Student loans unpaid reach Bt8 billion

"They do not make any repayment during the past four years," student-loan fund manager Dr Thada Martin said yesterday.

Thada's office has been implementing a project since October to allow those who have defaulted on their loan payments to negotiate. The project will run till March 31, 2009.

"After that deadline, we will take legal actions," he said.

According to him, student-loan fund officials have already reached out to loan defaulters who wish to negotiate in Surin, Buri Tam, Si Sa Ket and Maha Sarakhram.

"Some 3,500 defaulters have come forward," Thada said, "This number, however, is very few when compared with the total number of defaulters".

He hoped more loan defaulters would contact his office soon.

In a related development, officials of the student-loan fund yesterday held a workshop in Nakhon Phanom in conjunction with local administrative organisations.

"We have asked for the local bodies' co-operation because they are close to the locals. They can give proper advice to parents," the student-loan-fund deputy manager Sermkiat Tassanasuwan said.

He said defaults on student loans could affect younger students, who would need financial help to continue with their studies.