Registrations for compensation opened for Thailand's political victims

BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) - Official registrations for compensation to be provided for victims of all groups in Thailand's previous political violence will begin on March 8, covering affected demonstrators of both yellow-clad and red-clad activist groups, state security officers and even journalists. The Thai Cabinet has approved criteria for the compensation to the political violence victims during 2005-2010, as proposed by the government-sponsored Truth for Reconciliation Committee, with the government's financial support to be divided into two categories, compensation for mental health treatment and for other costs. Permanent Secretary for the Thai Prime Minister's Office Thong-thong Chan-ta-rang-su, in his capacity as head of a sub-panel tasked with considering official remedial measures for domestic political protests, said those who died, were injured or have become disabled during the five-year political turmoil are eligible for the official compensation, 3 million baht each for families of those killed or becoming disabled. The Thai Cabinet has also approved a handout of other humanitarian compensation to almost 2,000 victims, each to receive 4.5 million baht, funded by a state budget of another two billion baht. The Thai government has also set up another committee tasked with considering compensation and assisting victims of violence in the country's insurgency-plagued southernmost region, based on similar criteria. (TNA)