More parents visit pawnshop for financial assistance

[webfact]

More parents visit pawnshop for financial assistance

BANGKOK, 29 April 2015, (NNT) - The University of Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Economic and Business Forecasting (CEBF) has stated that parents are increasingly relying on financial assistance from pawnshops.

CEBF Director Thanawat Polwichai said the center projected that 50 billion baht will be spent on education-related expenses during the primary school term this year.

Parents looking to fund their children’s education have resorted to formal and informal financial institutes, borrowing from relatives, and pawnshops.

Ministry of Commerce officials previously met with school uniform manufacturers to discuss freezing prices this year.

According to CEBF figures, an average university course is 10,000 baht per unit each term, with additional upkeep between 1,400 and 1,500 baht. Textbooks cost about 1,300 baht, stationery about 1,000 baht and shoes about 1,700 baht.


-- NNT 2015-04-29

[bangkokheat]

my guess is not so many falangs here to get milked

[Lee4Life]

They have pawnshops here? I haven't even seen as much as a second-hand store up here in Nong Khai !

It's hard to believe that freezing the price of school uniforms would make that much difference, I notice there isn't any mention of lowering or freezing tuitions or living costs.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Financial assistance from a pawn shop?

Buy high sell low.

[shirtless]

budgeting is not a strong point in thailand

[Crazy chef 1]

aren't those shops already full with these tablets from a few years ago

[greenchair]

1,700 baht for shoes?

They must have gold strings.

And 10,000 baht per unit is a very expensive university. Most people that go to pawn shops attend more reasonable priced universities. And it might surprise the Thai to know, most people in the west either save for 15 years or work pt jobs to go to uni.

This is just another scam for the rich to take more money from the poor.

[chickenslegs]

This happens every year on the approach to the new school term.

Parents pawn their valuables then pay weekly/monthly interest until they can afford to buy back their valuables.

The families may be poor but most of the kids are dressed immaculately for school (for the first few weeks anyway).

[Local Drunk]

Why do parents have to buy textbooks? The Thai government spends unspeakable fortunes on education every year and parents have to buy the textbooks? Yes it worked that way when I was in university.. BUT NOT IN BLOODY GRADE SCHOOL!

[Local Drunk]

This happens every year on the approach to the new school term.

Parents pawn their valuables then pay weekly/monthly interest until they can afford to buy back their valuables.

The families may be poor but most of the kids are dressed immaculately for school (for the first few weeks anyway).

Don't get me started... I can't tell you how many times I've been into classrooms of 50 students or better and they had no books or paper to take notes on. What's even worse are the so called high so schools that have conversational English classes with sixty students in the class.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Local Drunk

[heybuz]

12 months schooling in australia queensland for an overseas student is 12500aud,that doesnt include uniforms and other tools like laptops and writing materials,grade 12 high school

Edited April 29, 2015 by heybuz

[elgordo38]

My g/f's sister is struggling with 2 kids and it cost her 10,000 bahts a year just for tuition. This is lower school not high school. She must also pay for the school bus uniforms and part of their food. She gets no help from the father who is an American chasing some young Lao girl. Now if the government provided and invested in free education for lower school I would get on my soap box and beat my tamborene for the new PM. Also a raise in pensions for the elderly would really catch my attention not this return happiness to the people window dressing. The best investment a country can make is educating their young people.

[Local Drunk]

12 months schooling in australia queensland for an overseas student is 12500aud,that doesnt include uniforms and other tools like laptops and writing materials,grade 12 high school

[jollyhangmon]

12 months schooling in australia queensland for an overseas student is 12500aud,that doesnt include uniforms and other tools like laptops and writing materials,grade 12 high school

Darn mate, what happened?

Are you well on the way to fulfill your nicks promise ...?

[BKKdreaming]

can someone explain how Thai Pawn shops work ?

how much interest do they charge ?

how long do you have to pay back the "loan"

and how many payments can you miss before the pawned item is lost ?

or anything else that I forgot ?

[gk10002000]

They have pawnshops here? I haven't even seen as much as a second-hand store up here in Nong Khai !

It's hard to believe that freezing the price of school uniforms would make that much difference, I notice there isn't any mention of lowering or freezing tuitions or living costs.

There are lots of pawnshops in Pattaya. I haven't dealt with them except to walk in and browse a few things. Most of the stuff on display was old and outdated. I can't speak to the loaning end of pawnshps which is where many typically make most of their money.

[heybuz]

12 months schooling in australia queensland for an overseas student is 12500aud,that doesnt include uniforms and other tools like laptops and writing materials,grade 12 high school

Darn mate, what happened?

Are you well on the way to fulfill your nicks promise ...?

please explain