Japanese aid to Thailand

Japan plans to provide free grants to Thailand to help the nation cope with the floods, after assessing its needs.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA, has sent a fact-finding mission to Thailand to assess the flood damage.

Three Japanese waterworks experts are also in the country to explore ways to drain water from urban areas.

Based on the results of these surveys, the government plans to provide free grants that will allow Thailand to buy the machinery it needs for reconstruction.

It says it will also allow Thai workers at Japanese firms forced to suspend operations in Thailand to work in Japan as a stopgap support measure.

So far, Japan has offered Thailand about 700,000 dollars worth of aid supplies, including tents and water purifying equipment.

It has also provided 50,000 dollars worth of rice through an emergency rice reserve swap program with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Monday, October 31, 2011 13:58 +0900 (JST)