Thai cabinet approves 10.5 bln USD flood aid package

The Cabinet of Thailand on Oct. 25 approved an aid package worth 325 billion Thai baht (about 10.5 billion USD) for businesses and individuals that are being affected by the worst flood in the recent five decades in the country.
The Cabinet of Thailand on Oct. 25 approved an aid package worth 325billion Thai baht (about 10.5 billion USD) for businesses andindividuals that are being affected by the worst flood in the recentfive decades in the country.

The package includesfinancial assistance for Thai families with a maximum value of 40,000baht (1,300 USD) per family and loans worth 80 billion baht (nearly 2.6billion USD) to help Thai businesses maintain their production.

According to latest information, the water level on Chao Phraya river,which runs through Bangkok has risen to a record 2.3m above the sealevel, and it is likely to rise to 2.6m in the days to come.

In the situation, the Parliament of Thailand is scheduled to meet onOct. 26 to discuss measures for coping with the floods, which havekilled at least 366 peoples and affected 2.5 million in the country.

The floods lasting many months in Southeast Asia alsoforced several countries in the region to revise down their economicgrowth targets in the 2011-2012 period./.

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