Thailand to Send Rice for Haiti Earthquake Survivors

Published : January 18, 2010 :: 09:01:21 [ 804 views ]

A Thai committee tasked with assisting victims of natural disaster overseas will meet Tuesday to discuss help for earthquake victims in Haiti and may decide to dispatch rice to help them, a senior official said on Sunday.

Bangkok, the 17th of January 2010 [PDN]: Thepthai Senpong, spokesman for Democrat Party leader and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, said the committee, headed by Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Veerasak Futrakul, would discuss giving more assistance to Haitian earthquake victims.

Its decision will be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval, Mr. Thepthai said.

The victims face acute food shortages, said Mr Thepthai, and Thailand, as a major world food producer, could send rice to help the victims.

Some 50,000 bodies have been collected and 1.5 million homeless estimated so far after the 7.0 magnitude quake hit Haiti on Tuesday and flattened much of its capital. There are fears that death toll could reach 200,000. It is estimated that two million people need urgent food aid.

The plan to dispatch rice to needy Haitians came after criticisms that the Thai government’s earlier decision to donate US$20,000 to Haiti was too little, but Mr. Thepthai explained that the donation of US$20,000 in relief aid was only initial assistance. (TNA)

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