Thailand - Thai flood victims may get more compensation

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit yesterday revealed that the compensation amount would be Bt30,000 (S$1,251) per house destroyed in flooding.

For a partially damaged house, the owning family can claim Bt10,000 compensation. For a flooded house that has sustained substantial damage, its owning family will be able to get Bt20,000 compensation.

"But as a first step, the owner of each flooded house will get Bt5,000," Yongyuth said.

He was speaking after emerging from a meeting with Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

To date, the government has approved Bt3.1 billion to pay Bt5,000 to the owner of each flooded house in Bangkok.

To claim the compensation, the house must have been swamped for at least seven consecutive days.

In the capital alone, the number of flood-hit families is so far well over 600,000.

"We are surveying the damage and will extend bigger financial help," Yongyuth said.

He estimated that the compensation for flood victims in Bangkok alone could be as high as Bt10 billion because the capital's population is huge.

When the survey is completed, the number of affected families could be in millions.

Many victims on the outskirts of Bangkok have been trying to demand compensation of more than Bt30,000.

They argue that their communities have had to face longer periods of inundation because relevant authorities sought to protect the inner city and financial centre.

They suggested that they should each be paid between Bt500 and Bt1,000 a day.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, however, has turned down their demand.

"All areas face the same trouble. I sympathise with them and I am trying to offer adequate assistance," Yingluck said. "As for rehabilitation in deeply flooded areas, ministers have been assigned to help victims in the field and I am sure that the assistance will be adequate."

Yongyuth concurred with Yingluck's decision, explaining that compensation must follow the same standard for all people.

"The affected people should understand," he said.

The Nation/Asia News Network

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