Thailand compensation for protest victims approved

Anti-government protests in Bangkok in early 2010 left more than 90 people dead

The Thai government has approved a compensation fund for victims of political unrest in the country.

A total of 2 billion baht ($63m, £40.8m) will be paid, said government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisaeng.

The fund will cover families of the deceased, as well as those who were hurt or ''unfairly detained''.

Thailand has seen several periods of protest since 2005, with a military coup in 2006 and violent clashes in 2010.

The fund was recommended by the official Truth for Reconciliation Commission, formed after the unrest in 2010.

Two months of anti-government protests in the capital, Bangkok, left more than 90 people dead.

The clashes took place between the security forces and the ''red-shirt'' protesters - supporters of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Officials said some compensation had already been paid to the families of those killed in the 2010 violence.

Under the approved fund, families of those killed will be given 250,000 baht for funeral expenses and an additional 3 million baht for ''psychological trauma caused'', Thai local media reported.

A committee has been set up to manage the details and process payments, which could also go to "yellow-shirt" protesters - who opposed Mr Thaksin and a subsequent government of his allies, and who protested in large numbers in 2005 and 2008.

Mr Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was elected prime minister last year. The spokeswoman said Ms Yingluck's government wanted to show that it had "taken responsibility by giving to all sides".

The Thai government has also recently provided compensation to victims affected by the floods, which devastated Bangkok and its surrounding areas last year.