Thai Cabinet approves new rehabilitation budget

BANGKOK, December 12 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet has approved a new state budget of over 20 billion baht to sponsor relief and rehabilitation programs in areas affected by the country's massive floods over the past couple of months. Deputy Government Spokeswoman Anuttama Amornwiwat told a press conference that the Thai Cabinet made the decision at its special meeting, held at Bangkok's Government House Monday morning. Anuttama said that the newly-approved fund will be used to restore local infrastructure and utility systems in flood-hit areas and to compensate flood-stricken households, noting that owners of most flood-affected houses will each receive a 5,000-baht assistance from the government, but those whose houses were totally damaged by inundations will each receive a 30,000-baht official assistance and those whose houses were partly destroyed will each get 10,000-20,000 official support, depending on evidence and assessments by concerned authorities in their respective areas. The deputy government spokesperson acknowledged that part of the newly-approved budget will also be allocated to fund local programs aimed to improve quality of life of people in flood-hit areas, and that the Cabinet also discussed a plan to approve an additional 20-billion-baht state budget in February 2012 to finance more rehabilitation plans in flood-affected areas. According to the deputy government spokeswoman, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered that the new fund be quickly disbursed to affected areas and households by January 2012 with transparency and accountability. The prime minister later chaired a video conference with governors of flood-hit provinces to discuss rehabilitation plans in their respective areas. (TNA)