In Thailand, many blind or seeing impaired people are affected by corneal disease and require corneal transplants to improve their vision. The key question is, from where are ophthalmologists supposed to acquire cornea tissue? Formerly, the International Eye Bank in Washington D.C., U.S.A., under the directorship of Professor Dr. John Larry King, Jr., M.D., sent cornea tissue to us by plane. Additional tissue was occasionally obtained by Thai ophthalmologists from patients without families who passed away in hospitals. However, by these means, the corneal tissue became available only infrequently and was far from adequate for patients on the waiting list.

As in other countries, it was necessary for Thailand to have its own eye bank to give assistance to seeing-impaired people. His Royal Highness Prince Sukhumabhinandra, at that time Thai Red Cross Society Secretary-General, Professor Dr. Kobchai Bhramintharoj, M.D., and Dr. Phisak Lumsawasdi, M.D. all agreed that it was suitable for the Thai Red Cross Society, as a public charity, to be a center for eye donation and to preserve eye tissue for future transplants. In 1965, the Thai Red Cross Society set up the first Committee for Eye Procurement and Donation. On May 18 that same year, the Committee established the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank, and the Bank has been in existence ever since.

On August 17, 1969, the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank received its first pair of corneas from a donor who had passed away. Cornea transplant surgeries were then successfully performed on two patients to enable them to see. In memory of the event, it was the Committee's resolution to celebrate Thai Red Cross Eye Bank Day on the 17th of August every year. Later on, Thai Red Cross President Her Majesty Queen Sirikit graciously bestowed a motto to be used in public relations efforts on behalf of the Eye Bank. It reads:

The mandates of the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank are:

1. To serve as an eye donation center where charitable people can make known their wish to donate their cornea tissue and where patients with diseased eyes can obtain a cornea to enable them to see.

• First Regional Eye Bank at Phra Nangklao Hospital, Nonthaburi

• Second Regional Eye Bank at Saraburi Hospital, Saraburi

• Third Regional Eye Bank at Queen Sawangvatana Memorial Hospital in Sri Racha, Chonburi

• Fourth Regional Eye Bank at Ratchaburi Hospital, Ratchaburi

• Fifth Regional Eye Bank at Maharaj Nakhorn Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhorn Ratchasima

• Sixth Regional Eye Bank at Udon Thani Hospital, Udon Thani

• Ninth Regional Eye Bank at Buddha Chinarat Hospital, Pitsanulok

• Tenth Regional Eye Bank at Maharaj Nakhorn Chiangmai Hospital, Chiangmai

• Eleventh Regional Eye Bank at Maharaj Nakhorn Sri Thammarat Hospital, Nakhorn Sri Thammarat

• Twelfth Eye Bank at Prince of Songkhla Hospital, Songkhla