PRESS RELEASE:
Cabinet Approves 3.04 Billion Baht Flood Relief Budget
On Tuesday, the cabinet approved a proposal by the Ministry of Interior to allocate 3.04 billion baht from the current fiscal year’s central budget to provide financial assistance to flood-affected households across many provinces.
During the new cabinet’s first weekly meeting, the special flood relief budget was approved for an estimated 338,391 households in 57 provinces that have suffered from flooding since May, according to Traisuree Taisaranakul, a ministry spokeswoman.
Financial aid will range from 5,000 to 9,000 baht per household:
- Households affected by flooding for 1-30 days will receive 5,000 baht.
- Those impacted for 31-60 days will be entitled to 7,000 baht.
- Households suffering from flooding for over 60 days can claim 9,000 baht.
In addition, households with over 70% flood damage will receive an extra 230,000 baht, said Jirayu Houngsub, an adviser to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The 57 affected provinces include Krabi, Kanchanaburi, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Ratchasima, Mukdahan, and others.
At the meeting, Ms. Paetongtarn announced the creation of a new committee to oversee the management of flooding, storms, and landslides, alongside a dedicated center to assist victims.
The prime minister emphasized the importance of engaging in discussions with neighboring countries in the Mekong River basin, such as Myanmar, to improve water management cooperation through the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) framework.
As more heavy rain is expected between Wednesday and Saturday, all relevant agencies have been instructed to ensure disaster warning systems are functioning properly and to issue timely alerts to residents in flood-prone areas.
