Thai Govt Facilitates Financial Aid Application Process For Flood Victims

BANGKOK, November 20 (TNA) - Thai government’s Flood Relief Operations Command (FROC) plans to set up tents in flood-hit localities in a bid to facilitate financial aid application process and avoid a protest by affected residents. A spokesman of the FROC Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen announced the plan Sunday, realising that many flood victims in the country are still unable to leave their homes and fill up application forms requesting for 5,000 baht help given by the government to each family. Pol. Gen. Pongsapat said the FROC on Saturday agreed during a meeting that authorities in flooded provinces would conduct surveys and set up tents near victims’ houses so that the victims do not have to fill up the form at the provincial hall. The FROC spokesman said the idea would be implemented first by Pathum Thani province and that he wanted the Bangkok governor to also adopt the similar concept which would be convenient to flood victims. He added that the government plans to offer extra assistance to victims whose houses have been inundated for too long. Meanwhile, Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the major opposition Democrat Party, Sunday handed out necessities to villagers in Nakhon Sawan province. He also gave away paints and repairing equipment to temples and schools which were damaged by flood. Abhisit promised to flood victims that his party would monitor the government’s performance, especially on rehabilitation, to prevent corruption. (TNA)