The King Delivers Relief Supplies to Flood Victims

His Majesty the King of Thailand arranged yesterday for a large quantity of relief supplies and survival kits delivered to those affected in four hard-hit provinces.

This is in addition to the 10 million Baht in cash he has already donated to the flood relief fund.

The Rajaprajanugroh Foundation handed over the supplies to two thousand families each in Nakhon Sawan and Lop Buri, and to another 1,000 families in Prachin Buri. Another five hundred kits have been provided to Maharat Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima for delivery to patients and staff.

A total of Bt2,757,320 has been received by the foundation from the public, after the monarch's Bt10-million donation was reported on Tuesday. More donations are welcome.

Parliament speaker Chai Chidchob called on each parliamentarian to donate a minimum of Bt1,000 to the flood relief fund. The Bt1,000 will be deducted from their payrolls later this month, and all House and Senate committees, and working panels will donate Bt1,000 and Bt500, respectively, from meeting allowances.

He expressed concern that victims living in inner areas were not receiving relief supplies, as delivery and collection points were located only in outer flooded areas.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva chaired a fund-raising event to mobilise flood relief funds last night. The programme, televised on Channel 9, featured Abhisit personally receiving phone calls. It is expected to receive quite a large amount in donations.

Chai called on donors to deliver the supplies through village heads to make sure that the victims could directly receive them. "Donations should not be made as a public relations stunt or only to make donors look good," he said.

Donations are welcome at Parliament House today. For more details, please call +662-2410055 and +662-2441482. The donation period ends on October 28.

Meanwhile, the Labour Ministry is set to launch short-term post-flooding employment for labourers to work on restoration and repair works. Each worker will paid Bt150 to Bt180 for a contract lasting 30 to 45 days.

The work will be awarded initially to jobless people or farmers whose farmlands have been damaged by flooding.

There are around 72,000 labour and factory workers registered as flood-affected with the Welfare and Labour Protection Department.

Source : The Nation