Debt payment suspension for teachers to help ease financial burden

The Ministry of Education plans to help indebted teachers by introducing a programme to suspend debt payment for 1-2 years or to cut lending rates as part of the policy of the National Council for Peace and Order to “return happiness to the debtors”.

Education permanent secretary Mrs Suthasri Wongsamarn said Friday that since the bulk of teachers’ debts was with the Office of the Commission for the Promotion of Welfare for Teachers, it would be possible that the debt payments could be suspended or the lending rate further cut to ease the financial burden on the teachers.

She said that the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives had introduced debt suspension programme for its debtors and the result of satisfactory. As for teachers, she said that for similar programme to be introduced to help the teachers, it was necessary to find out first how many teachers had debts and how much debts for each of them.

Also, the permanent secretary for education the Office of Teachers Commission had been instructed to formulate a strategy on lending and training course for teachers on how to manage money effectively.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/debt-payment-suspension-teachers-help-ease-financial-burden/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=debt-payment-suspension-teachers-help-ease-financial-burden

-- Thai PBS 2014-08-23

We succeeded in getting an 8% increase to the education budget right! So we must now find ways in which to distribute this extra money right! After all it would be a waste if we used that money to educate the children right?

Edited August 23, 201411 yr by metisdead
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Or you could just increase their salaries . . .

...populism, so reviled by TVF posters, alive and well in Thailand. Indeed thriving. Rubber subsidy, now the teachers in debt. Who is next?

And what lesson will the Teachers learn and pass on to the next generation from this exercise........always borrow more that you can possibly afford it will make you look good and you will have the appearance of happiness and having everything but in reality have nothing of substance that is actually yours. Wash Rinse Repeat......

...populism, so reviled by TVF posters, alive and well in Thailand. Indeed thriving. Rubber subsidy, now the teachers in debt. Who is next?

Rice farmers.

The teachers are already highly favoured in regards to ease of access to credit, cheap credit and health care. I can only conclude that this plan is just another part of the general ineptness of the Ministry of Education. They aren't doing themselves any good with this, they might make teachers happy but the rest of the populace that often has to turn to loan sharks might think differently. I don't think that the general has got around to grasping this nettle yet. He talked about education for some time last night but I don't recall him discussing this. He looks tired.

Looks like education needs to be improved as teachers cannot live within their means .Do they teach maths in schools.

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...populism, so reviled by TVF posters, alive and well in Thailand. Indeed thriving. Rubber subsidy, now the teachers in debt. Who is next?

In the end this debt has to be repaid

Good! Thailand is learning from the world's powerful democracies!

Very soon will be new bankupcy laws, bank "bailing", loan's modifications, etc, etc, to teach future generations to be "smart" buyers and entreprenours.

Please....also come with welfare and unemployment plans to help Thai laborers do not to work so hard! How about free money, free housing, easy credit and loans, etc, etc, etc.....to "refugees"... The US is a heaven for war and political "victims"...

An example for the world!

Edited August 23, 201411 yr by umbanda

'Return happiness to the debtors' The return of common sense and restraint in matters of personal finance would be more appropriate. Do you really need that new car? Yes? Fine, then save up for it. You will not only own it, but will also enjoy the satisfaction of having achieved a goal.

Debts suspended for one or two years, sounds worryingly vague.

...populism, so reviled by TVF posters, alive and well in Thailand. Indeed thriving. Rubber subsidy, now the teachers in debt. Who is next?

Yes indeed you are right. Their is no difference in this than what ptp have done in the past in relation to rice farmers etc.

The only difference is that you are not allowed to complain about it - protest over it as we are under military rule and freedom of expression has been withdrawn.

That should please the EX, 2.5 million in debt and still borrowing.

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...populism, so reviled by TVF posters, alive and well in Thailand. Indeed thriving. Rubber subsidy, now the teachers in debt. Who is next?

In the end this debt has to be repaid

No it doesn't , the debt dies with them.

Edited August 23, 201411 yr by paulmw

" the bulk of teachers’ debts was with the Office of the Commission for the Promotion of Welfare for Teachers,"?

