Thailand PM Anutin Charnvirakul approves 10.5 billion baht flood relief

Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul has announced that the Cabinet approved an additional 10,508 million baht to serve as a reserve budget for flood relief. This follows recent flooding incidents, including concerns regarding potential flooding in Hat Yai, Songkhla province.

Addressing claims that government funds for disaster relief had been exhausted, the Prime Minister clarified that the 4.7 billion baht previously mentioned was part of the 2026 central budget intended for return to the Treasury. However, due to the severity of the floods in late September, these funds were redirected to ensure rapid assistance. He emphasized a ‘first come, first serve’ approach to speed up payments.

Relief funds are being distributed continuously as soon as surveys are completed and data is sent to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Currently, over 700,000 households have already received compensation. The government is implementing strict screening processes to ensure fairness, particularly regarding property ownership and multiple structures on a single plot of land.