By Thai Newsroom Reporters
AS MANY AS 71,000 people nationwide have been found so far to have a combined sum of 3.5 billion baht in illicit, informal debt owed to loan sharks, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Presiding over today’s (Dec.8) official kick-off of the Pheu Thai-led government’s anti-loan sharks campaign, the prime minister confirmed that an estimated 71,000 people in all parts of the country have so far claimed to have a combined sum of 3.5 billion baht in debt to loan sharks whilst many others are expected to follow suit by notifying the authorities of such illicit, unsettled debt sooner than later.
Calling all illicit, informal debt the “Modern World Slavery”, Srettha encouraged those people to never fear dark influence associated with loan sharks and to contact and truthfully inform the authorities including police of it.
The authorities ranging from officials of the Ministry of Interior’s Damrongtham Centre, provincial and district offices and the police are looking to mediate negotiations and compromise between the debtor and loan shark, according to the prime minister.
The settlement of illicit, informal debt is meant for the loan shark to immediately lower the interest which may have been charged at disproportionately high rates and for the debtor to repay it all on installment basis, the prime minister commented.
The debtor who may already have paid amounts of loan money in excess of their debt’s principal are ultimately advised by the authorities to immediately stop paying anymore, according to the prime minister.
The debtor who may have been intimidated or physically harmed by gangsters or others who may run illegal lending businesses online are strongly encouraged to cooperate with the authorities in order to settle their debt “once and for all” whilst those who may have committed crimes are to be brought to justice, he said.
He advised the authorities to take pride in contributing to the government’s anti-loan sharks campaign and to view it as a “change for good” mission, primarily designed to rid the people of illicit, informal debt.
Nevertheless, according to the prime minister, the people should no longer be indebted to loan sharks after the debt currently owed to them has been completely settled.
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Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin officially launching the anti-loan sharks campaign today, Dec. 8, 2023. Photos: Matichon
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