Bangkok to declare disaster zones in areas hit by severe flooding

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittupunt plans to declare certain areas in the capital that suffer from severe flooding as disaster zones and pay compensation to victims.

Some provinces in Thailand, like Ayutthaya and Surin, have already been announced as disaster zones.

The 56 year old governor yesterday reported to the media that some districts in Bangkok were still under water from flooding. He said the relevant officials were considering declaring those areas disaster zones to claim compensation for the victims.

Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation were responsible for the compensation payouts. If the areas are in a disaster zone, the government’s central budget would also go to victims.

The city chief added that the compensation would be paid according to the damage to each household and that the topic needed more discussion.

A former Bangkok Governor candidate from the Move Forward Party, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, also suggested announcing the Latkrabang district as a disaster zone because residents have been suffering from floods for almost three weeks.

Wiroj added that houses, furniture, and other assets were destroyed because there was no advance notification before the flood hit the area.

According to a report by the Bangkok Public Relations Department, flood situations in some areas have improved. For example, there were no more floods on roads from Soi Sukhumvit 54 to Soi Sukhumvit 64 in the Phra Khanong district, the main roads in the Min Buri district are dry, and the floods on roads in the Latkrabang district were also reduced.

Surin province in the northeastern part of Thailand announced disaster zones in four districts yesterday. The flood level was reported to be increasing with over 2,500 households affected.

Ayutthaya province in the central part of the country declared six districts as disaster zones yesterday. The residents have suffered from floods for a month, and the water level is still increasing.

SOURCE: Thai PBS | Khaosod | MGR Online