BANGKOK, 14 July 2015 – Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paochinda has instructed governors of all provinces to urgently look into farmers’ debts which have accumulated to 388 billion baht nationwide, in response to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s policy to prevent farmers from losing rights over their agricultural lands to capitalists or creditors.
The Interior Minister’s order followed his meeting last week with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance during which they discussed approaches to relieve farmers’ debts.
According to a Ministry of Interior survey, a total of 1.63 million farmers are indebted with a combined debt value of 388 billion baht currently. The meeting agreed that the Ministry of Finance will look into farmers’ debts raised through a conventional lending system whereas the Ministry of Justice will tackle unconventional loans.
Provincial authorities under the Interior Ministry have been ordered to begin negotiating process with creditors involved for all debtors based on the level of urgency. Both debtors and creditors in all cases will be treated with fairness, the Minister vowed.
It is expected that the officials involved will complete action plans involving debt negotiations for all indebted farmers by the end of 31st August 2015.
