Royal Thai Family extends financial support to quake-ravaged Nepal, relief teams start mission

BANGKOK, April 29 (TNA) - Members of the Royal Thai Family have extended financial support to quake-ravaged Nepal, where Thai relief teams have started their mission on assisting quake victims. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit have given 10 million baht to assist quake victims in Nepal through the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation under the Royal Patronage. Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha handed the royal financial assistance to Nepalese Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Khaga Nath Adhikari in Bangkok on Wednesday, on behalf of Their Majesties the King and Queen. During the presentation ceremony, the Thai prime minister pledged to stay shoulder to shoulder with the Nepalese people and help those affected by last Saturday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake in the Himalayan nation, citing longstanding relations between Nepal and Thailand. According to the prime minister, the Thai government has airlifted part of relief items, requested by the Nepalese government, to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, including tents and medical supplies, together with medical teams. Touching on prepared measures to cope with any earthquake in Thailand, the prime minister assured that the measures have been well-worked out, urging the public not to be worried as the Thai Kingdom lies on different fault lines with Nepal. In the meantime, Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana, the eldest child of Their Majesties the King and Queen, has also given a financial support of 700,000-baht to quake victims in Nepal. Meanwhile, Thailand’s disaster response teams have started their relief mission in quake-hit Nepal. Royal Thai Army Deputy Spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Nga-thong told journalists of the update, after the Thai health and disaster relief officials arrived in Nepal on April 28 and have coordinated with international military relief centres set up at Nepal’s armed forces headquarters. The deputy spokeswoman said that the first Thai disaster response team was dispatched to patrol around Kathmandu on Wednesday and its officials began their search and rescue mission, while the second team began assessing damage and planning further assistance. The deputy spokeswoman stated that the third Thai team of medical staff has been providing medical services and transferring injured people to appropriate medical centres, while officers from the Royal Thai Army’s Engineer Department have produced and distributed clean water to quake victims in Nepal, about 6,000 litres per day. The deputy spokeswoman admitted that there have been some communication problems for the Thai relief teams in the quake-hit South Asian nation. Death toll from last Saturday's powerful earthquake in Nepal, its worst one over the past 80 years, has risen to over 5,000 so far, while the number of those injured has jumped to over 10,000. (TNA)