Four “quick win” projects approved for five southern provinces

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the approval of four “quick win” projects, aimed at boosting the economy, social stability, communications in the southern provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Satun as well as the quality of life of the people there against disasters, such as the devastating flooding last November.

Addressing the media at the end of the mobile Cabinet meeting in Hat Yai today, the prime minister said the Cabinet has approved the implementation of the second phase of the dual track rail project, worth an estimated 106 billion baht, to improve land communication and logistics linking the southern region with other regions as well as Malaysia.

The project is divided into Chumphon and Surat Thani, Surat Thani and Hat Yai terminal and Hat Yai terminal and Padang Besar sections.

Besides improvement of the rail system, the prime minister said that the government has agreed to proceed with the construction of a bridge, linking Krabi province with Lanta Island, and a bridge across Songkhla Lake. He said the bridge in Krabi will enable tourists to travel by car, motorcycle or bicycle from the mainland to Lanta and Lanta Noi islands, while the bridge across the lake will shorten the travel time from Songkhla to Phatthalung from about 1.30 hours to just 20 minutes and reduce the costs of cargo transportation.

Regarding the annual flooding, which has caused extensive property damage to the people in the southern provinces, Hat Yai in particular, the prime minister said the government has come up with a universal insurance project aimed at covering 30 million households across the country, not just in the five southern provinces.

Each household will have a maximum insurance coverage at 100,000 baht, with the taxpayer covering the insurance premiums, estimated at about 15.5 billion baht annually. In case of death, the insured will be compensated with two million baht, with the initial amount to be paid within 15 days and the rest in the next 15 days.

This, he said, means that the people will be better insured while the government will pay less in compensation.

Regarding quality of life and public health improvement, he said the government has decided to allocate 250 million baht to build the second Hat Yai hospital. The government has also set aside 142 million baht for public disaster mitigation operations, to enlarge the reservoir in Hat Yai and improve drainage systems.