Over Half Of Flood Victims Say Govt Should Help Pay More Than Bt5,000

[Lite Beer]

Over half of flood victims say govt should help pay more than Bt5,000

BANGKOK, Jan 8 - Nearly half of flood-hit victims have sought loan shark for restoration funds for their flood-ravaged homes, while more than half said the government's financial aid should be higher than the current scheme at Bt5,000, according to a survey released by ABAC Poll on Sunday.

The poll for "Expenses on rehabilitation of flood-damaged houses and assets after floodwater recedes" was conducted on 1,738 respondents between Dec 15, 2011 - Jan 7, 2012 in nine provinces including Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya, Angthong, Nakhon Pathom, Supanburi, Lop Buri and Nakhon Sawan.

Some 86.5 percent of respondents were flood victims who said their daily cost of living has elevated, while 81.6 percent said their houses were damaged by floodwater and 61.7 percent said their assets, such as cars, electronic devices and furniture were damaged by flood.

More than two-thirds, or 68.4 percent, stated the average cost for house restoration was around Bt37,022, while the highest repair cost answered in the poll was at Bt500,000.

Furthermore, 40.6 percent said they spent approximately Bt20,745 to fix electronic devices and furniture, while another 20.6 percent said the average cost for restoration of house's infrastructure was at Bt7,096.

Regarding their sources of funds for housing restoration, 84.2 percent said they used their own savings, while nearly half -- or 40.8 per cent -- admitted they sought help from professional loan sharks to cover expenses and 16.4 percent asked for a loan from banks.

When asked about the appropriateness of Bt5,000 of budget allocated by the government to flood victims, more than half -- 59.5 percent - said they wanted a higher amount of financial aid from the state, while 40.5 percent stated they are satisfied with the current budget.

Thailand's 65 provinces, including the capital, have been hit by the country's worst flooding in decades which began last July. Flood-related death toll has risen to 813 as of Sunday. The situation has now eased and the country is continuing with the rehabilitation process. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-08

[Lite Beer]

ABAC poll: 5,000 baht compensation for flood-hit residents is insufficient

BANGKOK, 8 January 2012 (NNT) – Flood affected people are not satisfied with the THB 5,000 flood recovery compensation, according to the latest survey from ABAC Poll.

The poll, which was conducted among those affected locals in 9 flood-hit provinces regarding home repair and restoration costs after the floods, showed that the majority of respondents or 84.2 percent spent their own money to recover inundated homes and damaged businesses while 40.8 percent needed to rely on the service of fast cash loan. More than half of the respondents also viewed that the amount of financial compensation should be worth more than 5,000 baht.

In addition the poll found that in the aftermath of the floods people are most suffered by increasing expenses, devastated home and damaged belongings and cars respectively.

As for the list of flood recovery plan, home repairs came first with an average cost per household of 37,022 baht followed by electrical appliances and furniture repair or replacement worth 20,745 baht.

-- NNT 2012-01-08

[Pib]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

[geriatrickid]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

In fairness they have to process alot of paper and there is some verification going on. I suppose you are aware that there are a few "gangs" coming up with schemes to file false claims with forged documents etc. It would be irresponsible to hand out the money based on the paper submission. I believe that in the areas where there is flood damage,, an official is going and checking out the area. Initially the fraud was in clusters. Now, the crooks have taken to random selection of addresses. Its tough for everyone involved, particularly those that are told, oh you already filed a claim.

I am sorry there is a delay for you and hope this moves along.

[OzMick]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

What makes me think it will be a voucher redeemable only in a few over-priced hardware shops?

What makes me think the few over-priced hardware shops will be short on stock, which won't arrive until after the voucher expires?

[OzMick]

"What makes me think that the money will come as a voucher only redeeemable in over-priced stores?"

"What makes me think that the over-priced stores will be out of stock which will only arrive after the voucher expires?

Current experience.

