ID :
150049
Mon, 11/15/2010 - 20:11
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http://m.oananews.org//node/150049
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Cabinet approves Bt4 billion to hire flood victims, develop workforce skills
BANGKOK, Nov 15 – Thailand's economic ministers on Monday agreed to invest some Bt4 billion ( US$133 million) to implement job projects for flood victims and develop their skills, according to Tarradon Piamphongsant, deputy secretary general to the prime minister.
Regarding employment, the Labour Ministry was urged to speed up its survey of the number of unemployed persons due to the inundation in order to assist them quickly.
The economic ministers acknowledged a report on the overall flood situation and assistance to relieve flood victims. Agencies concerned were instructed to apply the rest of their budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 to aid the affected people. Currently, 20 provinces remained under water. There are 3.8 million flood-hit households and 10.8 million rais (4.27 million acres) of farmland have been damaged.
The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives is assessing non-performing loans (NPL) as some debtors died or were otherwise affected by the floods.
The bank will offer zero interest for these customers and will seek financial support from the government to offset the cost. Mr Tarradon added that when the economic cabinet finishes determining the total cost of damages, the officials will propose it to the Cabinet for further consideration.
Meanwhile, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office Satit Wonghnongtaey in his capacity as chairman of the committee to follow up flood assistance implementation said the government will extend the period for local authorities to submit names of people affected by flood to seek help from the government to Nov 25.
All name lists are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Convening a meeting with governors of flood-affected provinces by video conference on Monday, Mr Satit said according to the initial survey, some 632,000 homes in upper Thailand have been affected.
Local government offices submitted only 60,000 names to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on Nov 12 and the Government Savings Bank has already compensated more than 20,000 households.
Mr Satit also said compensation for agricultural damage will be discussed by the Cabinet tomorrow and governors have been asked to speed up conducting a survey to evaluate the damage caused by flood as the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ordered compensation money to be paid to all flood victims within two months.
He expressed his concern during the meeting about the criteria for the initial assistance to give each family affected by flood 5,000 baht (about US$165) and asked the civil sector in each community to work with local authorities to collect names of those eligible to receive assistance from the government. Accurate data is needed, he said.
Initial figures show more than 330,000 families in the southern provinces have been affected, he added.
Meanwhile, the centre to help flood victims warned locals in the South to brace for possible mudslide in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Chumpon, Phangnga and Phatthalung. The number of deaths nationwide was recorded at 224 including 72 deaths in the South.
In the southern province of Songkhla, local fisheries office announced that there are over 200 flood-damaged fishing boats in the province's seven districts as of Nov 1.
Of the total damage valued around Bt41 million (US$1.3 million), 179 of the boats were smaller than 10 metres.
Fifty boats were commercial fishing boats, larger than 10 metres, and 476 fishing nets were swept away by waves.
The Fisheries Department can provide assistance to those affected by natural disasters up to Bt14.8 million (about US$490,000) according to Finance Ministry regulations. Each owner of fishing boats of size smaller than 10 metres will receive Bt 30,000 (about US$1,000) compensation, Bt95,000 ($3,100) for those of over 10 metres. Each fisherman will receive 10,000 baht ($330) for damaged fishing equipment. (MCOT online news)
Regarding employment, the Labour Ministry was urged to speed up its survey of the number of unemployed persons due to the inundation in order to assist them quickly.
The economic ministers acknowledged a report on the overall flood situation and assistance to relieve flood victims. Agencies concerned were instructed to apply the rest of their budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 to aid the affected people. Currently, 20 provinces remained under water. There are 3.8 million flood-hit households and 10.8 million rais (4.27 million acres) of farmland have been damaged.
The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives is assessing non-performing loans (NPL) as some debtors died or were otherwise affected by the floods.
The bank will offer zero interest for these customers and will seek financial support from the government to offset the cost. Mr Tarradon added that when the economic cabinet finishes determining the total cost of damages, the officials will propose it to the Cabinet for further consideration.
Meanwhile, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office Satit Wonghnongtaey in his capacity as chairman of the committee to follow up flood assistance implementation said the government will extend the period for local authorities to submit names of people affected by flood to seek help from the government to Nov 25.
All name lists are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Convening a meeting with governors of flood-affected provinces by video conference on Monday, Mr Satit said according to the initial survey, some 632,000 homes in upper Thailand have been affected.
Local government offices submitted only 60,000 names to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on Nov 12 and the Government Savings Bank has already compensated more than 20,000 households.
Mr Satit also said compensation for agricultural damage will be discussed by the Cabinet tomorrow and governors have been asked to speed up conducting a survey to evaluate the damage caused by flood as the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ordered compensation money to be paid to all flood victims within two months.
He expressed his concern during the meeting about the criteria for the initial assistance to give each family affected by flood 5,000 baht (about US$165) and asked the civil sector in each community to work with local authorities to collect names of those eligible to receive assistance from the government. Accurate data is needed, he said.
Initial figures show more than 330,000 families in the southern provinces have been affected, he added.
Meanwhile, the centre to help flood victims warned locals in the South to brace for possible mudslide in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Chumpon, Phangnga and Phatthalung. The number of deaths nationwide was recorded at 224 including 72 deaths in the South.
In the southern province of Songkhla, local fisheries office announced that there are over 200 flood-damaged fishing boats in the province's seven districts as of Nov 1.
Of the total damage valued around Bt41 million (US$1.3 million), 179 of the boats were smaller than 10 metres.
Fifty boats were commercial fishing boats, larger than 10 metres, and 476 fishing nets were swept away by waves.
The Fisheries Department can provide assistance to those affected by natural disasters up to Bt14.8 million (about US$490,000) according to Finance Ministry regulations. Each owner of fishing boats of size smaller than 10 metres will receive Bt 30,000 (about US$1,000) compensation, Bt95,000 ($3,100) for those of over 10 metres. Each fisherman will receive 10,000 baht ($330) for damaged fishing equipment. (MCOT online news)
