Bt12bn Needed For Rehabilitating Flooded Thai Military Units

BANGKOK, November 23 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Defence is seeking a state budget of some 12 billion baht to sponsor the rehabilitation of military units and equipment affected by floods. Permanent Secretary for Defence General Sathian Permthong-in told a press conference Wednesday that his ministry is initially seeking the 12.29-billion-baht budget from the government within November 28 to finance the maintenance of military equipment and vehicles damaged by floods. According to the defence permanent secretary, the lion’s share of the proposed budget, or some 10.50 billion baht, will go to the Royal Thai Air Force, followed by about 1.27 billion baht to the Royal Thai Army, 312 million baht to the Royal Thai Navy and 139 million baht to units under the Royal Thai Armed Forces. To help flood victims, the defence permanent secretary said his ministry will also deploy 50 disaster mitigation companies of soldiers to repair damaged utility facilities and basic infrastructure in flood-stricken areas and 1,000 vehicles and medics, together with 20,000 liters of effective micro-organism fluid, to treat polluted floodwater. The press conference was held after a meeting of armed forces chiefs, called by Thai Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa, to discuss post-flood military-supported rehabilitation plans in 27 provinces, covering those for the flood-affected military units and equipment. (TNA)