Fund giving quick help to road tragedy victims urged
A fund should be established to offer immediate financial aid to traffic accident victims or their families before compulsory state-managed assistance kicks in, a forum was told yesterday.
The forum on the issue was held in Bangkok and attended by about 500 road accident victims and their families as well as civic advocates and experts.
Participants agreed a fund was needed which would immediately disburse financial help to victims of road accidents or their families so they would not have to wait for state-managed compulsory compensation.
The fund could tap money raised from the auctions of attractive vehicle number plates, it was suggested.
The forum also decided there should be local privately run networks to assist those who suffer traffic accidents by offering them consultations regarding their entitlements to legal and financial assistance.
The networks could also push for legal amendments necessary for improving medical treatment and services for accident victims and their families.
Saree Ongsomwang, secretary-general of the Foundation for Consumers, said state-managed compulsory compensation was not always easy to access.
The compensation fund receives contributions from vehicles owners through the compulsory third-party insurance policy which they pay when they renew their annual vehicle registration fee.
Ms Saree said the victims or their families must advance the money for treatment of injuries suffered in road accidents before they can submit a claim for reimbursement, a process which can take a long time.
Meanwhile, Kheedhej Anansiriprapha, a director of the Thai General Insurance Association, said that starting from April 1, people left disabled or severely injured as a result of a road accident can claim up to 500,000 baht in compulsory compensation, up from the maximum 300,000 baht at present.
In the event of death caused by a road accident, the maximum compulsory payout will be 500,000 baht which is paid on top of the disability compensation.