Thai Cabinet Okays Compensation For Flood-Hit Farmers

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Cabinet okays compensation for flood-hit farmers

By The Nation

The Cabinet yesterday approved a new budget plan to compensate flood-hit farmers this year.

It includes an increased compensation rate for rice farmers, of Bt2,222 per rai - up from Bt606 per rai - and Bt3,150 per rai for farmers growing field crops, government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisaeng said.

Affected farmers are advised to submit requests for compensation at their provincial offices within time lines announced by the provinces.

Farmers with flood-ruined horticultural crops and others will get Bt5,098 per rai, she said, but in cases where such crops are able to be rehabilitated, compensation will be Bt2,549 per rai.

As for farmland buried by landslides, farmers will get Bt7,000 per rai, with each case covering up to 5 rai. Funding for this compensation category totals Bt 7.74 billion, Thitima said.

Compensation for fish farmers will amount to Bt4,225 per rai, with each case covering up to 5 rai, while those raising shrimps, snails and crabs will get Bt10,920 per rai, once again, with each case covering up to five rai.

She said that farmers with floating baskets or cement ponds would get Bt315 per square metre, with each case covering up to 80 square metres. A sum of Bt331 million has also been set aside for damage outside the assistance criteria. These cases will get half of the compensation provided in the criteria.

Aid for livestock losses totals Bt101 million, and this will be paid out on the basis of detailed criteria. Damage outside these criteria will get half the stated amount, she said.

After the Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she had assigned Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk to discuss the "Bang Rakham model" for flood management, to see if the model, applied in Phitsanulok province, affected neighbouring Phichit.

As to finding long-term solutions for flooding, she said the government would first gather opinions about impacts from the provinces so it could see an overall picture.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry's Flood, Storm and Landslide Disaster Mitigation Centre has reported that floods are still ravaging 11 provinces: Sukhothai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Chainat, Ubon Ratchathani, Phang Nga, Ranong and Surat Thani. The flooding is affecting 334,895 residents and has killed 54, with one person missing.

The centre also warned residents living near mountains or waterways in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Phrae, Nan, Sukhothai, Loei, Udon Thani and Nong Khai to be wary of flash flooding.

In Mae Hong Son, governor Khamthon Thavornsathit has ordered the evacuation of two villages for fear of fresh landslides.

Following discovery of surface cracks in surrounding mountains, 60 families at Ban Phu Than in Sop Moei district and 110 families at Ban Huai Pho in Mae Sarieng district have been evacuated.

The province suffered severe impacts from the Nock Ten storm, which affected 79,353 residents in seven districts.

The hardest-hit village, Ban Phu Than, lost seven villagers and an eighth is missing. Eleven others were injured in a recent landslide. The village has now been evacuated because of the threat of more landslides.

In Phichit's Muang district, hours of heavy rainfall inundated the downtown area beneath 40cm of floodwater. Officials installed 10 water pumps and residents hurriedly built sandbag barriers.

In Satun's Langu district, 30 houses were flooded and local authorities delivered relief bags to victims.

In Phang Nga's Takua Pa district, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva led a team to distribute 600 relief bags to flood victims.

-- The Nation 2011-08-31