Big rise in claims by traffic victims

PHUKET: Claims for compensation from the Government’s Traffic Accident Victims Fund have shot up in 1999. The fund, which is run by the Phuket Insurance Office, paid out 111,097 baht to 12 claimants in the first three months of the year. This compares with 150,085 baht for the whole of 1997 and 122,732 baht in 1998. The fund pays victims of accidents in which the party at fault has no insurance, including accidents involving stolen vehicles and accidents in which the victims are hurt or killed by hit-and-run drivers. It also aids victims of accidents where the insurance does not cover all parties. Within seven days of an accident, the Office makes an initial payment of up to 15,000 baht, or 30,000 baht where the victim dies despite having received hospital treatment. Claimants may receive further payments up to a maximum of 50,000 baht for injury or 80,000 baht for loss of life or limb. Average payouts per victim have risen from 7,500 baht in 1997 to 9,258 baht in the first quarter of 1999.