Please, somebody, wake me up.

Is there an admission of inadequate pay to teachers in Thailand?

Can we see here an enslavement of Teachers by the Gov't mechanism of debt?

On the other hand teachers in many countries are not well paid...

On yet another hand - maybe they are paid enough for the job they are doing?

And so the story goes on... and on ... and on.

But here I start getting curious.

Remember everybody (myself included) discussing the needed change in Education System?

Obviously it can not change from the bottom.

But how high must the changes start at the top?

Students(change time about 20 yrs) => Teachers (change time about 4 yrs) => Teachers Educators (change time about 6 yrs) => Ministry (change time about 1 month).

Now reverse all the arrows <= and start from the top.

If (IF!) the process goes without a glitch we can expect visible improvements in about 30 years.

That is if the rest of the World will agree to stop and wait for Thais...

Good luck...

Edited August 23, 201411 yr by ABCer

Sell your Baht now.

I have been Teaching English now for about 1 Year in Thailand, I am now also Teaching the Teachers! as of last week, Every day I become more bemused by the Thai Education System, They have Meeting almost every day, about what I have no Idea, not in there own time but in School Time, just send the Students home or let them go eat, or sit in classroom, does not matter, we must have meeting! Amazing Thailand!!

We also have a Chinese Teacher, trying to teach Chinese, For What! I am also teaching her English as with the "Thai English Teachers" who cannot hold a conversation in English.

Many teachers we know use government guaranteed borrowing for new expensive homes without kitchens or air con or bars or curtains for 10 years of salary for one. They also tend to have two new cars in the family. They are drowning in debt.

They need to be educated.

I have been Teaching English now for about 1 Year in Thailand, I am now also Teaching the Teachers! as of last week, Every day I become more bemused by the Thai Education System, They have Meeting almost every day, about what I have no Idea, not in there own time but in School Time, just send the Students home or let them go eat, or sit in classroom, does not matter, we must have meeting! Amazing Thailand!!

We also have a Chinese Teacher, trying to teach Chinese, For What! I am also teaching her English as with the "Thai English Teachers" who cannot hold a conversation in English.

Ah yes, the meetings, which go on for hours while the students sit in the classrooms playing with their smart phones, playing cards, playing guitar etc etc.

"since the bulk of teachers debts was with the Office of the Commission for the Promotion of Welfare for Teachers,"

Not doing such a good job if they're the ones helping teachers build up debt.

A smart move by the new Prime Minister would be to let the "Ferang" run the Schools, but of course that would never happen. The main problem is in part because Thailand was never occupied or Colonised by another Western Power, so have not had that foreign exposure, I think! as is there driving habits, same same. etc etc. But love the laid back style anyway.

What a "crock." Maybe if every "teacher" didn't have a new car or two they would not be in debt. But.... TIT where no one teaches anything even remotely resembling personal responsibility etc.

Teachers teach right? Well how is it Thai students are so far behind in all/most areas compared to students in other countries? I'd say/suggest most"teachers" in Thailand don't know how to teach, and are not, in the full meaning of the word, TEACHERS. Get rid of them and hire "real teachers" who can actually teach Thai children. Oh and have them turn their new cars/trucks in and live according to their salaries.

Populism and vote grabbing if ever there was.

I have been Teaching English now for about 1 Year in Thailand, I am now also Teaching the Teachers! as of last week, Every day I become more bemused by the Thai Education System, They have Meeting almost every day, about what I have no Idea, not in there own time but in School Time, just send the Students home or let them go eat, or sit in classroom, does not matter, we must have meeting! Amazing Thailand!!

We also have a Chinese Teacher, trying to teach Chinese, For What! I am also teaching her English as with the "Thai English Teachers" who cannot hold a conversation in English.

Sounds like another EFL teacher, working in a govt. school for 35k a month, who thinks they are some kinda foreign expert.

You will have absolutely no effect on the Thai education system. Chill out and enjoy your time here - forget trying to teach them. Enjoy all the free time. There is a philosophy, mainly by Chinese Thais. to keep the kids ignorant I taught for over a decade and it took years to understand the system. Teachers supplement their income with their weekend and evening tutoring. If they taught them during the day/week, they would lose money.

