Thailand’s assistance to flood relief in the Southern Provinces of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Thailand’s assistance to flood relief in the Southern Provinces of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 4 Aug 2018

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 29 Nov 2022

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               Following the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy dam collapse caused by severe floods in the Southern provinces of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) on 23 July 2018, which has caused casualties, loss of property and homelessness, Thailand, as one of the Lao PDR's closest neighbours, has expressed her most heartfelt condolences and sent assistance in various forms (as of 3 August 18), which may be summarised as follows:

                1. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun has sent a message of condolences to the President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 27 July 2018 following severe floods resulting from heavy rainfall in Champasak and Attapeu provinces. His Majesty the King and members of the Royal family have also rendered assistance to those affected by the floods. His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch has asked all the sanghas to collect alms and send to those affected in the Lao PDR.

                 2. H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand has sent a message of condolences to the Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and presented an initial monetary assistance of 5 million baht to H.E. Mr. Seng Soukhathivong, Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in Thailand. The Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office opened a bank account for Thai people who wish to make cash donations for the relief effort which has already reached the amount of 46.7 million baht (as of 1 August 2018). Moreover, the Royal Thai Government has also sent immediate and initial relief assistance in kind, comprising of 1,000 tents, 5,000 packages of rice (5 kg each package) and 5,000 canned fish, to the Lao PDR. All initial relief efforts were sent with the Royal Thai Air Force’s C-130 plane during 25 - 26 July 2018.

                  3. H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand has sent a message of condolences to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with all the relevant Thai agencies and other Thai sectors in this relief effort to ensure that donations and contributions are processed through the appropriate channels with the Lao authorities in the affected areas. The Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane together with Thai companies and people in the Lao PDR have contributed an initial monetary assistance in the amount of 1,300,000 baht and 26,000,000 kip on 25 July 2018 and 2,228,000 baht more on 3 August 2018. Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand through Thai - Lao Association for Friendship, and King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, organised a charity concert which raised 5,053,888 baht (as of 1 August 2018). The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Savannakhet, has from the beginning, coordinated with relevant Lao agencies to send relief assistance to the areas affected by the floods, and along with Thai companies and people living in the Southern provinces of the Lao PDR sent initial contributions worth 100,000 baht on 24 July 2018.

                  4. The Thai government agencies have also mobilised monetary and in kind donations on items of  necessity and immediate needs,  such as emergency survival kits, potable water, punts (boat), medicine, body bags and coffins, electricity generators, have been dispatched to the Lao PDR from the Ministry of Interior (including several provinces), the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Justice, the Royal Thai Police, the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), MCOT Public Company Limited, and Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

                  5. As requested by the Lao PDR, Thailand has dispatched medical personnel and rescue mission officers from provincial public health offices, as well as forensic doctors from the Ministry of Justice and the Royal Thai Police to support their counterparts in the Lao PDR.

                  6. In addition, the Thai private sector and charities continue to provide monetary and in kind donations and other various forms of donations to the Lao PDR.