Thai PM orders governors to speed up helping flood victims

BANGKOK, December 14 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered 64 governors whose provinces were recently hit by floods to speed up paying a 5,000-baht official assistance to each flooded household in their respective areas, improving people’s post-flood livelihood and repairing basic infrastructures urgently. In addressing to 64 provincial governors and senior officials of concerned agencies at Bangkok's Government House Wednesday, Yingluck said her Cabinet has approved an initial state budget of some 60 billion baht totally to assist flood victims. According to the prime minister, flood-affected farmers will also receive financial assistance from the government. The Pheu Thai premier also assigned the governors to work closely with ministries inspectors and with ministers appointed by the Cabinet to be responsible for flooded provinces in helping the flood victims. Premier Yingluck, who also visited the Royal Thai Army headquarters earlier in the day, praised army personnel for their sound cooperation with her administration in actively assisting flood victims and in other relief operations. (TNA)