Pawnshops crowded as Thai school semester opens on Monday

[webfact]

Pawnshops crowded as school semester opens on Monday
Supinda na Mahachai
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Parents have been crowding into pawnshops to get money to help pay their children's educational expenses.

In Si Sa Ket's Muang district, where schools reopen tomorrow, the municipal pawnshop said it had Bt127 million to support parents and, if that was not enough, it had another Bt62 million in reserve.

The pawnshop is a source of cash for parents, including the 43,500 Si Sa Ket rice farmers who are still awaiting money from the rice-pledging scheme. They are owed Bt3.84 billion in total.

In Buri Ram's Muang district, the municipal pawnshop reported that it had obtained another Bt100 million after determining the previously set budget of Bt150 million was insufficient and that the number of customers had risen 30 per cent over last year.

In Khon Kaen's Muang district, the municipality's two pawnshops have Bt218 million in total.

They are offering a discounted interest rate until September 15 to celebrate the pawnshop service's 54th anniversary.

Protest 'will not cause delay'

Schools near the main anti-government rally site in Bangkok are now getting ready to open for a new semester. Rajavinit Mathayom School director Boontham Pimpaporn said yesterday that despite the protest site's close proximity to the school, the launch of the new semester would not be delayed - it would open on Friday.

The protest site is located in front of the United Nations' regional headquarters on Rajdamnoen Avenue.

In the meantime, Boontham said the school would follow the political situation closely and the new term would be delayed if the school was faced with severe traffic congestion or an eruption of violence.

He said the school may also discuss the situation with other schools in the vicinity, such as Satriwithaya, Mathayom Wat Makutkasat and Mathayom Wat Benchamabophit.

Mathayom Wat Makutkasat School director Charasrit Klinsuwan said the school did not think there would be a problem starting the new semester on Monday, as scheduled, because the traffic on Ratchasima Road has been normal.


-- The Nation 2014-05-13

[Mencken]

And the education is atrociously poor. This is genuinely so sad.

People in Sisakhet and Buriram have such a tough go of it.

[RogueExpat]

Funny that.

I thought everyone in Issan was supposed to be debt free, living the highlife on (exclusive to Red shirt supporters ) above market rice prices, have Samsung tablets for all school age children, with every family member over the age of 18 owning a new car, double previous salary with no inflation costs eating into their new massive spending power, because that is what they voted for.

Wonder if they will vote for that again?

Edited May 12, 2014 by RogueExpat

[Local Drunk]

That's an absolute crying shame.

[PatOngo]

Funny that.

I thought everyone in Issan was supposed to be debt free, living the highlife on (exclusive to Red shirt supporters ) above market rice prices, have Samsung tablets for all school age children, with every family member over the age of 18 owning a new car, double previous salary with no inflation costs eating into their new massive spending power, because that is what they voted for.

Wonder if they will vote for that again?

............they probably will!

[stickyrice2000]

RogueExpat, they will vote for the party that benefits them. I would do the same too. Do you know why they are loyal to a particular party? If you think it's vote buying, you are wrong. People will be loyal to the party that keeps their promises. Don't just make empty promises to get their votes. They will remember.

[noitom]

Thais selling assets to pay for sub standard education that is a waste.

[RogueExpat]

Funnily enough, two answers to my question couldn't have been more opposite.

...they probably will.

and

They will remember.

however, I think you are both a little off the mark. They will most likely vote for whoever they are instructed to vote for, by whoever they owe an allegiance to; whether that be a connected relative, their boss, senior local figure that they once shared a glass of whisky at a outdoor concert etc.

[kurnell]

Are there porn shops in Bangkok? I've never seen one.

[JeremyBowskill]

Are there porn shops in Bangkok? I've never seen one.

If its pawn shops you want then there are loads in BKK, if its "porn shops" then I suggest a trip to Cloggieland or Singapore has quite a few.

[edwinchester]

Not just Isaan but all over the kingdom that parents are borrowing money to buy the kids clothes and equipment for the new term.

[jaltsc]

"Parents have been crowding into pawnshops to get money to help pay their children's educational expenses."

Imagine their shock when they discover that the cheap watch they pawned is worth more than the "education" their children received.

[Andre0720]

And the education is atrociously poor. This is genuinely so sad.

People in Sisakhet and Buriram have such a tough go of it.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king...

And in some countries, the eyesight is even poorer... Haiti is a good example...

[NongKhaiKid]

RogueExpat, they will vote for the party that benefits them. I would do the same too. Do you know why they are loyal to a particular party? If you think it's vote buying, you are wrong. People will be loyal to the party that keeps their promises. Don't just make empty promises to get their votes. They will remember.

So PTP kept it's promises to the rice farmers, amongst their biggest core support ?

We promise a scheme that will enrich you, YL's words, and we promise to pay you sometime, well maybe but the money's gone something to do with alleged corruption.

Anyway keep voting for us and we will keep promising to promise.

