Bangkok:Anutin Charnvirakul has responded to allegations by the People's Party that flood relief funds have been exhausted, calling the claims an attempt to defame him.
According to Thai News Agency, Anutin refuted accusations from MPs suggesting the government lacked a flood relief plan and that the budget was depleted. He emphasized that the Cabinet approved an additional 10.5 billion baht for relief efforts and highlighted that funds have already been distributed to 600,000 households. Anutin criticized the spread of false accusations and asserted the importance of a precise verification process for relief distribution.
In an interview, Anutin explained the procedure for disaster funding, noting that it must be assessed and approved by the Cabinet if it exceeds 100 million baht. He clarified that recent flooding necessitated the allocation of remaining central budget funds from 2026, which were not returned to the Ministry of Finance to expedite aid disbursement. Anutin stressed that claims of the budget running out were inaccurate and defamatory.
Addressing delays in relief payments, Anutin noted that streamlining verification processes had expedited payments, moving away from redundant committee procedures. He confirmed that payments had been transferred to 600,000 households and emphasized the importance of building a robust flood prevention system for future incidents. Anutin mentioned disaster insurance coverage starting from October 1st for new incidents, while highlighting the need for government investment in flood prevention infrastructure.