What's wrong with learning Chinese? I hope you don't teach geography.

I have been Teaching English now for about 1 Year in Thailand, I am now also Teaching the Teachers! as of last week, Every day I become more bemused by the Thai Education System, They have Meeting almost every day, about what I have no Idea, not in there own time but in School Time, just send the Students home or let them go eat, or sit in classroom, does not matter, we must have meeting! Amazing Thailand!!

We also have a Chinese Teacher, trying to teach Chinese, For What! I am also teaching her English as with the "Thai English Teachers" who cannot hold a conversation in English.

Sounds like another EFL teacher, working in a govt. school for 35k a month, who thinks they are some kinda foreign expert.

You will have absolutely no effect on the Thai education system. Chill out and enjoy your time here - forget trying to teach them. Enjoy all the free time. There is a philosophy, mainly by Chinese Thais. to keep the kids ignorant I taught for over a decade and it took years to understand the system. Teachers supplement their income with their weekend and evening tutoring. If they taught them during the day/week, they would lose money.

What's wrong with learning Chinese? I hope you don't teach geography.

How is Learning Chinese going to help Thailand, English is being Taught by all other ASEAN Countries NOT Chinese, and I am not just another EFL Teacher, Smart A....

'Return happiness to the debtors' The return of common sense and restraint in matters of personal finance would be more appropriate. Do you really need that new car? Yes? Fine, then save up for it. You will not only own it, but will also enjoy the satisfaction of having achieved a goal.

Debts suspended for one or two years, sounds worryingly vague.

Perfectly clear to me: Happiness = Money (i.e. more disposable income in this case, at least)

But I do question if it is really part of the NCPO's policy to "return happiness to the debtors". Last I heard it was to "return happiness to the Thai people".

Quote from the article:

"The Ministry of Education plans to help indebted teachers by introducing a programme to suspend debt payment for 1-2 years or to cut lending rates as part of the policy of the National Council for Peace and Order to “return happiness to the debtors”."

So are they going to start interpreting for the NCPO to whom and how, specifically, happiness will be returned or will that be another of the NCPO's assignments?

Edited August 23, 201411 yr by MaxYakov

Another failed 'reform'... the MoE needs to be closed, send all kids home as its wasted time!

In the meantime the teachers can keep on keeping what they do best: spending money to live a pseudo posh thai lifestyle and block another Thai generation from being 'educated'; what a farce, poor kids!

ASEAN will kick you a...

I have been Teaching English now for about 1 Year in Thailand, I am now also Teaching the Teachers! as of last week, Every day I become more bemused by the Thai Education System, They have Meeting almost every day, about what I have no Idea, not in there own time but in School Time, just send the Students home or let them go eat, or sit in classroom, does not matter, we must have meeting! Amazing Thailand!!

We also have a Chinese Teacher, trying to teach Chinese, For What! I am also teaching her English as with the "Thai English Teachers" who cannot hold a conversation in English.

Sounds like another EFL teacher, working in a govt. school for 35k a month, who thinks they are some kinda foreign expert.

You will have absolutely no effect on the Thai education system. Chill out and enjoy your time here - forget trying to teach them. Enjoy all the free time. There is a philosophy, mainly by Chinese Thais. to keep the kids ignorant I taught for over a decade and it took years to understand the system. Teachers supplement their income with their weekend and evening tutoring. If they taught them during the day/week, they would lose money.

What's wrong with learning Chinese? I hope you don't teach geography.

Geez! another long term(?) visitor who believes he has all the answers for everyone. The problem is, you have being going backwards since arriving here. Just because you were a loser what makes you think others will follow. Reality check needed matey.

I believe debts are inherited

I was at a Rural Agricultural college in the South for a year .

Most teachers had two brand new cars / or a car and a pick up, a house off site and land, so yes probably up to their neck in debt,or filthy rich! and oh God meetings galore. To this I day, I dont think I ever worked a full week or at least the 10 hours I was supposed to do.