Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, disclosed the results of a survey of flood impact across 55 provinces, finding that 4,216 establishments were damaged, comprising 126 industrial factories, 4,006 SMEs, 82 community enterprises or OTOP businesses, and 2 mines, with total damage valued at 147.84 million baht. The province with the most affected establishments was Bangkok with 1,114, followed by Samut Prakan with 499, Prachin Buri with 405, Rayong with 272, and Pathum Thani with 232. When assessed by damage value, Sa Kaeo was hit hardest at 58.17 million baht, followed by Nakhon Pathom at 16.65 million baht, Samut Prakan at 14.34 million baht, Pathum Thani at 14.15 million baht, and Chanthaburi at 9.58 million baht. The survey found that 95% of operators need financial assistance, while the other 5% need other forms of help such as water drainage, sandbags, repair of buildings and machinery, and fee exemptions, with more than 200 having already filed for assistance. The ministry has also opened hotline 1564 to receive complaints and has instructed provincial industry offices to coordinate with large factories and mines in the area to distribute food, drinking water, and essential supplies. On rehabilitation measures, the ministry is preparing to send teams of business diagnosticians into the field to assess business health and provide advice, while the Department of Industrial Works is preparing to issue a notification exempting annual fees for factories in affected areas. On financial measures, the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand, or SME D Bank, is preparing to suspend principal and interest payments for up to 12 months and to extend emergency loans to those directly affected worth 10% of their existing credit line, up to 200,000 baht, at an annual MLR interest rate, with repayment over up to 3 years and a 12-month principal payment holiday. In addition, the Department of Industrial Promotion, or DIP, is preparing a rapid-disbursement disaster recovery loan with a total credit line of 50 million baht, under which existing good-standing borrowers will automatically receive a 4-month suspension of principal and interest payments, a 50% reduction in monthly installments for 6 months, an extension of repayment terms of up to 2 years, and the option to refinance. New operators can apply for loans of up to 1 million baht per business at a 0% interest rate for the first 6 months. DIP has also joined with provincial industry offices to provide consultations by phone and video call in areas still flooded, and is preparing to go into the field to help immediately next week in areas where the water has receded.
