Deep South cabinet focuses on low-interest loans and civilian compensation payments
The government’s special delegation to the deep South is considering proposing that the Cabinet allocate Bt30 billion to provide low-interest loans to entrepreneurs in the three southernmost provinces to support the “Triangle of Stability, Prosperity and Sustainability” development project.
The special delegation also aimed to make compensation payment rates for families of civilians killed in the unrest equivalent to that provided to families of slain state employees, Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said on Wednesday.
As head of the front-line cabinet delegation, Udomdej said he would follow up on the low-interest loans to meet the project’s 2020 deadline and the request for standardised compensation rates for civilian ahead of the third meeting this year of task group delegates.
“The remedial payments will be provided to both sides, state officers and the families of ‘misguided’ people, as a standardised regulation to create equality. Why do we need to compensate the attackers’ families? It is because in some cases there were accusations that state officers overreacted so we need to consider that angle and provide aid based on careful consideration and appropriateness while upholding the existing law,” he said.
Udomdej said the special delegation would not control the budget or human resources of projects approved by the Cabinet, which would be subject to civil service regulations for the sake of fairness and transparency.