Bangkok: Thailand has begun distributing the first tranche of 9,000-baht emergency relief to approximately 26,000 households affected by massive flooding in the South, spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat of the Emergency Flood Situation Center confirmed. The focus has now shifted to full recovery efforts, with policy guidelines for long-term provincial remediation set for discussion by the Economic Policy Committee today at 1:30 PM.

According to Thai News Agency, infrastructure restoration is underway, with Songkhla’s water supply currently at 80% capacity and aiming for full restoration by Wednesday, December 3. The cleanup efforts in the affected regions have been escalated, with private contractors being brought in to meet the Provincial Administrative Organization’s targets. The plan is to allow residents to re-enter their homes in seven days and ensure that Hat Yai and Songkhla are clean within 14 days.

Relief aid strategies are being adjusted following the Prime Minister’s concerns about quality. The distribution of boxed meals is being replaced by the establishment of 103 community kitchens in Hat Yai to better serve the affected population.

In addition, compensation for fatalities, which was initially set at 2 million baht under the Emergency Decree, is currently under review. The review aims to ensure that eligibility covers the multi-province scale of the disaster, including indirect deaths such as those involving kidney patients. The Ministry of Public Health is expected to provide an update on the official death toll and public health measures at 4:00 PM today.