Bangkok: The government is set to provide 2 million baht in compensation for funeral expenses to the families of flood victims in the southern region, extending this support to an additional seven provinces. This decision equates the compensation to that already provided to Songkhla Province and does not require an additional emergency decree.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Paradorn Prisananantakul, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and Director of the Flood Emergency Operations Center (FOCOC), discussed the government’s compensation strategy for flood victims in the South. He mentioned that recent discussions addressed whether those outside the emergency decree zone should receive the same funeral support as those in Songkhla Province, which was under such a decree. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul acknowledged the situation as a significant flood disaster and directed coordination with the Disaster Relief Fund, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Budget Bureau for equal compensation without the need for an emergency decree.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation plans to submit a request to the Budget Bureau for the Disaster Relief Fund in the coming week. The 2 million baht compensation will be sourced equally from the Disaster Relief Fund and the central budget.

Regarding the regulatory differences from the Emergency Decree, Mr. Paradorn assured that he will develop appropriate regulations to ensure safety and compliance. When questioned about the budget implications, Mr. Paradorn indicated that the estimated death toll is around 40 in the seven provinces, not including the over 140 deaths in Songkhla Province, which have already been accounted for.