“Anutin” reveals 10-billion-baht flood relief funds are being continuously transferred without waiting for water levels to recede or entire provinces to complete data collection, emphasizing over 700,000 households have already received payments

Today (Oct 20, 2026) at 10:00 AM at Parliament, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, disclosed progress on transferring flood relief funds after the Cabinet approved a relief budget of over 10,508 million baht yesterday. Regarding the timeline for payouts, he stated that transfers will be made immediately after area surveys are completed and data is submitted to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).

When reporters asked whether the fund transfers would happen tomorrow or very soon, Mr. Anutin explained that payments will be disbursed continuously, without waiting for data collection to finish across entire provinces or waiting for flood situations to completely resolve as in the past. Currently, eligible citizens can register right away, after which they undergo a screening process to prevent duplicate data, verify genuine hardship, and determine whether they are tenants or homeowners and meet the criteria. This must be handled thoroughly to ensure equal fairness for every household.

The Prime Minister gave a case study example: if on the same plot of land with the same owner there are 4 houses and all 4 are registered, there are specific criteria to review and consider whether they will receive relief funds. Once vetted, the funds are transferred immediately. To date, relief funds have reached over 700,000 households.

Regarding concerns among residents in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, who fear a repeat of flooding due to rainfall reaching 100 millimeters, Mr. Anutin confirmed that full preventive measures have been prepared.

When asked repeatedly whether he could guarantee that flooding would not happen like past incidents, Mr. Anutin firmly reiterated his previous words that the government and relevant agencies have fully prepared preventive measures.

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong