Compensation details for victims of political violence to be announced next week

Some 2,000 victims, including no more than 100 killed, will be entitled to compensation payments in connection with the political disturbances since 2005. Details of the compensation package should be available by next week.

"The deadline has been set - next Tuesday - to release details on how the compensation should be paid," PM's Office permanent secretary Tongthong Chandransu said yesterday.

Tongthong, in his capacity as panel chairman in charge of compensation payments, said the total number of casualties remained unclear due to poor records kept on political clashes from 2005 to 2007.

In order the expedite the process, he said he had instructed that records prior to 2007 be set aside and for checks to focus on casualties from 2008 to 2011.

The checks would spell out the victims as those injured, killed and being tried in various stages of legal proceedings, he said.

Victims without legal worries would be the first in line to be compensated but those tied up in legal proceedings must be screened ahead of any compensation payments, he said.

Under a preliminary check, the number of casualties should be around 2,000 victims, he said. After verifying the details, officials will then decide if compensation is to be paid in a one-off package or under an instalment plan.