Cabinet approves US$100,000 Thai aid to help quake hit Chile

BANGKOK , Mar 2 (TNA) - Thailand's Cabinet on Tuesday gave a greenlight to give US$100,000 in relief aid to quake-shattered Chile as proposed by the Ministry of Foregn Affairs as part of international efforts to alleviate the effects of the deadly earthquake that killed at least 700 people in the country, according to Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Panithan Wattanayagorn.

Dr Panithan, acting government spokesman, said after Tuesday's weekly Cabinet meeting that the government expected to deliver the donnation to the Chilean government within this week.

He added that the aid was an opportunity for the kingdom to extend humanitarian effort and good will when another country faces a hard time.

The government would later evaluate the situation to determine whether Chile might need further aid in the future, he said.

Thai officials have contacted all 60 Thais living in Chile and all are safe, he said, adding that among them are 15 international educational exchange students.
Early Saturday, a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of central Chile struck the country. The epicentre of the tremor was 325km southwest of Chile’s capital of Santiago.

Some two million Chileans, or one eighth of the entire population, are estimated to have been affected by the massive temblor. (TNA)