“Anutin” dispels drama over insufficient BMA flood remedy funds, clearing 3.5 billion baht from central budget while insisting on strict eligibility checks to prevent fraudulent claims

Today (27 October 2026) at 12:05 PM at Government House, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, gave an interview regarding reports alleging that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) flood remedy funds were insufficient. The Prime Minister asked reporters who had made such claims, and when reporters replied that the information originated from the BMA, Mr. Anutin stated that typically, whenever anyone requests funding, no one ever says the amount is sufficient. However, the government must take overall responsibility and strive to follow established rules and regulations.

Mr. Anutin further explained that under standard procedures, when a disaster occurs locally, the local administrative body must provide initial remedy funds to residents first. If those funds prove insufficient, it becomes the government's duty to provide supplementary support, which has already been completed in this case through joint discussions among the Governor of Bangkok, the Permanent Secretary for Interior, and the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM). For the BMA's case, total expenditure reached nearly 4 billion baht, with the BMA contributing 500 million baht and the remaining 3.5 billion baht drawn from the government's central budget—funds allocated from over 10 billion baht reserved during last week's Cabinet meeting. He expressed hope that no further incidents would occur, noting that insurance packages would take responsibility moving forward. Therefore, he urged people not to say funds were insufficient, as the government is obligated to take overall responsibility regardless.

Regarding reporters' questions about complaints from citizens that remedy payments were being delayed, having waited over a week with no approval button pressed, the Prime Minister clarified that the delay stemmed from the verification process for names and eligibility. He noted that certain cases attempted to use tricks to split a single household into 5 to 10 households, which the government could not approve as it must maintain fairness for citizens nationwide.

Mr. Anutin emphasized that the initial remedy measure is set at 9,000 baht per household. The reason for rigorous verification is that past instances occurred where payments were disbursed to individuals who failed to meet the criteria, necessitating official government recall notices. This process was not only difficult to execute but also hurt citizens' feelings.

While previous protocols required waiting for situations to fully normalize before making payments, the government adjusted this approach to disburse funds earlier for public convenience, thereby making strict eligibility verification equally necessary.

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong