Thai prime minister acknowledges flood response failures as death toll rises to 162

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday outlined recovery and compensation plans for the southern part of the country, where severe flooding has killed at least 162 people

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday outlined recovery and compensation plans for the southern part of the country, where severe flooding has killed at least 162 people.

More than 1.4 million households and 3.8 million people have been affected by floods triggered by heavy rains in 12 southern provinces, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said Saturday.

Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said in a news conference in Bangkok that 162 deaths have been confirmed in eight provinces, particularly in Songkhla province which recorded at least 126 deaths.

The scale of the flooding and the high number of casualties have sparked widespread criticism of the government. Anutin told reporters Saturday that he acknowledged the government's shortcomings in flood management, and said that when he visited the affected areas, he had apologized to the people "that the government was unable to take care and protect them."

Anutin said the government would begin distributing compensation payments to those affected by the floods next week. He also outlined additional relief measures, including debt suspension and short-term, interest-free loans for businesses and home repairs.