Kulwalee expressed satisfaction that the government has made a crucial shift from waiting to provide disaster relief to offering advance insurance guarantees, which reassures Thai people. She highlighted that lessons from Pua district in Nan province and Hat Yai demonstrate that waiting several months for relief payments is insufficient.
On 20 September 2026, Ms. Kulwalee Nopomrobodi, Chair of the Land, Natural Resources, and Environment Commission of the House of Representatives, voiced support for the Cabinet's resolution on 1 September 2026 approving the establishment of the “National Disaster Insurance System.” Under this system, the government will pay insurance premiums for about 30 million households, covering floods, storms, and earthquakes, with compensation up to 100,000 baht per damaged home and 2,000,000 baht per death. The system takes effect this October.
“This marks a fundamental change in thinking—from waiting for disasters to happen before providing relief, to preparing insurance guarantees in advance for the people. The lessons from Pua in Nan province and Hat Yai show that waiting months for relief funds is not viable. The commission applauds the government for its bold decision and stands ready to support policies that can be effectively implemented and endure long-term,” Kulwalee said.
The Land Commission Chair added that using existing insurance systems and risk transfer mechanisms, rather than creating a new fund, is the correct and fastest approach. Furthermore, the Cabinet resolution prioritizes vulnerable groups and residents in high-risk areas, aligning with the commission’s proposals. Therefore, the commission suggests four supplementary measures to maximize the policy’s potential.
1) Accelerate protection for high-risk areas. The commission will support data on recurrent flood and landslide zones to prioritize aid for the most affected households. 2) Communicate clearly with residents, especially about premiums, payment conditions, and claim procedures, to prevent loss of rights and build confidence in the policy.
3) Combine risk reduction with insurance. The commission will push for hazard mapping, river dredging, watershed restoration, and early warning systems to complement government policy. This long-term approach should lower insurance premiums, with reduced rates for areas without disasters in subsequent years. 4) Promote making the policy permanent law after evaluating its first 1-2 years, ensuring stable coverage independent of annual budgets. The commission is ready to support this during parliamentary review.
Kulwalee said the government’s approach aligns with successful models in several countries. For example, Romania mandates disaster insurance for every home, with the state paying premiums for eligible households. Turkey uses private insurers as sellers and pools risks centrally before transferring them to international markets, with premiums based on risk zones. Mexico’s federal and local governments jointly pay premiums for small farmers in risk areas. She affirmed Thailand is on the right path, emphasizing special care for high-risk areas as key to system sustainability. In contrast, some countries like France charge uniform premiums regardless of risk level, leading to insurance deficits and premium increases from 12% to 20% since 2025, a challenge Thailand must carefully consider.
The commission plans to invite the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Office of Insurance Commission, the Thai General Insurance Association, and the Ministry of Finance to discuss defining risk areas and communicating with the public, ensuring the government’s policy reaches citizens quickly and comprehensively.