Bangkok: The Cabinet has approved a substantial central budget of 558 million baht to provide flood relief, allocating 9,000 baht per household for 69 affected households and 2 million baht per deceased person. This decision was made in response to the severe impacts of floods, flash floods, and mudslides that have plagued the nation since the onset of the rainy season. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed deep concern for the affected residents, emphasizing the urgent need for swift disbursement of compensation funds without burdening victims with excessive bureaucratic procedures.
According to Thai News Agency, the central budget allocation for disaster relief efforts is drawn from the 2026 fiscal year's central budget, specifically the reserve fund for emergencies or necessary expenses. The approved budget of 558,739,000 million baht will be distributed as flood relief for the 2026 rainy season, following criteria and methods proposed by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and approved by the Cabinet. This includes providing 9,000 baht per household in areas affected by floods, landslides, and related disasters lasting up to 7 days, and for permanent residences flooded for over 7 days. Additionally, the Cabinet has allocated 2,000,000 baht per person for deaths directly caused by these natural calamities, with five cases reported in Nan Province.
Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, highlighted that a previous Cabinet resolution on April 21, 2026, had approved the principle of establishing a fund for disaster victim relief and rehabilitation. However, recognizing the time constraints in setting up this fund, the Cabinet has instructed the DDPM, in collaboration with the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) and other relevant agencies, to leverage the insurance system for assisting disaster victims. They are to finalize operational guidelines quickly for submission to the Cabinet for consideration at next week's meeting in Songkhla province.