Cabinet to discuss increasing subsidies for flood victims
Other agenda items to be covered in Tuesday’s cabinet meeting include investment plans for state enterprises and improvements to waterways
Increasing the government subsidy for households affected by the flooding throughout Thailand will be discussed at today’s cabinet meeting. If agreed, the move would up the assistance from a starting payment of 5,000 baht to 9,000 baht.
A government House source told The Nation that the proposal had been added to the agenda as the start of the new fiscal year on October 1 meant that disbursement of the FY2025 emergency budget was now possible.
The 5,000 baht subsidy is currently being granted to families stranded by heavy flooding for seven to 30 days or stranded for less than seven days but suffering heavy property damage. Families stranded by floods for 30 to 60 days receive 7,000 baht while those stranded for more than 60 days are given 9,000 baht.
Earlier, Deputy PM and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that his ministry would propose increasing the minimum subsidy to 9,000 baht per household, adding that even this increased rate might not cover the damages some flood victims have sustained.
The source added that other topics on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting include the consideration of investment plans for state enterprises for FY2025, to be proposed by the National Economic and Social Development Council.
The Agriculture and Cooperative Ministry would propose waterway improvement projects in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya provinces in a bid to better prevent flood situations, while the Interior Ministry would present the draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation with China using the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation’s special fund.
Lastly, the Office of the Prime Minister would propose the appointment of political officials under the office.
