China airlifts US$1.5 mln in flood aid to Thailand

 
Xinhua, October 13, 2011

Flood-relief supplies worth of 10 million yuan (1.57 million U.S. dollars) donated by the Chinese government were airlifted to Bangkok on Wednesday.

A chartered cargo plane carrying 45 tons of aid arrived at the Don Mueang Airport of Bangkok at around 4:35 p.m. local time.

The supplies were then unloaded and distributed by military vehicles to flood-hit areas. The aid consists of 64 speed and rubber boats and 60 sets of water-purifying equipment.

Chinese ambassador to Thailand Guan Mu said when attending a handover ceremony with Thai Justice Minister Pracha Promnok that the Chinese government would transfer an additional aid of 1 million U.S. dollars to a fund account managed by the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand to funnel flood-relief donations.

"The donations are signs of compassion and consolation the Chinese government and Chinese people towards Thai people who are suffering from flood,"he added.

A total of 281 people were killed and two people were missing in the floods that have inundated the central and northern parts of the country for more than two months, according to a reported released by the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department earlier Wednesday.