Bangkok:The Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr. Worasit Liengprasit, addressed the ongoing controversy regarding the budget for flood relief in Bangkok. He clarified that the situation was initially misrepresented as a political issue but has since been resolved. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) contributed 300 million baht to the relief efforts, with the government providing an additional 3.7 billion baht.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Worasit emphasized that the funds should not be viewed as a pooled contribution. He explained that the BMA, as a special administrative region, typically manages disaster responses independently. However, when the situation surpasses their capacity, they request government assistance, as was the case during the recent flooding.
Mr. Worasit confirmed that the BMA recently added an extra 100 million baht to the flood relief fund, bringing their total contribution to 300 million baht. He stated that the initial relief efforts required approximately 4 billion baht, with the government covering the shortfall. The contributions were conducted within the responsibilities and capabilities of each agency, rather than as a collective fundraising effort.