Thailand Surveys Unregistered Homes to Expand Disaster Relief

The Thai government is accelerating a survey of households without official street addresses to support a new national disaster insurance fund approved by the Cabinet on September 1. Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploythale Laksmeesaengchan announced that the new Disaster Fund system will replace the current relief payment method to help citizens receive compensation, recovery assistance, and home repairs more quickly and efficiently.

The Interior Ministry has issued urgent directives to all provincial registrars to survey and collect data on residences and residents in areas lacking official house numbers. The survey will focus on two categories: homes without official registration but with permanent residents, and dwelling places not yet formally recognized as homes under law but with regular occupants. Data collection must follow standards set by the Central Registration Office and be completed between September 1-15, with continuous progress reports to ensure rapid and efficient database creation.

Speaker Ploythale stated that the survey aligns with the government's policy of leaving no one behind and the Prime Minister's directive to ensure all residents, particularly those in unregistered areas, have accurate and current registration records. When disasters occur, citizens will be able to receive timely and comprehensive assistance, compensation, recovery support, and housing repairs that reach the correct target groups.