Thai Government fails to properly address flood victims – Thanathorn

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Embattled Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has slammed the government for its handling of the current flood situation in the north-east and central Thailand.

Speaking in a panel debate on amendment of the Constitution at Khon Kaen University on Sunday, he said he had visited people in Yasothon and Roi Et provinces in past days. He found that floods had damaged 100,000 rai of Yasothon farmers’ rice farms, with losses estimated at 500 million baht.

He said that if the government compensated them at 1,000 baht per rai, it would cost only about 100 million baht.

Thanathorn estimates damage from floods in nine provinces in the Northeast at about 5.4 billion baht.

“The government has not yet provided sufficient compensation to the flood victims. If the government seriously wants to help them, it would not cost much, compared to the huge bill of one mass-transit line in Bangkok,”citing the Pink line, which runs 34.5 kilometres.

“It costs 53.4 billion baht but will benefit only a few people.”

SOURCE: The Nation