Farmers in three tambon in Chiang Rai whose farmland is flooded by water drained from theTham Luang Cave will get a compensation of Bt1,100 per rai, the agriculture minister said on Tuesday.
Agriculture Minister Krissada Boonraj said the Chiang Rai governor reported to him that so far 1,600 rai of farmland in three tambon was inundated.
Krissada said officials will survey the damage as more water would be pumped out as efforts continue to rescue the trapped footballers.
Krissada said the province’s emergency fund of Bt50 million will be used to pay compensations to the farmers as soon as possible, without having to seek an aPproval from the Cabinet.
He said the Agriculture Ministry will also hand out rice grains to affected villagers so they can replant their paddy fields.
The Royal Irrigation Department has also been instructed to study how to drain the water from the paddy fields. The floodwaters may be channeled to the Kham River and Mae Sai River, the minister added.
