The Prime Minister fired back at uninformed critics accusing the government of lacking a relief plan and having exhausted flood aid funds. He said such accusations are intentional defamation despite knowing the facts, affirming the budget is not depleted. He boasted this government pays quickly because it does not wait for disasters to end, requesting only accurate and error-free audits.
At 10:15 a.m. on 20 October 2026 GMT+7 Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Chanvirakul gave an interview at the Government House following a Cabinet meeting regarding accusations by a People's Party MP that the government lacked a flood relief plan. He said the claim that the government did not plan or that funds have run out comes from those uninformed. By protocol, a disaster must occur before surveys and verifications are done and then presented to the Cabinet, which is not regular budget but must come from the Prime Minister’s emergency fund. If the amount exceeds 100 million baht, it requires Cabinet approval. Therefore, claims that the budget is exhausted are absolutely false.
Anutin further explained that the initial 4.7 billion baht fund was leftover from the 2026 emergency budget, which should have been returned to the Treasury. But because of flooding in late September, he held back the return, anticipating relief would be needed. This allowed rapid disbursement, demonstrating efficiency. Today, an additional 10.5 billion baht has been estimated for remaining eligible households and submitted to Cabinet as a reserve for flood relief.
“No, the money is not gone. So spreading such news to the public is defamatory. I think they know this but intend to defame,” he said.
When asked whether the People’s Party MPs were to blame for people waiting for relief payments outside district offices in Bangkok, Anutin said he was unaware of the reasons. He noted that all governments take time for surveys, with multiple committees causing redundancies and delays. As Interior Minister, he observed these duplications and streamlined procedures. Funds already allocated could then be disbursed faster. Previously, payments waited until disasters ended before processing, but this government adopted a first-come, first-served policy, requesting only accurate verification to avoid errors or duplication. Payments have already been transferred to 600,000 households.
Asked if the budget is sufficient, Anutin said disaster insurance covers events from 1 October onward. Today's payments address pre-insurance events and will conclude naturally. The focus now is on building flood prevention and response systems to minimize future risks. If severe floods recur, insurers might reconsider coverage or raise premiums. Thus, the government must use emergency funds where needed and accelerate investment in flood gates and drainage equipment to ensure insurers' confidence for future coverage.