturont Komolmis, Director and Chief Operating Officer, Grand Prix International Group; Khun Krisda Utamote, Director Corporate Communications, BMW Group Thailand; Mr. Alexander Baraka, President, BMW Group Thailand; Khun Krit Vichaiwatanapanich, CEO and founder, HAUPCAR; Khun Jaruwan Ngapanichawat, Vice President Strategic Retail Marketing, Frasers Property Thailand; Dr. Petch Alisanant, Assistant Director of Supporting Services, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital; and Khun Radomlert Anantachina, Director of Partnership, HAUPCAR

The BMW Group  

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.   

 

In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2019 was € 7.118 billion on revenues amounting to € 104.210 billion. As of 31 December 2019, the BMW Group had a workforce of 126,016 employees.  

 

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.   

BMW Group Thailand  

BMW Group Thailand, a subsidiary of BMW AG, Germany, was established on the 3rd October 1998. The three entities of BMW Group Thailand are BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with responsibility for wholesales & marketing of BMW Group products, BMW Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with responsibility for BMW and BMW Motorrad local production, and BMW Leasing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with responsibility for financial services offerings to both wholesale and retail customers.   

 

In 2020, BMW Group Thailand recorded a stable performance with 12,426 BMW and MINI deliveries. A total of 11,242 BMW vehicles were delivered to Thai customers, a slight 4.3% decrease from 2019, while a total 1,184 MINI vehicles were delivered in Thailand, reflecting a small dip of only 1.7% drop year-on-year. BMW Motorrad Thailand maintained its performance despite difficult conditions in 2020 with 1,224 motorcycles delivered.

 

On the production side, the BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand plant was founded on BMW Group’s strong belief in the growth potential of Asian markets and Thailand in particular with its unique location, strong manufacturing base, and ready supply of skilled automotive labor, being an automotive hub for ASEAN. On-going investment has been put into the expansion of plant Rayong in terms of assembling processes, aiming to meet growing customer demand. In addition, with approximately 4 billion Thai Baht representing the amount of annual purchasing in Thailand, the BMW Global Purchasing office has been established in Thailand. This is to source various components from local suppliers in Thailand and the broader ASEAN region, in order to supply the entire BMW production network of 31 production and assembly facilities, located in 15 countries worldwide.   

 

BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand produces the following 17 models: BMW 2 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X1, BMW X3, BMW X5, and BMW X7. For BMW Motorrad, the BMW F 900 R, BMW F 900 XR, BMW F 750 GS, BMW F 850 GS, BMW F 850 GS Adventure, BMW R 1250 GS, BMW R 1250 GS Adventure, BMW S 1000 R and BMW S 1000 RR are also locally assembled at the plant. In addition, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand now assembles five BMW plug-in hybrid models; BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW X3 xDrive30e, BMW X5 xDrive45e and BMW 745Le xDrive. 

 

For further information, please contact: 

BMW Group Thailand  

1397 

www.bmw.co.th     
www.mini.co.th     
www.bmw-motorrad.co.th      

 

Media Contacts: 

Carl Byoir & Associates  

Suthatip Boonsaeng (08-7685-1695 or0-2627-3501 ext.102)  

Thornthawat Thongnab (08-3225-4567 or 0-2627-3501 ext.206)  

Pawalisa Thanawajeran (08-6564-4726 or 0-2627-3501 ext.125)  

Pichanan Toonkamthornchai (08-5157-7557 or 0-2627-3501 ext.101)  

sboonsaeng@carlbyoir.com, tthongnab@carlbyoir.com, pthanawajeran@carlbyoir.com, ptoonkamthornchai@carlbyoir.com  

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