[rixalex]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

In fairness they have to process alot of paper and there is some verification going on. I suppose you are aware that there are a few "gangs" coming up with schemes to file false claims with forged documents etc. It would be irresponsible to hand out the money based on the paper submission. I believe that in the areas where there is flood damage,, an official is going and checking out the area. Initially the fraud was in clusters. Now, the crooks have taken to random selection of addresses. Its tough for everyone involved, particularly those that are told, oh you already filed a claim.

I am sorry there is a delay for you and hope this moves along.

District offices always seem full of civil servants sitting around with little to do - whilst i am waiting in such places, i often see them sitting playing games on computers. I'm sure there are hard working officers too, but my point is, rather than making everyone take time off work to go to them, and then having to establish whether the people are who they say they are, establish whether they live where they say they live, why not send staff out to areas that have been hit, to personally inspect properties and those properties that are verified to have been damaged, get issued with a cheque?

I accept it would take manpower, but that is one thing that doesn't seem in short supply of.

Anyway, just an idea...

[weka]

That doesn't cut it GK

Households eligible for the 5000 baht had to supply ID cards, Tabien Bahn (copy and original) and photos of house with damages plus address and had to front up in person to apply for the money. Unless these gangs can meet all this criteria, I think someone is feeding you disinformation.

Usual Government bureacracy delays/ineptitude I guess, but this time tainted with the impression that they didn't really care at the time we were waist deep in water (despite the tears), for 2 months, and don't really care now.

I do appreciate the sentiment in your last sentence though.

[mijan24]

Simple answer - History.

[ozzieman05]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

In fairness they have to process alot of paper and there is some verification going on. I suppose you are aware that there are a few "gangs" coming up with schemes to file false claims with forged documents etc. It would be irresponsible to hand out the money based on the paper submission. I believe that in the areas where there is flood damage,, an official is going and checking out the area. Initially the fraud was in clusters. Now, the crooks have taken to random selection of addresses. Its tough for everyone involved, particularly those that are told, oh you already filed a claim.

I am sorry there is a delay for you and hope this moves along.

District offices always seem full of civil servants sitting around with little to do - whilst i am waiting in such places, i often see them sitting playing games on computers. I'm sure there are hard working officers too, but my point is, rather than making everyone take time off work to go to them, and then having to establish whether the people are who they say they are, establish whether they live where they say they live, why not send staff out to areas that have been hit, to personally inspect properties and those properties that are verified to have been damaged, get issued with a cheque?

I accept it would take manpower, but that is one thing that doesn't seem in short supply of.

Anyway, just an idea...

The word LOGIC does not exist in the Thai Language so my Thai wife tells me

[mijan24]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

In fairness they have to process alot of paper and there is some verification going on. I suppose you are aware that there are a few "gangs" coming up with schemes to file false claims with forged documents etc. It would be irresponsible to hand out the money based on the paper submission. I believe that in the areas where there is flood damage,, an official is going and checking out the area. Initially the fraud was in clusters. Now, the crooks have taken to random selection of addresses. Its tough for everyone involved, particularly those that are told, oh you already filed a claim.

I am sorry there is a delay for you and hope this moves along.

District offices always seem full of civil servants sitting around with little to do - whilst i am waiting in such places, i often see them sitting playing games on computers. I'm sure there are hard working officers too, but my point is, rather than making everyone take time off work to go to them, and then having to establish whether the people are who they say they are, establish whether they live where they say they live, why not send staff out to areas that have been hit, to personally inspect properties and those properties that are verified to have been damaged, get issued with a cheque?

I accept it would take manpower, but that is one thing that doesn't seem in short supply of.

Anyway, just an idea...

This is known as The multiplication of subordinates and one of the problems is they can't admit they have nothing to do - O course the old adge "work the willing horse also applys" they the willing horses will be the ones doing the assessments of course we must remember this applys the world over maybe just a little (lot) more evident in Thailand.f

[lazygourmet]

I am just wondering if people who are commenting on this topic were for two months under the floods?!?

Anyway, in our village we do not give a dam_n regarding that five thousand baht, opposite we consider it as an insult.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people less privileged than us who are living at the outskirts of our gated community.

But these folks housings have been already cleaned and refurnished just because of the help of the army... and ourselves.

