But, today, the 65-year-old is repaying what she owes, covering her day-to-day expenses and even has a little left over for a rainy day.

It is all thanks to the Thai Health Promotion Fund's "Chumchon Pensuk", or Happy Community, scheme.

Im, who lives with her 40-year-old daughter in Tambon Bang Sa Kao in Chanthaburi's Laem Sing district, owed the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, a savings co-op and her village fund a total of Bt500,000.

"I wanted to be rich. I changed from farming rice to mangosteen and durian and crocodile raising. I bought a pickup," Im recalled.

Things did not go as planned. Fruit prices plunged and a lack of knowledge led to failure at crocodile farming.

"I was so depressed I took poison in a suicide attempt," she said.

Surviving, Im realised she could overcome her woes. She joined the ThaiHealth scheme in which 125 families in her 600-household village were participating.

She learned not to covet luxuries and sold her orchard and new truck to repay debts. She started earning Bt8,000 a month weaving mats and growing vegetables. She even manufactures her own fertiliser.

From her salary she repays Bt1,700 of her debts each month and saves more than Bt500.

In addition she grows most of her own food.

Now the books are balanced, Im has joined other villagers making shrimp paste, fish sauce and washing detergent for the village's own use. "I live a happy life. I don't want to be rich anymore," Im said.

The Chumchon Pensuk scheme encourages debt-stricken villagers to follow the sufficiency economy theory.

They are taught to keep accounts and rid themselves of extravagance.

Villagers pledge their adherence to the principles so they can achieve their economic goals.

The project got off the ground in 2003 when ThaiHealth trained village leaders in sufficiency-economy principles. The leaders transferred that knowledge to residents. Many now live simple, happy and economical lives. They have suppressed desires for luxury items, said ThaiHealth advisory committee member Surin Kitnitchee.

Another success story is Somchai Thaong-on, president of the local tambon administrative organisation.

Four years ago he owed Bt600,000 borrowed for a shrimp farm and sending his eldest son to university in Bangkok.

The farm failed. He sold it for half what he owed. He joined the ThaiHealth scheme and slashed his living expenses by half.

He is repaying the balance of his debt in instalments and saving a little.

"I can live a happy and open life and not have to hide from my creditors anymore," he said.

Mayuree

Sukyingcharoenwong

The Nation