The cabinet meeting on Thursday 11, August 2011 has come to the following decision:
The Cabinet acknowledged the results of the meeting on flood situation as reported by the Office of the Secretary-General to the Prime Minister as follows.
Floods took place in several provinces influenced by tropical storm Nok Ten from 30 July 2554. As a result, houses, properties, agricultural crops, and infrastructure had been largely damaged. On 10 August 2011, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra invited government agencies concerned including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and the Royal Irrigation Department to discuss flood situation in order to help flood victims and resolve water management issues. The gist of the meeting is summarized as follows.
1. Current Situation
- The impact of the flood caused by tropical storm Nok Ten led to the declaration of flooded areas and disaster emergency areas in 22 provinces, 182 districts, 1,112 sub-districts, and 8,646 villages.
- Currently there are flooded areas in nine provinces, 51 districts, 302 sub-districts, and 2,095 villages. 220,913 people of 101,404 households are affected in Phrae, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya, and Mukdahan.
- Agricultural areas of ??135,000 rais have been damaged, and 168,000 farmers have been affected.
- Areas that are still in crisis include Kongkrailat district in Sukhothai, and Bang Rakam and Phrompiram districts in Phitsanulok.
2. Mechanisms to help the flood victims
- The National Committee on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation according to Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act of B.E. 2550 (2007), chaired by the Prime Minister.
- The Committee on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at the province level, directed by governors, responsible for prevention and relief efforts in provinces. Emergency budget of 50 million Baht is allocated to each affected province.
- The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation’s Center for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, was set to coordinate with all units.
3. Assistance
- The Ministry of Interior, by governors, is allocated the budget of 50 million Baht for each affected province to resolve immediate problems in damaged areas.
- The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security surveys damages, in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and provides assistance for short-term occupation, repairs homes of people with disabilities, and provides assistance to children as well as working on post-flood rehabilitation.
4. The Prime Minister ordered government agencies concerned to implement following measures.
4.1 The Office of the Prime Minister is responsible for the operation of the center to receive complaints from people suffering flood (Hotline Center 1111) and the coordination with relevant units.
4.2 The Public Relations Department is responsible for news on flood and disaster situation, giving assistance to the government and coordinating with the media that belong to the private sector.
4.3 A committee on flood relief will be set up to help the people and affected agricultural areas by determining appropriate remedies available to the public and agricultural lands in accordance with present situation and actual damages. It will also receive complaints from affected people and promptly provide assistance needed. The Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will be responsible agencies.
4.4 The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance are assigned to revise guidelines, procedures and conditions in declaring flooded areas and disaster emergency areas, based on the Ministry of Finance’s regulations, in order that provinces can promptly provide assistance to the people.
4.5 The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Interior are assigned to conduct province-based flood reports including current situation, immediate problems, and troubleshooting measures as well as most affected provinces, to be used for the ??prime minister’s site visits. The reports have been already submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
4.6 The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment are assigned to organize workshops with agencies concerned to study solutions to prevent future floods and to efficiently manage watersheds.
--Cabinet Meeting (Yingluck Shinawatra) August 11, 2011--