[Moruya]

Its a mindless poll.

Most turkeys voted against Christmas

[lungmi]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

In fairness they have to process alot of paper and there is some verification going on. I suppose you are aware that there are a few "gangs" coming up with schemes to file false claims with forged documents etc. It would be irresponsible to hand out the money based on the paper submission. I believe that in the areas where there is flood damage,, an official is going and checking out the area. Initially the fraud was in clusters. Now, the crooks have taken to random selection of addresses. Its tough for everyone involved, particularly those that are told, oh you already filed a claim.

I am sorry there is a delay for you and hope this moves along.

The few "gangs" is the government strategy, and you are the inofficial PR manager in this forum.

Edited January 8, 2012 by lungmi

[gregb]

More than two-thirds, or 68.4 percent, stated the average cost for house restoration was around Bt37,022, while the highest repair cost answered in the poll was at Bt500,000.

What a crock of fecal matter. I suggest they retry this survey in another area. In Muang Ake for example, the average cost for restoration is around 300k, and I know one guy who submitted his paperwork to the government with an estimated repair cost of 1.2 million.

Where did they run this survey? Nakorn Nowhere? Or maybe downtown Sukhumvit where people probably never saw floods never got more than ankle deep?

Should they be giving more than 5000 baht? Dam_n skippy they should. Anything less than 200k is insulting.

Edited January 8, 2012 by gregb

[CHANGOVER]

We are in Nakhon Nowhere and lost all our possessions downstairs as they were too large/heavy to move upstairs. We have received 5000 but our loss and renovation has been over 500,000.

Apparently the PT government are giving 30,000 to every household that can prove a substantial loss...;-(

I believe a few thousand puyai ban and orbators will have their snouts in the trough first though so we will get nowt!

[hellodolly]

5,000 baht doesn't go too far in flood home repair, but it's better than nothing. Also, payment of the 5,000 baht is not prompt at all. My Thai wife submitted the paperwork for the 5,000 baht approx one month ago as did many neighbors in my western Bangkok moobaan. Too date, no one has received any payment. The govt says it takes at least 45 days if approved. Yeap, its a small payment and I won't be surprised if the 45 days turns into 90 or more days "if" it even shows up.

In fairness they have to process alot of paper and there is some verification going on. I suppose you are aware that there are a few "gangs" coming up with schemes to file false claims with forged documents etc. It would be irresponsible to hand out the money based on the paper submission. I believe that in the areas where there is flood damage,, an official is going and checking out the area. Initially the fraud was in clusters. Now, the crooks have taken to random selection of addresses. Its tough for everyone involved, particularly those that are told, oh you already filed a claim.

I am sorry there is a delay for you and hope this moves along.

Yes I am sure there is going to be a lot of the money go into the hands of those who did not suffer a loss in the flood.

If inspection for verification of the flood damage is one of the steps in getting the money out there why not just give them the money on the spot if they qualify.

Makes no sense to say yes you qualify but you will have to wait a month while we shuffle more papers around at an added cost.

[TAWP]

Its a mindless poll.

Most turkeys voted against Christmas

Indeed - everyone want a bigger handout from the government. Not so many are willing to pay for it.

[ignis]

Got the 5,000 baht 2 weeks ago, at the time was given another paper to fill out to get an extra 20,000 baht, the Forms have been filled out and returned last week, someone will come to our Village to check, before payment...

For some the house damage was high, but even with small amount of damage to houses it is more than that, Where I live is a small Village, everything is looked after by us = paid by use the owners, many trees died, most of the bushes and flowers died, so far we have had to pay someone to clear this, [some very big trees cost 800 baht each to cut down and remove] so far we have had painters to clear repair and repaint the front of the Village, build and knock down walls, we had to buy a boat, the Security hut was destroyed, Normally we all pay 20 baht per week to have the rubbish collected, after the floods we had to pay 200 baht each, even for the 5 empty houses. Now that is in the Village without going into all our properties, gardens, trees, walls, bottom of doors and frames

Just driving down the 7km to the main road, everywhere is the same some far far worse as you can see the watermark on some houses almost to the top of the windows and doors. cars that were totally covered with the water, still sat outside houses 5,000 baht would not even begin to sort out some of these... many still have not returned home yet.

