Bangkok: The government has tasked the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning with establishing a building inspection center to expedite the survey and repair of houses and buildings damaged by recent clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border across seven provinces.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukul Prueksanusak disclosed that the initiative involves the establishment of building inspection centers by the Ministry of Interior. These centers are focused on repairing damages inflicted in Ubon Ratchathani, Surin, Sisaket, and Buriram among other provinces. A preliminary assessment identified damage to 307 houses across the four provinces, alongside seven government offices, two private offices, 39 livestock facilities, and one public utility.
Mr. Anukul emphasized that the Department of Public Works, in coordination with the governors of the affected provinces, has formed a working group led by provincial public works and town planning officers. This group, in collaboration with local government and volunteer engineers from the private sector, will survey and assess damage. The assessment includes infrastructure evaluation, design, and cost estimation, all conducted in adherence to government regulations. This initiative aims to deliver comprehensive and urgent assistance to affected residents, with security agency approvals. For completely damaged homes, the department has designed over ten building models as replacement options, matching the cost and size of the originals, with construction anticipated to take at least a month.
"The home repair mission is intended to aid those impacted by the Thai-Cambodian border clashes in returning to normal life and housing," Mr. Anukul stated. "The government is accelerating solutions to ensure concrete results, integrating efforts from all sectors to alleviate the distress of affected individuals, ensuring they have secure and safe housing."