[allan michaud]

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Funny that. alt=laugh.png>

I thought everyone in Issan was supposed to be debt free, living the highlife on (exclusive to Red shirt supporters ) above market rice prices, have Samsung tablets for all school age children, with every family member over the age of 18 owning a new car, double previous salary with no inflation costs eating into their new massive spending power, because that is what they voted for.

Wonder if they will vote for that again?

The loan sharks are making a killing too. We know one woman loan shark in Khon Kaen that told us she now has more than 30 cars that people left with her as collateral and have now defaulted on. Many are brand new but the owners had no way to pay for them.

[TallPalm]

Thailand is supposed to spend more on any education than any other country in the world - more proof that corruption is everywhere in Thailand not just within the elected government.

[MCos]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Funny that. alt=laugh.png>

I thought everyone in Issan was supposed to be debt free, living the highlife on (exclusive to Red shirt supporters ) above market rice prices, have Samsung tablets for all school age children, with every family member over the age of 18 owning a new car, double previous salary with no inflation costs eating into their new massive spending power, because that is what they voted for.

Wonder if they will vote for that again?

The loan sharks are making a killing too. We know one woman loan shark in Khon Kaen that told us she now has more than 30 cars that people left with her as collateral and have now defaulted on. Many are brand new but the owners had no way to pay for them.

You have got some great mates.

[PungShoeWrote]

The Money Changers continuing to suck the life out of the poor. Blood Money!!!!! Sad thing is, NOBODY GIVES A FLYING "DELET ABOUT THE EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN.

[ClutchClark]

Funny that.

I thought everyone in Issan was supposed to be debt free, living the highlife on (exclusive to Red shirt supporters ) above market rice prices, have Samsung tablets for all school age children, with every family member over the age of 18 owning a new car, double previous salary with no inflation costs eating into their new massive spending power, because that is what they voted for.

Wonder if they will vote for that again?

Nothing funny about that mate.

Looks like you are quick to exploit these peoples' hardship in order to further your own political agenda.

Nothing funny about any of it.

[PaullyW]

Funnily enough, two answers to my question couldn't have been more opposite.

...they probably will.

and

They will remember.

however, I think you are both a little off the mark. They will most likely vote for whoever they are instructed to vote for, by whoever they owe an allegiance to; whether that be a connected relative, their boss, senior local figure that they once shared a glass of whisky at a outdoor concert etc.

^ Yes, this. This is at the core of how Thailand works. It is called patronage.

[smedly]

the 700billion stolen from the rice scam would have subsidised education for a long time - perhaps something the Dems should look at, families are hit by this hardship every term - time to reform the education system - PTP bought them all useless tablets when they can't afford uniforms....go figure

[Piichai]

Parents have been crowding into pawnshops to get money to help pay their children's educational expenses.

A national disgrace.

[edgarfriendly]

and yet they dont see this national disgrace as losing face AT ALL - in fact they probably get to meet up with some familiar faces whilst pawning their stuff.

Sanook DEEEEEEE

Chai-yooooooooooo!!!

[sangfroid]

Thailand is supposed to spend more on any education than any other country in the world - more proof that corruption is everywhere in Thailand not just within the elected government.

The problem is that only a few measly baht from every hundred ever reaches the classrooms.

Look at the car parks at the "education" department and the reason for that is easy to see.

[Benmart]

Are there porn shops in Bangkok? I've never seen one.

The question seems to lack relevance to the topic, but then again I don't drink.

[anon467367354]

One very simple thing would save the Thai people a lot of money and that would be to take the student's

individual names off the uniforms. Why can't they hand down uniforms to their siblings and also not have to

deal with the extra cost of personalized shirts?

Who is making the most money off of the uniform business and why?

It's so unnecessary in my opinion.

[seabass69]

The municipal pawn shop "to support parents"

[Benmart]

Funny that.

I thought everyone in Issan was supposed to be debt free, living the highlife on (exclusive to Red shirt supporters ) above market rice prices, have Samsung tablets for all school age children, with every family member over the age of 18 owning a new car, double previous salary with no inflation costs eating into their new massive spending power, because that is what they voted for.

Wonder if they will vote for that again?

Nothing funny about that mate.

Looks like you are quick to exploit these peoples' hardship in order to further your own political agenda.

Nothing funny about any of it.

Agreed.

Some people find humor in the pain and suffering of others.

Some find humor in the misfortune and death of others.

Some find humor in the darkness of the world until they stumble into oblivion.

The last sound they hear is the laughter of like thinkers.

Think, Think, Think!

[maximillian]

Hardly anyone in Thailand is good on planing budgets.

Look at the thousands of kids who are riding to school on their own motorcy.

Everyone has a mobile and using it all the time, even when riding with three.

If they have money they spend it without thinking about the future, wasting it on less important things.

Only the rich could really afford to behave like that.

[Som wat]

Are there porn shops in Bangkok? I've never seen one.

Just go Panthip Plaza to buy some computer stuff.