THAI PM ORDERS SWIFT AID DISBURSEMENT FOR BORDER VICTIMS AFTER ELECTION COMMISSION APPROVAL

By Kenny Teng

BANGKOK, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the expedited disbursement of financial assistance to residents affected by incidents along the Thai-Cambodia border, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

This follows the approval by the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) for the government to proceed with the support measures. Following the dissolution of the House of Representatives on Dec 12, 2025, the current caretaker government must obtain clearance from the ECT for certain expenditures.

Prime Minister’s Office Spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the Cabinet, at its meeting on Dec 23, 2025, approved a proposal by the Ministry of Interior to allocate funds to assist affected households under the fiscal year 2026 central budget for emergency or necessary expenditure.

He said the assistance would cover 467,128 households, with a total allocation of 2.34 billion Baht, to provide relief to those affected by the actions of foreign armed forces, in accordance with the criteria, conditions and procedures for compensation for 2025.

“Implementation of the assistance can proceed following approval by the Election Commission, as required under Section 169 (3) of the 2017 Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand,” he said in a statement after the Cabinet meeting here on Tuesday.

Siripong said the measure is intended to provide initial relief to affected households, based on preliminary data verified by provincial authorities in seven provinces – namely Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Buri Ram, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat.

He added that the assistance aims to ease hardship among affected residents and help restore normal living conditions as quickly as possible.

Tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border have eased following an agreement by both countries on an immediate ceasefire after the signing of a Joint Statement on Dec 27 to end hostilities that had flared up again on Dec 7.

The Joint Statement was signed by Thailand’s Defence Minister Gen (Rtd) Nattaphon Narkphanit, who also serves as Thailand’s General Border Committee (GBC) co-chairman, and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen Tea Seiha, the Cambodian GBC co-chairman.

Under the Joint Statement, and in the spirit of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration signed on Oct 26, both sides agreed on several measures, including ensuring the safety of joint survey teams on the ground, particularly in areas affected by landmines.

Thailand has also repatriated 18 detained Cambodian soldiers to their home country on Dec 31.

-- BERNAMA

TAGS: Thailand, expedite, financial assistance, Thai–Cambodian border, residents.

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