Bangkok: The Cabinet approved additional flood relief measures for eight southern provinces, with a universal payment of 9,000 baht, and further increases on a tiered basis, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht. The public consultation process was bypassed. The Prime Minister instructed the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to expedite relief payments to the affected population.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, announced the results of the Cabinet meeting, stating that the Cabinet approved the Ministry of Interior’s request for additional funding to compensate for funeral expenses for flood victims in eight more southern provinces, in addition to Songkhla. The budget will come from two sources: 164 million baht from the Prime Minister’s Office’s Disaster Relief Fund and 164 million baht from the Prime Minister’s central budget. Payments for funeral expenses will require the establishment of a provincial committee comprising the provincial governor, the provincial public health office, and the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office.
Furthermore, the Cabinet meeting approved the budget requested by the Ministry of Interior for additional emergency and necessary funds for the nationwide floods. In addition to the 9,000 baht relief payment per household, there will be further tiered relief payments: 5,000 baht for floods lasting more than 30 days, 10,000 baht for floods lasting more than 60 days, 15,000 baht for floods lasting more than 90 days, and 20,000 baht for floods lasting more than 120 days. Currently, payments are being disbursed to 1,526,274 households, totaling over 12,192 million baht. Therefore, the Ministry of Interior is requesting an additional 14,000 million baht in budget support. The criteria for flood relief have also been adjusted. Previously, approval required certification from community leaders or village heads, and if an applicant did not receive certification, a community meeting was necessary. This step has been eliminated to simplify the process, requiring only a single certification step.
The government spokesperson also revealed that the Prime Minister has ordered a speedy disbursement of flood relief funds, particularly for those affected in the South, after learning that citizens registering online were experiencing difficulties due to system processing delays. The Prime Minister therefore instructed the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to expedite and improve the payment system to ensure the fastest possible disbursement for the public.