Anutin orders agencies to cut red tape in compensation process for flood victims

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed all agencies in southern flood-hit provinces to cut unnecessary paperwork in providing compensation to victims, the government spokesman said on Sunday.

Government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said Anutin had made it clear from the first day of the relief efforts that documentation requirements must be reduced as much as possible in the compensation process.

Siripong said Anutin told relevant agencies that the flooding had affected entire provinces, so residents should not be required to provide photocopies of household registrations or identification documents, as this would add an unnecessary burden during a crisis.

His remarks came in response to social media complaints that residents in several flood-hit areas were forced to queue for long periods to make photocopies of their household registration documents in order to apply for compensation.

Siripong said the situation showed that some local administrations had failed to follow the prime minister’s instructions, resulting in serious mistakes that further inconvenienced the public.

He added that Anutin would visit Hat Yai in Songkhla again on Sunday to personally inspect whether local administrations were complying with his order. According to Siripong, Anutin warned that local authorities would face disciplinary action if found to be ignoring the directive.

The spokesman also clarified that compensation would be paid not only to the house owner listed in the household registration, but also to all residents of the affected homes. Victims would receive compensation through a simple identification process without the need for additional paperwork, Siripong said.