Disaster Chief Denies Claim Khlong Chan Flats Barred from Aid
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Director-General Nirat Phongsithitthaworn denied ever stating that the Khlong Chan flats were ineligible for flood relief, saying he never mentioned the area. He explained that the government’s relief program, funded by an extra 4.7 billion baht, assists all flood‑affected households nationwide, with local officials verifying eligibility and payments released within days.
At 10:10 a.m. on October 8, 2026, at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPDM), Nirat Phongsithitthaworn, Director-General of the department, gave an interview regarding reports that the Khlong Chan flats might not receive relief payments because they do not meet the condition of being flooded for seven days. He clarified that on October 7 he did not utter the word 'Khlong Chan' at all, and denied having said that the flats fail to qualify. He added that questioning whether an area does not meet the criteria answers itself, and that he never mentioned Khlong Chan to avoid unnecessary controversy.
Nirat explained that the government’s relief measures aim to help people suffering from flood distress. The prime minister has approved an additional 4.7 billion baht in the mid-year 2026 budget, on top of the existing Ministry of Finance regulations held by the department. The main assistance includes 9,000 baht for homes flooded with water surrounding them, and 5,000 baht for other cases, with the 9,000‑baht scheme applying in over sixty provinces as a cabinet resolution before September 30. This reflects the prime minister’s intention to expand coverage and speed up aid.
He noted that if any locality is found to have been missed—such as Samut Songkhram Province, which experienced flooding on September 30 after the cabinet resolution—the department can request the cabinet to add the province and shorten the registration and payout timeline. The prime minister, concerned about delays, has reduced the processing time from the department to the Government Savings Bank from two days to one day, so that information submitted today will result in payment tomorrow.
When asked whether the Khlong Chan flats clearly qualify or not, Nirat said that any area meeting the flood‑and‑surrounding‑water condition is assessed by the local governor or district chief; in Bangkok, the governor of Bangkok and district directors carry out the verification. If the area is truly flooded, residents can register via the state app or other channels, and once they meet the criteria the funds are released within a few days while the water is still high. The department is working to expedite the process as much as possible.
