PM Defends 10.5B Baht Flood Relief Budget
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At 1:05 PM on October 20, 2026, at Government House, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul addressed the Cabinet's approval of a 10.5 billion baht flood relief budget. He rebutted claims that the government lacked planning or had run out of funds, calling such statements the words of people who 'don't know the facts' and intend to malign the administration. Anutin explained that disaster budgets must come from the Prime Minister's central fund, not the regular annual budget, and require Cabinet approval if exceeding 100 million baht — a standard process for all previous governments.
Regarding the initial 4.7 billion baht, he said this was unspent central funds from fiscal year 2026 due for return to the Finance Ministry. When severe flooding hit in the last week of September, the government withheld the return, anticipating relief needs, and structured it as a standing budget to enable rapid disbursement — which he cited as efficiency.
Anutin added that today's estimate aims to determine how many more households qualify for aid. The Budget Bureau set the 10.5 billion baht reserve, submitted to Cabinet today, confirming funds are not exhausted. He accused critics of knowingly misleading the public. On crowds gathering at district offices for aid, he attributed this to Move Forward Party MPs, though he did not know their motives. He contrasted the current 'first come, first served' approach with past policies that waited for disasters to end before processing payments, emphasizing verification through the Department of Provincial Administration and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department to avoid duplication and errors. Over 600,000 households have already been paid.
Asked if the new allocation suffices, Anutin noted insurance covers losses from October 1, 2026 onward; current payments address pre-October damage and will conclude on their own. He stressed the need to invest in flood prevention — water gates, drainage systems — to maintain insurer confidence and avoid premium hikes or coverage withdrawals in future years.
