Report Desperate for School Funds, Thai Families Turn to Pawn Shops

[webfact]

File photo courtesy of Post Today

 

Parents across Thailand are scrambling to convert belongings into cash, as they face mounting pressures to meet school term expenses. With the onset of the new school year on May 16, there’s a rush to pawn shops for funds to cover the cost of uniforms and other essentials.

 

In anticipation, pawn shops nationwide have boosted their cash reserves. The Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality has readied a whopping 300 million baht among its branches, while offering low interest rate promotions to assist cash-strapped families.

 

Siriphan Kuanha, manager of one of these branches, assures customers that their needs can be fully met.

 

Other regions are following suit, with Yala's main municipal pawn shop stocking up 100 million baht, informed by Charoonrat Lamrassamee, the assistant manager. As the school year looms, an influx of visitors is anticipated by the Public Relations Department.

 

The storage facilities in Nakhon Ratchasima, already brim with various pawned goods from household appliances to personal valuables.

 

However, not everyone finds a solution in these establishments. A man in Pak Kret district faced rejection from several shops when attempting to pawn a 40-inch TV, illustrating a gap in available storage for larger items. This left him with no option but to resort to a loan shark to secure the necessary 1,000 baht for his nephew's schooling fees.

 

The scene underscores the desperate measures families are being driven to, highlighting the societal reliance on short-term financial solutions. The incident also raises concerns about communication, prompting calls for clearer signage at pawnshops regarding what items they accept.

 

As the countdown to the school year begins, pawn shops remain a critical lifeline for many, despite these challenges. The swift cash turnover aims to aid parents striving to fund their children's education in increasingly difficult economic circumstances.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-05-06

 

 

[ozz1]

What about their 10k handout probably been spent on other stuff meanwhile the government spend billions on military equipment the loan sharks will be happy

[watchcat]

18 minutes ago, ozz1 said:

What about their 10k handout probably been spent on other stuff meanwhile the government spend billions on military equipment the loan sharks will be happy

 

We will never see those money, why would we they already won the fake election.

[Andytheburiramman]

The bigger scandal is not being addressed, and that is school directors are demanding money to educate children in state run schools.  The education in the schools is free, but the corruption is so endemic that it has become accepted as the norm.

[baansgr]

What exactly are these school expenses? Government schools pay each childs parent approximately 2,500 baht , this is enough for uniforms, pencils etc...or are we on about those with the latest pick up trucks on drip that send their kids to private schools..I'd just like to know

[steven100]

1 hour ago, ozz1 said:

What about their 10k handout probably been spent on other stuff meanwhile the government spend billions on military equipment the loan sharks will be happy

the 10k hand-out was spent on Lao Khao the same day ...  and cigarettes' 

[JimHuaHin]

This is nothing new, it has been happening for decades.

[SABloke]

2 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

This is nothing new, it has been happening for decades.

 

It's been happening for decades, and these articles have been written almost as long. Put this article's title into Google and you'll see variations on a theme going back to 2015 - nothing changes 🙄

[FlorC]

Gold near all time high , easy to pawn or sell.

[Chonnikarn]

It’s heartbreaking to see how far families have to go just to afford basic education costs. Pawn shops may help short term, but this really shows how urgent it is to address deeper economic issues. Education shouldn't come with this much financial stress.

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, Chonnikarn said:

It’s heartbreaking to see how far families have to go just to afford basic education costs. Pawn shops may help short term, but this really shows how urgent it is to address deeper economic issues. Education shouldn't come with this much financial stress.

Education is free for every Thai child, infact the government helps parents to buy uniforms etc by providing 2,500 per child

[steven100]

2 hours ago, baansgr said:

Education is free for every Thai child, infact the government helps parents to buy uniforms etc by providing 2,500 per child

that 2,500 goes to the nearest mom & pop shop for the next months Lao Khao

[SOTIRIOS]

Disgraceful....Hundreds Of Billions 'Allocated' By This Government...

And Yet...(?)

 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, ozz1 said:

What about their 10k handout probably been spent on other stuff meanwhile the government spend billions on military equipment the loan sharks will be happy

Not everyone got the 10K... that was promised during the campaign