The Cabinet approved an additional central budget exceeding 10.5 billion baht to aid over 1.48 million flood-affected households, stressing this is a preparation fund to cover applicants still undergoing verification, not an indication that the budget is exhausted.
On 20 October 2026, Mr. Ekaphop Pianpiset, spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister, announced that the Cabinet approved an additional annual budget framework for fiscal year 2027, allocating 10,508,876,400 baht from the central contingency fund for emergencies or urgent needs. This is to assist 1,481,401 households affected by the 2026 rainy season floods. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) will receive and disburse the funds through the Government Savings Bank, with authority to transfer payments across provinces and budget items as proposed by the Ministry of Interior. This fund is intended to support flood victims whose claims are still under verification. The government affirms it is expediting payments to the public as quickly as possible.
As of 14 October 2026, 390,393 flood-affected households have received financial aid totaling 3,047,545,000 baht, with a remaining budget balance of 2,244,110,600 baht available for further assistance.
However, the number of flood-affected households fitting the Cabinet's criteria exceeds the previously approved funding framework. There are 2,096,152 registered households, including five deceased individuals, amounting to a total required aid of 15,800,532,000 baht. Therefore, an additional budget of 10,508,876,400 baht is requested to ensure comprehensive relief payments to all affected.
The spokesman explained that since the flooding occurred late September—near the fiscal year-end—the Cabinet on 29 September 2026 approved a central budget of 4.7 billion baht to support flood victims across 66 provinces and Bangkok. Over the past 2-3 weeks, the government has disbursed more than 5 billion baht in relief. The Prime Minister ordered acceleration of the verification and payment process. DDPM reduced its data verification from three days to one day before forwarding to the Government Savings Bank, which verifies ID numbers, PromptPay linkage, and account status. This shortened the combined verification time to no more than two days.
Mr. Ekaphop added that the Cabinet's approval of additional central budget does not mean the budget is depleted; rather, it is a preparation to cover applicants still under review to ensure continuous and comprehensive assistance to all eligible recipients.
Regarding registrations via the government application, the registered data are stored in the system for local agencies such as municipalities, subdistrict administrative organizations, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to verify eligibility and damage before approving and forwarding data to DDPM for payment disbursement. Cases requiring further verification remain in the system pending review.
Mr. Ekaphop also noted limitations in Bangkok, where the city has not linked its system via API with the government application. For aid to repair houses and compensate property damage, local agencies are urged to promptly verify data and conduct damage surveys to ensure eligible victims receive assistance fully. He emphasized that damage verification is the responsibility of local agencies under the law, not DDPM or the bank.
"The government continues to provide ongoing aid and recovery for flood victims nationwide, including the southern regions still experiencing heavy rain, with monitoring, warning systems, and readiness to assist the public fully," the government spokesman affirmed.
