Commerce Minister: more than Bt1,200bln needed for post-flood rehabilitation

BANGKOK, November 19 (TNA) - Deputy Thai Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Kittirat Na Ranong projected on Friday the government may need more than 1,200 billion baht to carry out post-flood rehabilitation. Kittirat noted however, funding agencies including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have offered loan packages to the Thai government to help fill up the gap. He added that post-flood rehabilitation should not take long as plans have already been laid, saying the government has not neglected anyone, and will start draining out flood waters from all inundated areas as soon as possible. On the occasion, Kittirat said leaders at the APEC and ASEAN summit meetings have all expressed their sympathies and readiness to support the Thai government in handling the worst crisis in decades. (TNA)