BANGKOK, July 30 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government has called on all Thai people to donate cash or relief items to victims after a dam collapse triggered flash flood in southern Laos.
Interior Permanent Secretary Chatchai Promlert has instructed all governors in 76 provinces to set up donations centers to receive cash or material donations to be sent to Laos' southern Attapeu province, where the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy dam burst on July 23.
"Please donate goods that are of good quality and will not break or damage during the delivery process," said Chatchai. "We will continue to ship these donated goods to the victims of the dam collapse until the flooding situation in Laos eases."
Thai company Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Pcl, one of the dam constructor, said in a statement that the company had given an initial assistance of 1.3 billion kip (154,000 U.S. dollars) to Laos.
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) also provided utilities to help with disaster relief for about 3,000 displaced Lao villagers.
Egat Director Viboon Rerksirathai said the agency had shipped 500 bottles of clean water, 500 sets of survival kits and an additional 2 million baht (59,000 U.S. dollars) to Laos.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has met with Lao Ambassador Seng Soukhathivong and handed over around 1.3 billion kip for the Lao victims.
Latest report said nine people were confirmed dead while 122 were still missing after the dam collapse.