The 769 entrepreneurs who were affected by the red-shirt rally, went to Government House yesterday to receive their Bt50,000 in assistance. While there, they urged the government to offer help according to the damages sustained, instead of handing out equal sums of money to all.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said compensation measures for affected businesses would be tabled at the Cabinet's meeting on Monday.
The affected people, who had registered with the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) and the Civil Service Complex from May 21-23, were at Government House since 8am, prompting officials to start distributing cheques earlier than scheduled.
Krung Thai Bank had sent in a mobile office to help clear the cheques, while SME Bank officials set up a booth to accept unsecured loan applications from the entrepreneurs.
Jitra Lekpong, a food vendor who sold food to protesters during the rally but couldn't sell anything after they were surrounded by troops, said the Bt50,000 was more than enough for her because she knew many others who were worse off.
Kanyasiri Samitsomboon, whose photo studio at the Center One Plaza sustained damages worth Bt1.3 million, said that apart from the fire, looters had stolen cameras, a computer hard drive and a Buddha image from her shop. She said the help offered was not sufficient, and the government should inspect each case individually and help them accordingly.
Other entrepreneurs echoed the same opinion, saying the government should divide affected businesses into groups according to the damages. Many also urged the authorities to urgently provide loans so they had some capital in hand. They said the government should also check all claimants to see if they are really affected or if they are lying to get cash or a free space from which to sell their products.
After the Cabinet meeting yesterday, the premier said the compensation measures approved by the Cabinet had progressed well, especially in terms of the initial Bt50,000 per head and the SME Bank loans of up to Bt600,000 that some 3,000 affected people had applied for. The first Bt300,000 is interest free in these loans.
Abhisit added that he would accelerate compensation payment to laid-off workers as per the Cabinet-approved guideline.
"What we're currently trying to speed up are the repairs and compensation for property damages such as goods in stock, for which the Finance Ministry said they could submit measures within a day or two. These matters would also be tabled at the Cabinet's economic meeting on Monday," he said.