[Pib]

That doesn't cut it GK

Households eligible for the 5000 baht had to supply ID cards, Tabien Bahn (copy and original) and photos of house with damages plus address and had to front up in person to apply for the money. Unless these gangs can meet all this criteria, I think someone is feeding you disinformation.

Usual Government bureacracy delays/ineptitude I guess, but this time tainted with the impression that they didn't really care at the time we were waist deep in water (despite the tears), for 2 months, and don't really care now.

I do appreciate the sentiment in your last sentence though.

Here in Khet TalingChan of Bangkok our moobaan office got the blank application forms from the Khet (district) Office, we completed them with a signed "copy" of the wife's Thai ID card, signed "copy" of tabien bahn, and we also included some pictures. We turned this package back into the moobaan office and the moobaan office submitted the paperwork to the Khet office....not only for us but anyone in the moobaan consisting of approx 750 house...guess you could say the moobaan office was acting as an agent/middleman...kinda like how a person can take your passport and your signed TM8 90 day address reporting form to immigration and accomplish the report. The moobaan office called us a few days later and said our application was accepted. Neither the wife or I had to appear at the Khet Office. Assuming our application is approved I guess we will get a check in the mail as some point in the future.

[Pib]

The wife picked up the 5,000 baht compensation today. We had been waiting for a check to show up in the mailbox but as it turns out we were suppose to go pickup the money once her name appeared on the approved payment list. Apparently there is a Thai govt web you can go to to see if you name is on the list...if it is your compensation application was approved and you can go pickup your money. We found out last night several of our neighbors picked up their money last week. Our next door neighbor checked the website and sure enough there was the wife's name. Sorry I don't know what the web site was. Apparently the money has been available for about two weeks. Anyway, today we went to a Government Savings Bank, the counter clerk checked the list to confirm the wife's name was there, the clerk filled out a very short form/receipt of the money, the wife signed the receipt and provided a copy of her Thai ID card, and then the clerk handed the wife 5,000 baht.

[ratcatcher]

I think it's important to bear in mind that there are more important things than paying compensation to people whose houses happened to be in the way of the floods.

Large sums of money must be paid to the families of the innocent victims of government violence during April/May of 2010 at Rachprasong protests.

Then there's flood walls to be built around industrial sites in the floodways.

Large sums of money must be spent on tablets for small school children.

The military needs its piece of the pie too.

The rice farmers must be looked after too.

Then there's compensation for other victims of violence. The list goes on.

Homeowners and people living in areas that flooded must understand that PTP has its priorities sorted.

Please take a number. Have a nice day.

Edited January 30, 2012 by ratcatcher

[Pib]

One of best indirect methods of buying votes is compensation payments. A lot more folks were impacted by the floods than the number of folks impacted by the protests...so govt flood payments get the govt more vote bang for its baht.

[robblok]

The gf got the money and she applied for more. I dont know if it will ever materialize but i feel i need to take as much money as possible from this idiot government that totally mishandled the flooding. Lets hope that it wont happen again this year.

[ignis]

Find Search a bit hopeless so no idea if there anything more up-to-date ?

Did people get more Flood compensation ?

Myself after the first 5,000, little bits appear every few months [some a little under 2,000 baht some a bit over, 2 weeks ago was 8,240 baht... no idea what they are for, next door come to tell me to get photo copies ready, I have them already so just sign and give him, next day he gives me the cheque......... [he collects the paperwork from everyone in the Village and goes somewhere to collect all the cheques]

​Water never came into anyone's house in this Village, by 2 cm..... just feel sorry for a Village across the road where all the houses the water was 1/2 way up there windows, everything destroyed.... Did they get the same ? little bits every few months ?

[Hedghog]

5000.bath,wouldn't,pay for a night out in Bangkok.

Never mind renovating a flooded property.