Thailand dispatching rice for Haitian quake victims February 1

BANGKOK, Jan 25 (TNA) – The Thai government will dispatch its first lot of rice, weighing 100 tonnes, to aid quake-hit Haitians on February 1 and set up centres for humanitarian relief in every government-run organisation, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday.

After chairing a meeting to decide Thai assistance earthquake victims in Haiti attended by representatives from state enterprises, Mr Suthep said that the state enterprise and commercial bank participants agreed to jointly publicise to let the public and state enterprises officials knew about the opening of operation centres.

The Government-run centres in all state enterprises will be open for donations until March 31.

Mr Suthep said he will report on the assistance to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Cabinet at its weekly meeting Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Thailand's first batch of 100 tonnes of rice to Haiti donated by the government will be transported by flag carrier Thai Airways International (THAI).

According to Thai Airways President Piyasvasti Amranand, the company will arrange a special flight to carry Thai rice to the Dominican Republic where a United Nations (UN) centre has been set up to gather aid supplies and donations for earthquake victims.

In related issue, Buddhist Supreme Patriarch on Monday granted Bt100,000 to a relief fund of the Channel 3, in order to help Haitians experiencing the earthquake.

International donors are schduled to meet on Monday in Montreal, Cananda to discuss rebuilding Haiti after the January 12 quake, the worst recorded disaster to hit the Americas, with the death toll expected to top 150,000. (TNA)