Court sides with indebted teachers against Education Ministry

By The Nation

 

Nation/Rachanon Intharaksa

 

Top Education Ministry officials have been found guilty of failing to adhere to a regulation designed to assist debt-ridden schoolteachers by leaving at least 30 per cent of their salary intact to cover daily expenses.

 

The Administrative Court’s ruling on Thursday (September 26) was a victory for about 2,000 teachers in 19 provinces.

 

Forty-five similar lawsuits were filed last October against the education minister, permanent secretary, secretary-general of the Office of Basic Education Commission and executives of the Provincial Education Office, Education Service Area Office and Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel.

 

They were accused of skirting the 2008 regulation by which teachers’ debts to welfare cooperatives could be repaid in increments through deductions from their salary or monthly pension.

 

The court found that the ministry officials failed to observe the regulation’s contingency of leaving at least 30 per cent of income intact to cover basic expenses.

 

It also noted that the teachers were allowed to obtain salary certificate letters to apply for loans from financial institutions, which it agreed was an incentive for them to compound their indebtedness.

 

The court ordered the officials to begin adhering strictly to the regulation within 180 days.

 

The verdict produced a wave of cheers and tears of relief among many of the 100 teacher representatives attending the hearing in Bangkok.

 

Suwat Srisod, who teaches at Banna Jala School in Lampang, said he was happy with the ruling and would now wait for the officials to obey the court order.

 

He said the teacher-plaintiffs also planned to undergo debt restructuring and would repay “every baht and every satang” of the money owed.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30376776

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-26

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Not very smart teachers if they can't control their finances

38 minutes ago, Fred white said:

Not very smart teachers if they can't control their finances

Theyr'e  more indoctrinators  than teachers

Was this a civil or criminal case? I suppose this means that the education ministry named in the law suit will still receive those brown envelopes. There was no mention of fines for these officials. Why not hit them hard in the pocketbook so they know what the teachers are going through? But TIT.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He said the teacher-plaintiffs also planned to undergo debt restructuring and would repay “every baht and every satang” of the money owed.

Yes, but have you learned your lesson?

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He said the teacher-plaintiffs also planned to undergo debt restructuring and would repay “every baht and every satang” of the money owed.

I take that with a pinch of salt, The Government sets a very bad example

for people, when they cannot balance the books,and seem to be on 

a spending spree,spending more than they take in.the whole World is

in debt,and it just seems natural,the mystery to me ,who holds all this debt ?

regards worgeordie

15 hours ago, Fred white said:

Not very smart teachers if they can't control their finances

I have a Thai friend who has just become a full time teacher after passing the final exams.

Now aged 25 she has become fully qualified on whatever the starting rate is at her school.. 

She was an assistant teacher before on BT15,800 per month... always complaining about being in poverty.

One month after the promotion she now has a brand new Ford Ranger Raptor to parade around in?

when face means more to them than being able to repay the debt, expecting them to be able to live on what they are paid becomes impossible. The govt need to set a limit on how much of peoples wages can be used to get loans in the first place, we know several people that have committed themselves to huge loans and cannot afford top live on what is left in their pay packets and they are constantly borrowing money from friends to live. Unfortunately many thais think that looking like you are wealthy is more important and when those that loan the money do not take action to recover the debts a lot sooner it just compounds the problem, maybe this is why many thais do not worry about paying back money they owe. definitely time for these people to realize they are at fault with their need to continually borrow more money

18 minutes ago, seajae said:

when face means more to them than being able to repay the debt, expecting them to be able to live on what they are paid becomes impossible. The govt need to set a limit on how much of peoples wages can be used to get loans in the first place, we know several people that have committed themselves to huge loans and cannot afford top live on what is left in their pay packets and they are constantly borrowing money from friends to live. Unfortunately many thais think that looking like you are wealthy is more important and when those that loan the money do not take action to recover the debts a lot sooner it just compounds the problem, maybe this is why many thais do not worry about paying back money they owe. definitely time for these people to realize they are at fault with their need to continually borrow more money

I know 2 people like this and now they're mad at me and my wife cause we won't give them any more money

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

One month after the promotion she now has a brand new Ford Ranger Raptor to parade around in?

stupidity  knows no  bounds............oh  wait  shes a  teeeeecher

Might be smart to not loan any money to a Thai.  Have not heard of much being repaid.

9 minutes ago, HappyinNE said:

Might be smart to not loan any money to a Thai.  Have not heard of much being repaid.

Might not be smart? Right, it would be damn silly!