Bangkok:The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is taking full responsibility for flood relief efforts, urging that complaints about insufficient compensation money should cease. He highlighted the contributions of both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the central government in addressing the issue.
According to Thai News Agency, the Prime Minister detailed that the BMA has contributed 500 million baht, while the central budget has allocated 3.5 billion baht to aid relief efforts. He explained that the delay in disbursing funds was due to stricter checks following a scam where one household's claim led to reports from five different households.
The Prime Minister, along with Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, has been addressing concerns about the sufficiency of flood relief funds for Bangkok. They clarified that discussions with the Bangkok Governor and other officials have determined the BMA's need for approximately 4 billion baht, with the Cabinet having approved a total of 10.5 billion baht for such efforts last week.
Regarding compensation payment delays, the Prime Minister acknowledged issues with verifying names and eligibility, noting that attempts to split payments among multiple households were problematic. He stressed the importance of fairness nationwide and outlined the initial compensation measure of 9,000 baht per household. The rigorous verification process, though causing some delays, is necessary to ensure only eligible recipients receive aid.