Vientiane, Lao PDR, 25 May 2009 - In response to the request of the Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, through Singapore’s Ambassador to Laos PDR, Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemedia) has provided an Infrared Fever Screening System (IFssTM) for deployment at the arrival hall of Wattay International Airport. The IFss is part of the Lao Government’s Pandemic Influenza A/H1N1 prevention measures.

At a ceremony held at the Wattay International Airport today, the newly installed IFss was officially presented to H.E Cheuang Sombounkhan, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, by H.E. Jeyaraj Benjamin William, Singapore’s Ambassador to Lao PDR. The Presentation Ceremony was also witnessed by Mr Padaphet Xaiyakot, Vice President of the National Authority of Posts and Telecommunications, senior officials from various Lao Government agencies and senior executives from ST Telemedia.

Mr Lee Theng Kiat, President & Chief Executive Officer of ST Telemedia, said: “ST Telemedia is happy to play a small role in this critical effort of the Laotian Government against the pandemic H1N1 flu. As a strategic investor in an inter-connected and interdependent world, corporate social responsibility has always been a cornerstone of ST Telemedia’s business philosophy. This philosophy is constantly demonstrated in our business decisions and our involvement in wider socio-economic programmes such as this donation of the thermal scanner. Beyond its practical function, this donation from ST Telemedia reflects our commitment towards our partnership with the Government of Laos.”

The IFss, which costs about US$75,000 (about 640 million kips), will provide active surveillance of the H1N1 flu at Wattay International Airport. Operating like a video camera, the IFss uses a non-intrusive and reliable Infrared Imaging technology to read the body temperatures of large groups of people simultaneously, allowing rapid real-time identification of individuals with high fever, one of the symptoms of the H1N1 flu.

Apart from providing the IFss, ST Telemedia has also arranged for two engineers from the equipment manufacturer to fly from Singapore to Vientiane to help with the installation of the system and to provide training to the Lao officials who will be manning the scanner at Wattay International Airport.