By Thai Newsroom Reporters
MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE owing illicit debt have been so far successfully assisted under the government’s anti-loan sharks campaign, the Ministry of Interior’s undersecretary Sutthipong Chulcharoen confirmed today (Jan.26).
Of a total of 15,005 illicitly indebted people who have so far filed with the authorities in all provinces of the country, 8,470 have been successfully assisted to the extent that they be able to settle their debt, given an extended instalment repayment and lowered interest rates, according to the undersecretary.
Compromise-based negotiations between the debtors and illicit money lenders with government officials acting as mediators have been held so far to settle a combined 1.53 billion baht in illicit debt, some 633 million baht of which has been cut off, leaving the 899 million baht balance to be repaid with extended instalment terms and lowered interest rates, Sutthipong said.
Meanwhile, the authorities have so far wrapped up 158 cases of post-negotiation, unsettled debt which had occurred in 30 provinces and are forwarding them to local police to take legal action and bring both sides to justice, he said.
However, the number of lawsuits pertaining to unsettled debt is largely believed to increase due to failed compromise.
Since the government’s anti-loan sharks campaign kicked off nationwide on Dec.1, a total of 135,101 people have so far filed separate claims of owing a combined 9.14 billion baht in illicit debt to a total of 102,153 money lenders.
The “Debt Settlement Market” opens at provincial level once a month and at district level four times a month, mostly on weekends, where integrated assistance measures are readily provided by government agencies, job-creating firms and financial institutions.
CAPTION:
Representative images of a man borrowing money from a loan shark, above, and being down and out, Front Page. Top photo: Matichon, Front Page photo: Thai Rath
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