By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PEOPLE WHO MAY OWE debt to loan sharks but have not yet reported it to the authorities were today (Feb.11) encouraged to do so until the end of this month.
The Ministry of Interior’s undersecretary Sutthipong Chulcharoen recommended those who may still have their illicit debt unsettled and unreported promptly contact provincial or district government officials in all parts of the country until Feb.29, marking the deadline for them to formally file it.
The government’s anti-loan sharks campaign launched on Dec.1 to help the people completely settle their illicit, informal debt and be able to stand on their feet again calls for a substantial cut in interest rates for the debt and an extension to the repayment terms whilst those who may already have paid the principal in full need not pay any more.
Compromise-based negotiations are arranged between the indebted people and loan sharks by government officials as mediators to completely settle the debt.
The Ministry of Interior’s undersecretary confirmed today a total of 140,787 people have so far formally reported to owe a combined 9.82 billion baht in illicit debt to a total of 110,321 money lenders.
Of that total, 13,012 debtors have so far successfully negotiated the settlement of a combined 672 million baht in debt, he said.
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Top and Front Page: Representative images of loan shark debts. Credit: Matichon
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