"Je Setth" provides a detailed explanation of the disaster insurance program for citizens, effective from 1 October 2026, offering immediate flood compensation of 10,000 baht within 15 days without delay. The program uses satellite survey criteria and official disaster declarations to detect damages.
At 9:50 a.m. on 1 October 2026, Je Setth Thaisetth, Deputy Minister of the Interior, explained the disaster insurance program for citizens, which came into effect today. He said the insurance is effective immediately after midnight on 1 October. Any house flooded will qualify for coverage under this program, which verifies claims through satellite images to ensure fairness for both the government and insurance companies. Yesterday, GISTDA satellites surveyed the current flood areas to define zones for government relief of 9,000 baht and additional compensation under the disaster insurance program. This method promises faster and more accurate payments. Citizens can expect to receive 10,000 baht within 15 days to help manage damages. The criteria are: 1. The province must declare a disaster area; 2. The disaster must have actually occurred, with no photo proof required.
Regarding home repairs, a lump-sum payment system will be used based on parametric data measuring water levels, starting from 1 November 2026. For example, a flood depth of 50 centimeters would result in a lump-sum payment of 10,000 baht, without needing to survey specific damage points.
For those currently experiencing flooding, the previous relief criteria of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) apply. Residents in buildings or villages where rooms or houses are not damaged but are surrounded by water or isolated (so-called "egg-fried village") will also receive compensation. If the event occurred before 1 October, the relief amount is 5,000 baht under DDPM guidelines; if on or after 1 October 2026, compensation increases to 10,000 baht per event per household.
Je Setth further clarified that the key distinction for applying new or old compensation methods depends on flood zone declarations. For instance, if an area had a previous flood declaration which was later canceled but then experiences a new flood leading to a new declaration, compensation will be paid under the disaster insurance program. Houses without official numbers will also receive compensation, with the Department of Provincial Administration conducting surveys. Previously, there was no clear guideline for this. For example, if a community has five houses with numbers and one without but inhabited, each will receive 10,000 baht, up to 30 million households total. Insurance companies will provide up to 75 billion baht in compensation; if costs exceed this, the government will cover the excess. He emphasized that while earlier payments would be ideal, all parties are working hard, and the program aims to streamline processes by adopting modern technology for surveys.
In summary, the disaster insurance system pays a first installment of 10,000 baht per event per household. For windstorms or earthquakes, the first installment is 5,000 baht per event per household. Claims will be paid within 15 days, with additional payments based on actual damage, capped at a maximum total of 100,000 baht per event per household. For life coverage, in case of death caused by covered disasters, the insurance pays benefits of 2,000,000 baht per person.